It’s been a while since I added poems to the website, currently most are shared on social media or sent out for submissions before posting on my site however that will change as I want to spend time on my website, to cultivate and maybe archive some of my older pieces. That will come in the winter months when my job isn’t so busy.
With that in mind, I thought I’d share two recent poems, from this week. National Poetry Day was on Thursday 2nd October and the theme this year was ‘play’. So i thought I’d partake and write a piece specifically for the day itself. I was already writing a different piece for the incredible weekly TopTweetTuesday poetry share on Twitter/X of the same theme, but using a ‘nonet’ nonetheless. If you’ve read much of my work, you’ll know I don’t do much writing in determined forms but I am always looking to improve my practise.
These are the two pieces which I’ve shared this week.
Poem 1: Written for TopTweetTuesday using ‘Play’ as the theme, with ‘nonet’ chosen for form.
Entertaining Brody
Claret-tip ivory arcing claws signifying his excitement— tongue barrel-rolls between barks, snout snozzleshifts in air, conker marble eyes dart to his ball, legs scramble. Wait. Wait. Fetch.
Poem 2: Written specifically for National Poetry Day 2025.
Breathless
Slightest drift of fingertips glance across pearl— seal with soft-stroke lips, press,
Can someone tell me how it is October already. Autumn colours arrived early this year and it seems like the nights are drawing in quicker each day. And with a new month, comes a new Poetic Voice to feature as part of The Book Bag: Poetic Voices.
This feature aims to platform and showcase exemplary work from writers I admire across the poetic landscape and runs concurrently with the regular weekly episodes of The Book Bag where I’ll still be sharing thoughts on pamphlets or collections I’ve read through the week.
This month, I am thrilled to announce that our Poetic Voice this month is the prize-winning, super-talented, Carson Wolfe.
Carson Wolfe is a Mancunian poet and Grand Prize Winner of The Disquiet Literary Program 2024. They will soon graduate with an MFA from The Manchester Writing School, and are currently finishing their first novel. Their poetry has appeared with Poetry Magazine, The Rumpus, The Common, and Rattle. Their new chapbook Coin Laundry at Midnight is forthcoming with Button Poetry in spring 2026.
I first read Carson’s work in The North and Northern Gravy and was blown away by their work, then I read more and more. Fast forward to now and I am so happy that Carson accepted my invitation.
I’ll be sharing a few pieces from Carson over the month. Kicking off with ‘While Wishing She Was Dancing To Kate Bush’ originally published in the Best New Poets Anthology 2024.
A little later than planned, here’s poem 2 from the exceptional Carson Wolfe. First appearing in POETRY Magazine July/August 2025, this is SILICON VALLEY, IN THE BACKSEAT OF A TESLA.
Here is the 3rd poem from Carson. Originally published in The Baltimore Review, this is ‘Strange Baby’.
STRANGE BABY
He locked his doors— the guy who braked
at my outstretched thumb. His name was Froggy. He drove
in the opposite direction to Georgetown,
is the temperature ok? he turned the radio dial,
what music do you like? A white crab
pearled in his headlights, he got out, knelt
on its shell. I could have run at that point,
but his car was air conditioned, I had nowhere
to be. He pulled a rope from his back pocket, turned
its pincers into its own face and bound them there.
I’ll cook you dinner, he said, and lumped the salted moon
onto my lap. It squirmed against my thighs,
this strange baby, looking to me for a mother.
I don’t eat animals, I said. It’s not an animal, he drove
on in the stink of rockpool fizz. The island only has
one road, I told myself we’d loop round eventually.
He pulled into a hotel, abandoned mid-construction.
Bare cement, windows gaping like mouths. I wouldn’t touch
the crab, was grateful when he tossed it
in the back. I stepped out into the evening shrill
of insects. Dizzied by the delicate racket
of wings rubbed together —he took out a knife
and cleared a path for me to reach a secret beach.
The sunset is pretty, like you, he said. Like me? I smiled.
Like you, he said, down on one knee.
To pre-order Carson’s forthcoming chapbook, you can do so here. I can’t wait for its release. An early birthday present to me from me!
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
What a week. Work has been non-stop. The days have been rolling into each other, and I wake up thinking it’s the wrong day! I did relax watching Newcastle progress in the League Cup this week too. Hopefully we can be back to back winners. Fingers crossed. Another good thing that happened was speaking to Matthew Smith live from my back garden.
