poetry review

The Book Bag: Coin Laundry At Midnight by Carson Wolfe

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

What a busy week and what for the most part sunny week. Good weather can make the worst days a bit brighter. However, when it’s humid and muggy, I am not a fan. Most other countries are set up to deal with that but sadly new builds in Northern England are not! I must say we did have some fantastic thunder and lightning storms too.

Allotmenting has been good this week. The wildlife camera has picked up a few different animals but it’s been yet to pick up a stoat (there are plenty around). We’ve harvested the first strawberries, some more beans, some new potatoes too.

Poetry-wise, I attended an online workshop hosted by Nikita Gill as part of Lyra Poetry Festival. I have the start of some promising pieces from the event. I think it was the most poets I had seen at any workshop I have attended online! I graciously accepted a couple of really neat opportunities for this year and next. I also wrote a bit just for fun.

This week, I’ve been reading;

Coin Laundry At Midnight

  • Poet: Carson Wolfe
  • Press: Button Poetry

If you remember back to Carson’s Poetic Voice feature, you’ll know I was looking forward to their book Coin Laundry at Midnight. During my time off from The Book Bag, I ordered myself a copy and here we are today, me having read it a few times this week (including at the allotment) having been fascinated by the poems that deal with adult themes throughout.

One of Carson’s key powers in this chapbook is their ability to pack poems with dark humour and slight unease. This is highlighted in ‘Raw Food Retreat’, ‘Ghazal For Women Drivers’ and one of my favourites ‘What Women On The Road Taught Me About Finances’ where the pieces have real undercurrents.

Excerpt

Coin Laundry makes excellent use of pop culture to explore themes on a range of subjects including identity. ‘I Take My Midwestern Penpal to A Gay Bar’ and ‘I Rank Places By How Much They Charge for Pringles’ (one of my favourites) are just two examples of this.

Excerpt

Carson explores relationships in different guises throughout the book with brutal honesty and genuine tension. ‘Wig’ looks at a transactional relationship whereas ‘Welcome To Your First Thanksgiving’ examines multiple dynamics including paternal, maternal and friendships.

For those who love a book that experiments with form and style, you will love this book. White space is played with in ‘Porno’, there’s justification in the piece ‘Live Fast Die Young Bad Girls Do It Well’. The poem ‘Haikus From The Departure Lounge’ is a great inclusion and one of my favourites. I also was blown away by the Jack Kerouac sequence.  

Excerpt

This is a book for readers who appreciate dark humour, adult themes, danger and authenticity in the poetry they digest. Those who appreciate variances on form and style will love this chapbook. Every poem is a banger and I highly, highly recommend it. Fascinating and so sharp.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned I Rank Places By How Much They Charge for Pringles’, What Women On The Road Taught Me About Finances’ and Haikus From The Departure Lounge’. I could add eery other piece but let’s go with another five as I write. ‘Strange Baby’, ‘Feelmore, Oakland’, ‘A Quantum Physicist Teaches Me The Observer Effect’, ‘Ode To The Hippies Who Saved Me’ and the very dark ‘Geography’.

You can buy Coin Laundry at Midnight here for UK, here for US.

Learn more about Carson here.

This week’s playlist is an eclectic one…

Destiny’s Child – Say My Name
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Salt ‘n’ Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
Frank Ocean – Super Rich Kids
Electric Six – Gay Bar
Queen – I Want To Break Free
Hozier – Cherry Wine
Dolly Parton – 9 to 5
The Weeknd – Often
Peaches – F*ck The Pain Away
Iggy Pop – Lust For Life

Before I Go…

Tickets for the Book Bag Open Mic Session 6 are going fast. Grab them here while you can.

One More Thing…

There’s only a few more days until the Frazzled Lit Short Story competition closes. Full entry details here.        

And Finally…

Congratulations to Polly Oliver whose first collection was released this week by Black Bough Poetry. Polly is an incredible poet and I’m looking forward to reading the book!

Next Weeks Read

Title: The New Carthaginians
Poet: Nick Makoha

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: The Lives We Had Before by Vanessa Napolitano

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

Well I’ve been mega busy since I last caught up up with you.

