Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.
This week has been a fairly quiet one with the bleary, grey weather. I did manage to get across to our allotment and look at the current progress of garlic and shallots, parsley and onions. They seem to be doing well despite the constant rain. At home we sowed some sweetpeas to start them off for spring. Also we harvested the last of the sprouts and used them to make a delicious slaw.
I’ve been able to write, do some editing, I launched this month’s Poetic Voice, the excellent Paul Connolly. Read part one here and bookmark for further work being added.
On top of that, I’ve been reading;
Through Salt-Heavy Seas
- Poet: Andrew Williamson
I first encountered Andrew Williamson’s poetry as part of the weekly PoemsAbout prompts on BlueSky ran by Alan Parry & Broken Spine. His work caught my eye for several reasons – the minimalist word count, the power he packs in and the relatability of his poems. Andrew is also a member of Write Here, Right Now and always provides clever and creative insight.
Through Salt-Heavy Seas is a collection that focuses on place and how it impacts our very core. The piece ‘Tūrangawaewae’ (one of my favourites) and ‘When You Are Ready To Get On The Plane’ both lean into Andrew’s antipodean heritage. ‘The Kitchen’ draws readers into the intimacy and legacy of domestic spaces.
Imagery is vibrant and vivid throughout the collection. A prime example (and one of my favourites) is ‘Coire Uisg’ which uses a broad palette to paint the horizon. ‘Lambing Snow’ will feel ultra-familiar to anyone who has lived in rural areas or worked in agriculture. The piece ‘Forest’ is a clever poem that inverts the natural imagery of a forest poem.
Across the book, poems will cocoon you in various emotional states. ‘Hiraeth’ sparks pride, ‘Lullaby’ is a heart-wrenching piece that drew pause. The piece ‘Catching The Train From Dundee on New Year’s Eve Without You’ is an authentic and relatable love poem especially for those who’ve ever had to leave the comfort of family for a place that now feels unfamiliar despite its familiarity.
There is varied use of form and style in the collection with ‘Seven Questions To A Mountain’, a question poem, ‘Spring’ gives us a haiku which is always a treat. I enjoyed the looseness of punctuation that allows readers to dictate pace and let the poem continue in the mind to shape an outcome especially in ‘Coming Out Of Hibernation’ and ‘I Am Waiting For A Summer That Never Comes’. Andrew has also added a small glossary of translations to the book which was welcome as I was able to add to my vocabulary. In fact, Andrews use of traditional languages is an excellent inclusion in the book. Keeping these words in the public’s mind is tremendously important.
This collection will appeal to readers who love poems that speak of place and how we carry it. Poetics who want emotive pieces that speak on relationships and longing with honesty and authenticity will appreciate the poetry contained within. A gem of a book packed with relatable, accessible poetry that can be returned to time and again.
Favourite Poem:
I’ve already mentioned ‘Coire Uisg’ and ‘Tūrangawaewae’. Here’s another handful that spring to mind as I write this. ‘Unrequited’, ‘An Dùblachd’, ‘Variants’, ‘Kintsugi’ and ‘Letting In The Wolf’. I’ll also say ‘Compass Point’.
To learn more about Andrew, click here.
To buy Through Salt-Heavy Seas click here.
And if you’re looking for this week’s playlist, here it is. Something a bit eclectic again but what else would it be?!
Deacon Blue – Dignity
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Into My Arms
Runrig – Skye
Mànran – Lahinch
Ellie Beaton – The Island
INXS – Never Tear Us Apart
The Dave Brubeck Quartet – Take Five
Manic Street Preachers – A Design For Life
Crowded House – Weather With You
Art Pepper – Patricia
Norma Winstone – Distance
Natalie Imbruglia – Torn
Ralph Vaughan Williams – The Lark Ascending
Before I Go…
The Book Bag Open Mic Session 3 is shaping up nicely with exactly a month to go. Reader and Audience tickets are available here. Always a supportive and inclusive space for poets to share polished gems or roughcut coals.
One More Thing…
The Broken Spine have a submission call for Punk poetry. An opportunity to let loose and potentially be published in print. Full details can be found here.
And Another…
Black Bough Poetry has a new project called Fragment Friday. Details are on social media. Give them a follow and get involved (Meta: @blackboughpoetry / X: @blackboughpoems / Bluesky: @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social).
And Finally…
The North currently have an open submission call for their ‘Libraries’ issue. Libraries mean so many things to so many people. Full details available here.
Next Week’s Read
- Title: Mædwe
- Poet: Corinna Board
Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.
Paul
Paul Writes Poems 