The weather hasn’t been great. However, a break meant last Sunday started with a trip to the allotment to plant some garlic and herbs. Also, I dug out a fruit cage which was hard work plus the radishes we planted a couple of weeks ago are showing good signs of growth. I got over on Saturday too and covered some ground with woodchip. We also planned next steps and focus as we want to prepare for spring planting before the winter frosts.
On the poetry front, I’ve submitted two pieces, added a micro review to Pascale Petit’s Poetic Voice feature and shared the first date for The Book Bag: Open Mic Sessions, with spaces starting to be taken up. The first session will take place on Sunday 9th November at 7pm via zoom. I was also in the audience of the Winged Moon’s online launch of Biophilia which was top class excellent readings. I must mention Jai Michelle’s passion for The Winged Moon, it really shone through when discussing the project.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Cover Art “Daughter of the Moon” by Swapna Maini
Drench Me In Silver
Poet: Saraswati Nagpal
Press: Black Bough Poetry
I first encountered Saraswati’s poetry on TopTweetTuesday and was captivated by her beautiful language and consistent considered pieces. Then, I heard Saraswati read at a Black Bough zoom open mic, and found her reading to be even more captivating, almost hypnotic. If you have the chance to hear Saraswati read, take it.
Drench Me in Silver is Saraswati’s debut collection and has been nominated for both the Forward Prize and the Tagore Prize by Black Bough Poetry. The book is separated into sections relating to rain. Staring with Memories of Rain going through to Petrichor.
One of Saraswati’s major strengths is her ability to weave passion and sensuousness into her pieces that the reader becomes invested quickly. Poems including ‘Drench Me In Silver’ and ‘Cape Winters’ feel sumptuous and luxurious. As does the poem ‘Night’s Lapis Dome’ . I mentioned that poem during my conversation with Matthew Smith, it stayed with me.
As someone who has read continuously read work by Saraswati almost weekly via the magnificent poetry jamboree, TopTweetTuesday, it is no surprise that emotion underpins a lot of the pieces in a clever, layered way. ‘Toward Joy’, ‘Intezaar’ and ‘Sawaan Serenade’ are perfect displays of this. One piece that stands out is ‘Of Whales and Love’. If you’ve read my Book Bag entry on Helen Laycock’s Elemental, you will know I have a soft spot for whale poetry.
Fans of mythology are well catered for. ‘Persephone’s Lament’, ‘Women In Myths Are Tumbling Out Of My Closet’, ‘Forge’ and are all superb poems. ‘Orison For The Lost’ is another marvel discussing mythology with terrific imagery and language choices. You will notice in the collection that Saraswati has a great understanding of different pantheons and figureheads.
The importance of place is a constant theme throughout. ‘Daughter of Sindh’ is an incredible piece that discusses the usurping of heritage and lands Mountbatten and his role as the Last Viceroy but also the intimate personal repercussions and consequences following the aftermath felt by Saraswati and her family. ‘Dusk by Ganga’ is a lyrical piece that is soft and filled with hope. I must mention the sound patterning from the recurring r’s at the opening of the piece. They add a wonderful cadence to the poem. ‘Beside a Rose-Merchant, Kashmir’ is a tender piece that immerses you in a Kashmir market with sensory delight.
Form and space are played with throughout the book. We have the powerful tercet ‘Descendant’. ‘Songs of Chaos’ plays with the space on the page focusing on the precise wording. We have ‘after poetry’ including the lush ‘Prayer for Monsoon’. Another thing to add is Saraswati’s approach to free verse. It is expert as is her precise, beautiful language.
This collection will appeal to readers who want poetry with deep connections, immaculate language and vivid imagery. Appreciators of mythology will love this book. This is poetry that embraces you and guides you through time and place, the kind you want to get lost in a while and linger. I’ll be buying another copy as a present for somebody for Christmas.
Favourite Poem:
I’ve already mentioned ‘Daughter of Sindh’ and ‘Of Whales and Love’. There are so many to choose from, but I will stick to another handful as I write this. ‘Hero’, ‘Denouement in Citrine’, ‘Last Daughter’, ‘Spear-child’ and ‘Night Wanderers’. Oh, I’ll also mention ‘Diwali’s Velvety Nights’ and ‘Night’s Lapis Dome’ .
And what would The Book Bag be without a playlist. So here is a mix to listen to while reading a beautiful collection.
Anuv Jain – Mishri Dream Note – Waqt Ki Baatein When Chai Met Toast – Ocean Tide Mali – Horoscope Maren Morris – The Bones Billie Myers – Kiss The Rain Eurythmics – Here Comes The Rain Again Planetopia – Catch and Release Anumita Nadesan – Khwaab Bombay Jayashiri – Zara Zara Anoushka Shankar – Beloved Tyrone Wells – Days I Will Remember
Before I Go…
I said at the start, if you get the chance to hear Saraswati reading, take it… Well, Saraswati and Black Bough are holding an online launch for Drench Me In Silver on Sunday 5th October. Tickets & Details here.