I had an interview at work for a permanent position in another team. And guess what… I got it. The competition was tough and I thought I was nerve free – then the nerves hit at a minute before the interview started. So happy I prepared, it was a massive help.

Mrs S & I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary with a few nights away in Harrogate. We visited RHS Harlow Carr and had a look around the library there. The poetry section was limited but I did read Dwell by Simon Armitage. Insect Hotel is a riot of a poem. We also spent time recharging.

The allotment is now in full flourish and we’ve been harvesting some of the ready produce including broad beans, garlic, herbs and onions. We used some to make a Chimichurri sauce to have with meat, fish and veggies and also made a broad bean hummus to dip into.

Poetry-wise I hosted another Book Bag Open Mic where the standard was remarkable. I’ve also attended a Black Bough open mic, blurbed for some excellent poets and I’ve been writing and working on some new projects. Also on Thursday it was another Write Here, Right Now. I have a poem that is almost finished. I’ve also got a couple of projects on the go, one of which was announced on social media on Saturday.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

The Lives We Had Before

  • Poet: Vanessa Napolitano
  • Press: Stanchion Press

I have been a fan of Vanessa’s work since I first saw a piece shared on social media when I was making my first foray into poetry. I also heard her read and was inspired by the relatable, accessible and authentic nature of her poetry. I also attended a workshop she hosted earlier this year which game me a couple of great poems. Vanessa is a supportive and incredible member of the poetry community with tremendous talent.

Authenticity is one of Vanessa’s greatest powers as a poet. The pieces ‘Navigating’ (one of my favourites) and ‘7:04 To Manchester’  are vivid and immediately recognisable.

The emotional connection in the poems dealing with relationships including ‘Grandad’, ‘For Your Horse To Come In’ and ‘Man In The Leather Hat’ made me pause and take stock after reading. The poems where Vanessa directly addresses her father are exceptionally moving through conversational use.

Vanessa’s sense of fun is apparent throughout the book. ‘Escargot’ (another of my favourites) is a deliciously humorous piece. The poem ‘Mix Tape, 1997’ (another of my favourites) is super and made me smile.

Excerpt from Mix Tape, 1997

There is also a palpable danger in some of the pieces in the book. ‘A List Exercise’, and ‘We Let the Wolf Hunt in The Local Woods,’ are two key examples containing menace. I read both aloud and the amplification compared to reading in my head made me more uncomfortable.

This book will appeal to poetics who appreciate work grounded in reality. The collection is accessible and relatable and those readers who want a genuine emotional connection will feel right at home in the pages of this book. A treat of a collection to welcome back The Book Bag. You should buy a copy, it’s fantastic.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Navigating’, ‘Escargot’ and ‘Mix Tape, 1997’   so I’ll add another eight here. ‘Moorwalk’, ‘Creeper’, ‘Birthday Poem’, ‘Your Goth Garden’, ‘Pork Chop’, The Tasting Menu’, ‘Corking’ and ‘The Lives We Had Before’.

Learn more about Vanessa here.

Buy The Lives We Had Before here.

This week’s playlist is a blend of genres, with some of the songs named in the collection too;

Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill
Taylor Swift – Lover
Embrace – Gravity
The Stan Tracey Quartet – Under Milk Wood
Emma-Jean Thackray featuring Wiki – Golden Green
Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
Courtney Pine – I’m Still Waiting
Florence & The Machine – What The Water Gave Me
Bob Dylan – Tangled Up In Blue
Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown

Before I Go…
Tickets are available for The Book Bag Open Mic Session 6. Sunday 26th July, 7-9pm. Get them while you can here.

One More Thing…
Have you caught up with this month’s Book Bag Poetic Voices feature? Echoes from the first year of this feature, it includes my favourites from the series. Read it here.

And Another…
Are you a Short Story writer looking for a great competition to enter? Frazzled Lit’s 2026 Short Story Award is currently open with the formidable Donal Ryan. Closing date is 30th June. Full details here.


And Finally…
On 11th July, Rachel Turney of Poetry (in Brief) and recent Poetic Voice is hosting the online launch of the inaugural issue. Check out EVENTS — TURNEY TALKS for details.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Coin Laundry At Midnight
  • Poet: Carson Wolfe

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Drawn by Peter Hughes

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

Well, it has certainly been a week. I don’t think I’ve stopped at work, and I am looking forward to my break coming up.