One More Thing…
I mentioned sharing the details of The Book Bag: Open Mic Sessions. Join me for an evening of sharing polished gems and roughcut coals in a supportive environment. Details and tickets can be found here.
And Another…
It’s almost the end of September. On Wednesday, The Book Bag: Poetic Voice for October will be unveiled. Another exceptional talent and award-winner…
While you wait, why not check out Pascale’s September feature here which now has a playlist and micro-review of Beast.
And Finally…
It’s National Poetry Day this week. This year the theme is ‘play’. I’ll be sharing a poem on Thursday on social media in response. Are you planning on participating in National Poetry Day? Let me know in the comments.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Why I Wear My Past To Work
Poet: Chris Campbell
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
Does anybody else feel the weeks are getting busier? Work is at its peak currently and I’m loving overcoming the challenges it’s presenting. Unfortunately, because the of the weather I haven’t been able to get to the allotment, however I have been able to relax to some incredible jazz and soul and the playlist further down the page, I even dabbled with my sax a little. Newcastle were unlucky not to get a point from the Barcelona game but it was Barcelona. Poetry-wise I’ve drafted some pieces, done some editing, started a submission piece and decided to host an open mic. More details on the open mic coming soon.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
This Wilderness & Other Concerns
Poet: Martin Kennedy Yates
Press: Broken Spine Arts
Martin Kennedy Yates blew my mind at an open mic the first time I heard his reading of a Scousenlish poem, I became a big fan immediately. That was a while ago and I’ve kept up with his writing ever since. When he was announced as the winner of Broken Spine Art’s collection contest I was on tenterhooks for his debut release. And here we are. This Wilderness & Other Concerns is a book that showcases Martin’s ability, knowledge and interests outstandingly. The sections are This Wilderness which is a response to The Wasteland a hundred years on, Other Concerns which take a view on place to politics and, Scousenlish.
Martin is deft at peeling back the mirage of city life revealing and exploring what lies beneath, both the dark and the funny of which there is plenty in in this book. This is portrayed in the opening poem ‘A Time For Dying’ where we are taken on a tour of the city and bump into Kevin King Carpet-fitter of Kidderminster and his passion for Caliban. This continues in ‘All The World’s A Stage’ and throughout the collection.
One of Martin’s strengths is his knowledge of and use of language to expand the poem from the page into immersive imagery that you can cling to. ‘/Pylon\ Shed’ is a terrific poem of sketching out a memory on to page for readers to share in the scene through multi-sensory detail. Another piece ‘Fabric’, compares contrasting scenes immensely.
Emotion is etched into the poems in this book on a wide spectrum. ‘Overheard On The Wind’ is a tour de force in emotive poetry where the reader is treated to a whole host of feelings across the pages. I was breathless after reading it and was an incredible closing poem to section one. ‘Martyr’ is a fantastic compact piece that teems with bite.
I’ve spoken about Martin’s use of language above, however, I must give a second shoutout for the full Scousenlish (described as Martin’s alter ego) section of the book which inspired by Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Read it aloud with measured cadence and the understanding of the words will fall seamlessly in your mind.
So I’ve talked about language twice. Martin is also a master of shaping and use of space to focus the reader on the message and narrative of his poetry. ‘The Murmurations’ is (one of my favourite pieces) an excellent display of the use of space and shaping to focus the reader but also give movement to the poem.
This is a book with broad appeal. Incredible language, wonderful imagery and an emotional undercurrent flow like the river through the city. Readers who want a modern take on The Wasteland will love this book. This is a collection that will make you pause and reflect throughout. A tremendous debut, I look forward to seeing what Martin does next. Buy it now, it will make a great literary Christmas gift.
Favourite Poem: I’ve already mentioned The Murmurations. Let’s add another five if I use the entire ‘Scousenlish’ section to count as one. Then there’s ‘Pathos’, ‘Hope’’, ‘Drowned Rats and Sinking Ships’ and ‘Devotee’.
Buy This Wilderness & Other Concerns here or reach out to Martin on on social media to buy a signed copy direct which comes with a bookmark containing a bonus poem which is what I did.