My writing has suffered this week. I wrote in response to two prompts, one of which was a late entry to Fragments Friday and the other was an allotment poem influenced by William Carlos Williams. I got a lovely rejection for a scheme that I made the shortlist for and their comments, feedback and encouragement was really valuable. Making the shortlist of anything is a triumph in itself

The allotment is flourishing. We now have flowers on tomato plants and the strawberries are forming. Broad Beans are present. BROAD BEANS!!! There’s also some currants (type as yet to be determined) forming on one of the rescued plants.

On top of that I’ve been reading;

Drawn

  • Poet: Peter Hughes
  • Press: Broken Sleep Books

I don’t know why but this was my first time reading Peter Hughes. Drawn is a collection of poetry and artwork that has a real sense of being alive. This is in no small part due to Hughes’ expert use of language to create vivid authentic scenery, that is full of movement. Pieces including ‘Ogwen’ and ‘RE:LODE 40’ are perfect examples of this. Two of my favourites in the collection ‘Drawn’ and ‘Periplo: A Prelude’ also showcase this.

Excerpt of Drawn

There is joy and humour in this book which was much needed this week. ‘For Simon Smith’s Birthday’ (one of my favourites), is excellent and the following poem, ‘Let’s Dantz’ (part of a wider collaboration project) is tremendous fun, full of international locations and pop culture references.

Excerpt of Let’s Dantz

Those poetics who love a book with variations on form and style will not be disappointed. ‘After Lentini’ is a prose piece and after piece in one go, there is also the hybrid nature of the collection featuring interesting and terrific artwork by Hughes and Lisa Santana Hudson (in ‘Drawn’). The ‘RE:LODE’ sequence of poems uses a variety of formatting including use of space to draw the reader through the poems.

This is a collection that will appeal to lovers of hybrid collections, poetics who enjoy poetry with a real vibrancy that is grounded and relatable. Fans of language and style will love this book too. It has made me want to explore more of Hughes’ work, which I will do on my upcoming break. This is a marvel of a book.

Buy Drawn from Broken Sleep Books, here.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Drawn’, ‘Periplo: A Prelude’, ‘For Simon Smith’s Birthday’, and I will mention another five that spring to mind as I’m writing this. ‘RE:LODE 32’, ‘Skoda’, ‘RE:LODE 34’,  ‘RE:LODE 54’ and ‘RE:LODE 52’.

Oh, you want a playlist? Here we go for this week’s diverse blend of music that I think goes well with Drawn, we have:

Andrea Bocelli – Con Te Partirò
Elton John – Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Gipsy Kings – Bamboléo
Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
The Stranglers – Golden Brown
Giuni Russo – Alghero
Cesária Évora – Sodade
Françoise Hardy -Le Temps De L’Amour
Kate Bush – Moments of Pleasure
Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out)
The Three Tenors – Nessun Dorma

Before I Go…
Tickets are still available for Wednesday’s Book Bag Open Mic Session. Tickets and details here. It’s an encouraging and supportive space to share your work, whether it be a polished gem or a roughcut coal.


One More Thing…
I have a poem in ‘These Poems Kill Fascists’ the latest and final Like A Blot From The Blue anthology from Fin Hall that can be bought here. The poetry contained in the pages should be read, heard and shared.


And Another…
If you’ve been keeping up to date with me on Instagram, you’ll know that the inaugural issue of Poetry (in Brief) magazine has been released and I have a poem in there. Read the issue here which features outstanding poetry from an international lineup of poets.


And Finally…
The Book Bag is taking a couple of weeks break as I enjoy some time away to celebrate our anniversary. The next instalment will be June 21st.

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you soon

Paul

The Book Bag: The Way The Water Held Me by Catherine Redford

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

The week started wonderfully as I was in the audience for the launch of Hatchery by Elizabeth Osmond. Such a variety of voices sharing their work and support to Elizabeth. It was excellent.

I shared Part 3 of Rachel Turney’s Poetic Voice feature. I feel genuinely honoured to have after poems based on my work. Read the feature in full here.

The allotment is coming in leaps and bounds and next month we’ll be harvesting the garlic and maybe some new potatoes. The hot weather has been a massive help too although I did catch a bit too much and ended up having a siesta.