Want a playlist to read along to? Well here’s an eclectic selection to accompany the book;
The Who – My Generation Black Sabbath – Paranoid Beverley Knight – Greatest Day UB40 – Can’t Help Falling In Love Kelly & Ozzy Osbourne – Changes Duran Duran – Hungry Like The Wolf The Streets – Has It Come To This? Vivaldi – L’Inverno Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen The Moody Blues – I’m Just A Singer Boney M – Rivers of Babylon Blur – This Is A Low
Before I Go…
Have you read Pascale Petit’s feature yet? Read it here and keep your eyes peeled for a mini review of Beast in this coming week.
One More Thing…
The Winged Moon are hosting an online launch for Biophilia on Friday 26 September 2025 at 6pm (UK time). The lineup looks incredible. Email thewingedmoonmagazine@gmail.com to grab a ticket.
And Another…
Broken Spine Arts have launched a new initiative being spearheaded by Karen Pierce Gonzalez ( Author of Down River With Li Po) called #NotJustPretty and kicks off with a 90 minute literary open mic and showcase aimed at amplifying women’s voices. Details of the initiative can be found here.
And Finally…
Marcelle Newbold shared details of a competition she is co-judging on Instagram this week with some excellent prizes on offer. Walking ‘In The Dark’ closes on Monday 20th October 2025. Details here.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Drench Me In Silver
Poet: Saraswati Nagpal
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
I’ve had an incredibly busy week. Work is constant now but that’s what I like. I feel satisfied every day when I’m finished because I know I’ve worked hard and contributed to the team and company.
I attended an excellent open mic last Sunday evening, you can read about it here, on Friday I read at the launch of Chris Campbell’s new book ‘Why I Wear My Past To Work’ which I feel truly grateful to have been invited to take part. Somehow, I wrote a couple of good pieces too (in my opinion anyway).
At the allotment, preparing for winter in full flow. We had a ton of compost delivered on Saturday. Getting it from the drop off bay, into wheelbarrows then to our plot was exhausting.
Husband Material Vol II: Twenty-Seven Addresses is my first time reading D.L. ‘Dan’ Husband in a collection. He featured on the same episode of BBC Upload with me hosted by the fantastic Emma Millen. I’ve watched his Instagram of performances of spoken word at fringe events and elsewhere. I also checked out some of his published work online and I’m a fan. It’s always great to share work from Northeast poets. Let’s jump into the collection.
There is power in Dan’s poems, sometimes understated and restrained sometimes unflinching. The pieces ‘Demolition Man’ and ‘Reaper Man’ are two examples of how to add impact but in various ways. I must also mention the title poem from the collection ‘Twenty-Seven Addresses’ which is a hybrid of prose and sequence that feels like a worthwhile mandate. I relate to this piece in so many ways and is one of my favourite pieces.
Every piece in this collection teems with emotion. It deals with key themes that working-class men deal with daily: , identity, challenging stereotypes and perceptions, personal struggles with addiction and standing out from the crowd you belong to. ‘Buffet’ is a terrific example of this and uses visual spacing that mimics the movement he describes. ‘Give A What?’ is a direct address to the reader and pulls no punches. This is meaningful poetry.
I like pop culture references in poetry when they make sense which is something Dan uses, keeping the work relatable. In ‘Ghostbusters’ we are treated to a cameo from Gozer, Venkman and Spengler. In ‘3D Printed Dinosaur Bones’, Mothra and Godzilla make an appearance. One thing he doesn’t do is use a reference for the sake of it or overuse.
Imagery weaves its way through the collection. This is demonstrated in ‘The Moon Watches On’ where we are hurtled through space and time to understand what the moon has observed since it came into being.
Dan’s skill in spoken word composition is evident in the rhyming patterns and structured shifts in the pieces. Read them aloud. Another key detail is the intricate and clever wordplay he uses. The piece ‘Blameless Blaggard’ is a great demonstration of this.
This is a collection for poetry fans who want to be confronted with truth, sometimes brutal. Fans of spoken word, clever wordplay and rhyme will enjoy this book. Readers who want to explore recovery through words, this will appeal to you. A deep, dark intimate book. I’ll be grabbing a copy of volume I very soon.
To buy Husband Material Vol II: Twenty-Seven Addresses, click here.
Favourite Poem:
This week I’ll go for five. I’ve already mentioned ‘Twenty-Seven Addresses’ but the following four have also stuck in my head. ‘Border War’, ‘The Old Beast’, ‘Fairy Trials’ and ‘Ananke’.
Oh, and here’s this week’s playlist, you didn’t think I’d forget:
Little Roy – Lithium Massive Attack – Teardrop Oasis – Cigarettes and Alcohol Maximo Park – Risk to Exist Eels – Novocaine For The Soul Tom Petty – Free Fallin’ Underworld – Born Slippy Fatboy Slim – Weapon Of Choice Sam Fender – Play God Robbie Williams – Better Man
Before I Go…
Did you catch the details of The Book Bag X Write Here, Right Now submission window and guidelines? A terrific chance to get published and potentially be nominated for awards including BOTN, Pushcart & Forward. Details here.
One More Thing…
Alan Parry will be on hosting duties for another Broken Spine Arts ‘Write The Night’ workshop on 28 September 2025. I have attended this in the past and found it extremely useful and highly recommend it. Details here.
And Another…
If you’ve been following The Book Bag for a while, you will know that I am a massive fan of Helen Laycock. She is this month’s poet on Black Bough’s Silver Branch feature. Read it here.
And Finally…
Have you had chance to catch up with this month’s Poetic Voice? Pascale Petit has shared a piece from Beast. Keep an eye on social media for a further addition to the feature…
Next Week’s Read
Title: This Wilderness & Other Concerns
Poet: Martin Kennedy Yates
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
So on Sunday (7th September) I attended an open mic via zoom held by Black Bough Poetry. They are always excellent events and Biok Bag alumni Matthew MC Smith is always excellent on hosting duties. This time he was joined by the fabulous Polly Oliver as co-host and this was possibly one of the best Black Bough zoom open mic’s I’ve attended.
There were over 20 international poets all with various styles, subjects and voices giving the night a special feeling of anticipation as to what would come next. I read Who We Are in the encore section, my most confident reading of this piece so far. But enough about me…
Every poet brought something different and I was hypnotised by some, brought to tears by one poet, some debuts which were excellent also.
Here’s a recap of some of my favourite performances and why…
First off, I’ll mention Evie Carlyn, reading an important piece recently featured in the prestigious Madrid Review. It entranced the room and was delivered perfectly- both in pitch and pace.
Paul Connolly, who I’ve connected with over on BlueSky, has a theatrical performance style that really lent itself to the poems he read. His diction and intonation led me to make a request he read the entire Lord of The Rings trilogy on audiobook for me.
Rob McKain who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and hearing live in Neath 2024. His voice carried every bit of emotion in the poem he recited, the sorrowful quality was deepened by his immense accent. If he and Paul Connolly were to record a radio play it would be a phenomenal success.
Photo Credit: Matthew MC Smith
I was very impressed by Elizabeth Fevyer making her open mic debut. Her pitch and pace and choice of work was tremendous and there were no signs of nerves. I’m looking forward to hearing her read more.
Lauren Parker is a terrific performance poet. She has a real understanding of rhythm and flow, when to change tone and pace. It helps that her poems are always class and suit her conversational style.
Victoria Spires’ open mic and performance confidence continues to improve and impress. Vic is in the next wave of Iamb and when you get the chance, hear her read. Her poetry is prize-winning and of excellent quality. Also buy Soi-Meme.
It was a treat to hear Martin Kennedy Yates reading from his new book, (I’m looking forward to it arriving). His voice carries so much emotion making his reading mesmerising. Martins new book, This Wilderness and Other Concerns, will be making an appearance in The Book Bag soon…
At one point, I had to turn my camera off because Louise Longson read such a beautiful piece written for her friend Nick that I cried. I felt every single word and emotion. It reminded me of my Uncle.
Sarah Raybould’s poetry is top notch. As is her reading style, very composed and deliberate in her reading. I really enjoyed hearing her read and look forward to hearing more of her reading.
Daniel Hinds has a wonderful accent. He is from the North East after all. He read some of his poetry from New Famous Phrases and he always sounds so good. A pro.
Wren Wood is an impeccable performer. I really appreciated the movement and tone shifts which can be hard to portray on a zoom open mic. Exceptional poems too.
Barnaby Harsent read extremely well. But he always does. Poised and precise in his delivery that draws you in. Catch him on Iamb too.
I could go on and on because I enjoyed every single reading for different reasons. But these are the thoughts I’m having today.
A lot of readers are on the Iamb platform spearheaded by the excellent Mark Anthony Owen whose performances too were top class. His poems carry an economy of language that when combined with his tone gives real gravitas.
If you liked this quick piece let me know and I may do another at the next open mic I attend. Maybe in the future I might host one too?
Let me know your thoughts.
If you want to hear me read with a stellar line up to launch Chris Campbell’s new collection on Friday visit Parlyaree Press here for zoom tickets
If you’re visiting this page, I hope you’re considering submitting to the inaugural poetry anthology from The Book Bag X Write Here Right Now.
All the details can be found below including submission guidelines and the why behind the project.
The Concept
Unwhispered Legacy is an idea born out of the Write Here, Right Now writing group which I set up to bring poets together and and my regular blog The Book Bag, that provides a platform for emerging and established poets.
I thought wouldn’t it be great to create an anthology that showcased some of the best poetry out there and give an opportunity to poets to submit for free and potentially be nominated for awards. So here we are. Unwhispered Legacy will be a theme-free anthology published in PDF format released on the 2nd March 2026.
This will be a free anthology available via The Book Bag, with all contributors being provided a copy. I will also be setting up a charitable donation link when the anthology goes live should people wish to donate to charity.
So lets get into the important bits and pieces.
Submission Guidelines
There is no theme or style preference but it may be worthwhile to be familiar with The Book Bag and The Book Bag: Poetic Voices, my blog that features emerging and established poets including Pascale Petit, Rishi Dastidar, Rhian Elizabeth, Carson Wolfe, Rebecca Goss and more.
Please see submission guidelines below:
The submission window is for 48hours, opening on Sunday November 30th at 00:00 (GMT) closing at 00:00 (GMT) on 2nd December 2025.
****A Special Window has opened from 8am Sunday 14th December 2025 until Wednesday 17th December 2025, 9pm (GMT)***
You may submit up to 2 unpublished poems of your own work (poems shared on social media are acceptable). These should be sent as an attachment via email in doc. or docx format with a separate document per poem with the following naming convention: Your Name – Poem Title (e.g. Ann Example – A Poem).
Please also send a short bio of 50 words or less.
In the subject field of the email use Unwhispered Legacy Submission + No. Of Poems.
All poems should be in Garamond font size 11, with left alignment unless specifically shaped for the purpose of the piece. Poems should not exceed 30 lines or 200 words.
On occasion, editorial suggestions may be made.
Please do not submit work that contains extreme graphic depictions of violence of any kind.
The Book Bag is an inclusive platform therefore any pieces containing bigotry, hate or discrimination of any kind will not be accepted.
No plagiarism / ai poetry please.
You will be notified of acceptance no later than 31st January 2026.
This is not a paid opportunity, however poems will be considered for nominations to the Pushcart, Best Of The Net & Forward prizes.
All decisions are final.
Copyright remains with you.
If your work is printed elsewhere following publication, a mention would be greatly appreciated.
If you have any questions please drop me a message on social media.
I can’t wait to read your pieces. Send me your best.
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
Welcome back to The Book Bag! What a couple of weeks. Let’s start with writing – The Book Bag: Poetic Voice for September was revealed and I’m so happy to be featuring Pascale Petit who has been incredible to communicate with.
I’ve sent several submissions out for different things. Been to a couple of open mics. I also had the August meeting of Write Here, Right Now. Maybe you saw the news on Instagram of an exciting forthcoming opportunity. I’m super happy to be creating an anthology of poetry and am looking forward to reviewing the submissions when they come in.
Away from writing, I’ve been jamming on my saxophone, met up with my mates for the first time in a long time for football, food and a few drinks which was a great laugh. Also my wife and I have signed up for our first allotment and have been busy digging out weeds and preparing for winter sowing. My body ached after day one from shearing down thistles. I’m looking forward to reading collections on the small patio area once it’s complete.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Maybe I’ll Call Gillian Anderson
Poet: Rhian Elizabeth
Press: Broken Sleep Books
I’ve read some of Rhian’s work online prior to reading Maybe I’ll Call Gillian Anderson and had heard excellent things about the book. I also saw Rhian standing up for what’s right by withdrawing from the Polari Prize. So without further ado, let’s jump back into The Book Bag…
One of Rhian’s key strengths is her honesty and humour in her poetry. The poem ‘To The Girl Who Said I’ll Never Be Happy Because I’m Too Picky’ is unflinching, smart and hilarious. I completely agree with the first couplet following the opening. The opening poem ‘Maybe I’ll Call Gillian Anderson’ swings from tragedy to laugh out loud funny to sad in quick succession.
A theme within the book is relationships. Whether familial, romantic, friendship or otherwise, Rhian is explicit and unapologetic when discussing these. ‘Glasgow’ is an excellent piece that feels relatable, starting in the confines of a kitchen then expanding outward. ‘Boxing Day Night And My Daughter Drives Us Back In The Fog’ is an emotive piece about the change in status between mother and daughter with an ending that feels triumphant without cliché.
There’s also a dark side to this theme. ‘The Photograph & The Man Who Took It’ made me rage and I had to stop reading and take the dog out to calm down.
There are some excellent pieces on introspection. ‘Camden’ (one of my favourites) is letter littered with stream of consciousness and imagery. ‘Mona Lisa Mona Lisa’ is another perfect example but through a different lens.
Throughout the book, Rhian plays with styles and space. ‘Drowning on a Strangers Couch’ has a wonderful prose feel is completely different to ‘Sea Glass’ which plays with space, (another of my favourites).
This book will appeal to poetry fans of uncompromising, unflinching raw poetry that is filled with humour. If you like your poetry to have an emotional connection that makes you feel it in your bones, you will love this book. I love it for all of those reasons and more, a unique, authentic, captivating collection.
To buy, Maybe I’ll Call Gillian Anderson, click here.
Favourite Poem: I’ve already mentioned a couple in ‘Sea Glass’ and ‘Camden’ so I’ll add another three into the mix although I could choose a ton more. ‘Ribbons’, ‘Cry Like A Bitch’ and ‘Amsterdam’ are what I’ll go for today.
Oh, you didn’t think I’d forget the playlist did you…
Catatonia – Mulder and Scully Bananarama – Venus Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes Rachel Stamp – My Sweet Rose Barbara Streisand – The Way We Were Blur – Coffee and TV Schubert – Ave Maria, Op 52 No. 6 D.839 Blondie – Call Me Hal feat. Gillan Anderson – Extremis Mark Snow – The X-Files Theme
Before I Go…
On Friday 12th September 2025, Chris Campbell is launching his latest collection from Parlyaree Press, ‘Why I Wear My Past To Work’. I have been asked to read at the launch, which I’m incredibly grateful for. If you want to see Chris launch his book and hear some of the work from its pages as well as a excellent lineup of other poets, check the Parlyaree Press website here.
One More Thing…
The Broken Spine have opened submissions for their latest slimline anthology. You can submit poems for Verdigris until the end of September. Send your best work. Full details here.
And Another…
If you’re looking to read stunning poetry and view exceptional artwork, look no further than Biophilia from The Winged Moon. Find it here.
And Finally…
It’s great to be back! I’m looking forward to sharing lots more amazing pamphlets and collections with you and the concealed pockets will be opened to share a few different things.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Husband Material Volume 2: 27 Addresses
Poet: DL Husband
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Well here we are in September. And with a new month, comes a new Poetic Voice to feature as part of The Book Bag: Poetic Voices. This feature aims to platform and showcase exemplary work from writers I admire across the poetic landscape and runs concurrently with the regular weekly episodes of The Book Bag where I’ll still be sharing thoughts on pamphlets or collections I’ve read through the week.
And this month, I am amazed to announce the Poetic Voice is the exceptionally talented prize-winning poet, someone I’ve read since starting my poetry journey, Pascale Petit.
Credit: Derrick Kakembo
Pascale Petit was born in Paris and lives in Cornwall. She has published nine poetry collections, four of which were shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize. Her ninth, Beast, published by Bloodaxe Books in 2025, is a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Her eighth, Tiger Girl (Bloodaxe, 2020), was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection, and for Wales Book of the Year. Her seventh, Mama Amazonica (Bloodaxe, 2017), won the RSL Ondaatje Prize and the inaugural Laurel Prize for eco-poetry and was the Poetry Book Society Choice. Her debut novel, My Hummingbird Father, was published by Salt in 2024.
This month, I am sharing the below piece from Pascale’s latest collection ‘Beast’, available here from Bloodaxe Books. This is ‘The Lammergeier Daughter’.
Beast Micro Book Bag Review
As part of this month’s feature, I’ve written a micro review of Pascale’s collection.
The collection explores a range of emotions and experiences through beasts in various environments and forms. With such range comes an expanse of vivid surreal imagery that lifts itself from the page. The book deals with trauma with defiance and resilience acting as counterpoints.
It should come as no surprise that the language throughout the collection is precise and rich. Form varies from prose in ‘The Tala Zone’ of the book to the use of space in ‘Ode To Causse Méjean With Takhi Horses’ to the couplet form in ‘Papa Guêpier’.
As well as ‘The Lammergeier Daughter’ other poems including ‘Butcherbirds’, ‘Swallows’, ‘Vial’, ‘Roebuck’ and ‘Pale-winged Trumpeters’ are among my favourites. I could list at least 10 more.
Beast is an exquisite collection and is in my top five books, I’ve read this year.
Regular readers will know that The Book Bag shares a playlist for the weekly entry, so I thought I’d add an eclectic one here also…. Charlie Parker – Koko George Benson – Everything Must Change Florence And The Machine – Dog Days Are Over John Coltrane – Giant Steps Louis Armstrong – Snake Rag Stravinsky – The Rite Of Spring Oliver Nelson – Ain’t A Thing Johnny Cash – The Beast In Me Kings Of Leon – Closer Imagine Dragons- Radioactive
Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
What a week. I saw the Fantastic Four movie, followed by pizza with friends (I went for nduja and gorgonzola) where we saw England International and Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, an acceptance, a piece published as part of the Poetry of Witness project on Wednesday. Also, it was the launch of Beautiful Little Fools Anthology where I read my two pieces (was it too much wearing a velvet jacket and bow tie and sipping old-fashioned cocktails?) ‘Depraved New World’ and ‘The Flicker of Green’. Oh, I spent a bit of time on my writing too.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Vanishing Point
Poet: Colin Bancroft
Press: Broken Sleep Books
Vanishing Point opens strongly with vivid imagery and precise, rich language in the poem ‘Botanical Notes’. The strength of scene continues throughout the the book including in poems such as ‘Sitting On Rocks At Penveen Lighthouse’ and ‘Etal Castle’ (one of several locations in the collection I’ve been to).
Place plays an important part of the collection. Both its historical context tied to memory, heritage and culture but also how a place can act as a way marker to another place. This is how I interpreted the piece ‘Transverse Orientation’ with its listings of services. ‘Picking Raspberries at High Force’ (somewhere I’d recommend anyone visiting, because it is exquisite) is an excellent poem that shows the cycle of renewal of a place.
Many of the pieces hold an emotional weight. ‘Into The Distance’ and ‘Figuring It Out’ are two perfect examples of how to craft evocative poetry in contrasting ways. The poem ‘The Law’ is a layered piece that sparked a reaction both consciously and subconsciously and I made an audible ‘oooft’ when reading it.
There are powerful poems throughout. The final poem ‘Post Box On Corporation Street for Manchester’ is unflinching. ‘Thoughts On An Aftermath’ is a thought-provoking honest piece which had me considering my reaction. The piece ‘Tethered’ hit me hard.
Nature poetry is exceptionally crafted in Vanishing Point. Poems such as ‘Gauging The Flood’ , ‘Standing’ and ‘Life Study’ are all prime examples of writing the natural world without over-sentimentality or cliche. I also enjoyed the poem
Colin Bancroft uses form and style in various ways throughout. ‘John Clare’s Green Coat’ uses spacing expertly to convey the poem’s message, leaving room to breathe before continuing. Free verse is used but also forms including list and couplet such as ‘Frozen Pool in Hotburn Plantation’.
This book will appeal to lovers of eco-poetry, vivid imagery, emotional connection and a sense of place. The Northern landscape and cultural, industrial history referenced in Vanishing Point resonated deeply with me as I have stood in some of the same places and can immerse myself fully in the poetry and the landscape. It’s a book, I will keep going back to.
I’m going to choose five here. In no order ‘The Law’, ‘HS2’, ‘Staithes’, ‘Capacity for Joy’ and ‘Night Horses’.
And here’s an eclectic playlist that I feel goes with the book that I’ve curated for your enjoyment;
Oasis – Champagne Supernova Richard Ashcroft – A Song For the Lovers Solis – Sunday James – Sit Down Lindisfarne – Run For Home The Unthanks – Shipbuilding Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill Jimmy Nail – Big River Seth Lakeman – The Colliers Chris Rea – Curse Of The Traveller New Order – Ceremony Mr Scruff – Honeydew Blossoms – Charlemagne
Before I Go…
Another page of Rishi Dastidar’s hobbies will be live on his feature from noon today, with another page of hobbies landing on 19th August. His feature can be found here. Catch up now.
One More Thing…
The Broken Spine has a ‘Cut To The Bone’ zoom workshop running on 24th August hosted by Alan Parry, details here. His workshops are always interactive and informative in a supportive environment and may be useful to all writers currently in the submission process.
And Finally…
Next week’s weekly entry in The Book Bag will be the last until September as I take a small summer break. I’ve already got exciting plans for the weekly entries from September with some more exciting poetry to share. I constantly update my social media channels with news so you can keep up to date there. You may even see me read a poem or 2.
Next Week’s Read
Title: Welcome To The Museum of A Life
Poet: Sue Finch
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Paul Writes Poems 