At work it’s getting increasingly busy day by day as the Summer series ramps up. I am having some holidays soon, so I need to prepare ahead of time. I did win a prize hamper of international snacks this week which I’m very grateful for.

On top of that I’ve been reading;

The Way The Water Held Me

  • Poet: Catherine Redford
  • Press: The Emma Press

As soon as I began reading The Way The Water Held Me for my first read through, I was captivated and didn’t put it down except for wiping the tears from my face to protect the pages. Catherine Redford gives everything in this book.

The poems ‘With Sympathy’, ‘Circles’ and ‘Her Last Day’ highlight Catherine’s superpower of resilience. These are only a few of the poems that touch on Catherine’s grief, and I felt deeply emotional when reading them. It would be a disservice to try and quantify how profoundly struck I was with this collection.

Excerpt from With Sympathy

The poetry in the collection is vivid and rich in language and metaphor. The pieces including ‘Between women just grown up’ (one of my favourites) and ‘Funeral’ transport and immerse the reader from the page to scene. This is also the case with ‘Lost In The Woods’ which is another of my favourites. ‘On Naming The Stars’ is another exemplary piece that I should mention (I could mention every poem in the book really) that makes readers take notice and reflect.

Catherine has an interest in Mary Shelley and in the book she acts as a foil for some tremendously touching pieces. The poems ‘Mary Shelley and I are shipwrecked’ and ‘Mary Shelley dreams she’s the last woman’ are so heartfelt, respectful and refreshing.

Excerpt from Mary Shelley and I are shipwrecked

Forms and styles are catered for throughout the collection which maintains the sense of originality. We as readers have ekphrastic poetry in ‘After Emily’, found poetry in ‘Mary Shelley writes to tell me that her husband drowned’ has and clever use of spacing in ‘Widows Weeds’ (another of my favourites). The prescriptive list piece ‘Postscript: I return to the river one year after her death’ is incredibly written.

Excerpt from After Emily

This collection is a masterpiece and will appeal to poetics who like reading emotionally powerful poetry. The fans of styles and forms will love the variety in the book. This is one of my favourite collections I’ve read. It is a stunning and brave book, and everyone should have a copy.

To learn more about Catherine Redford, click here.

To buy The Way The Water Held Me from The Emma Press, click here.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already discussed the pieces ‘Between women just grown up’, ‘Lost In The Woods’  and Widows Weeds’, I will add another twelve but I could say the whole book. ‘Her Worldly Goods’, ‘Night Music’, ‘Starting Again’, ‘Moon Geese’, ‘Obituary’, ‘Good Friday’, ‘I visit a medieval herb garden in an attempt to rebalance my humours’, ‘Radiotherapy’, ‘Between women, very old’, ‘Return’, ‘Waves’ and ‘Performance’.

If you’ve made it to the playlist, these are the songs I landed on this week…

ABBA – Dancing Queen
Seal – Kiss From A Rose
Queen – You’re My Best Friend
Massive Attack – Teardrop
Sonny Rollins – Without A Song
Fatboy Slim – Praise You
James – She’s A Star
Eva Cassidy – Over The Rainbow
Aerosmith – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
White Town – Your Woman
Joanna Newsom – Sapokanikan
Art Pepper – Patricia

Before I Go…

If you’d like to take part at the next Book Bag Open Mic Session, tickets can be purchased here. Audience tickets are also available and free.


One More Thing…

If you’re in the Kingston area on 10th of July why not head to a poetry night hosted by Adam Elms and Book Bag alumni Chris Campbell. Tickets here.


And Another…

You have until Tuesday to submit to Full House Literary. Send your best work but make sure to read the guidelines.


And Finally…

Paul Brookes over at The Starbeck Orion is accepting poetry and artwork for The Summer Feast edition. Details here.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Drawn
  • Poet: Peter Hughes

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Chasms by Carmella de Keyser

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

It’s been a quieter week but I’ve still been working on lots of exciting projects with more information being shared soon.

I was delighted to add the second part to Rachel Turney’s feature which included poems from her latest book and a banging dance music playlist to accompany Retired Wannabe Club Kid. Catch up here.

I submitted a couple of poems and had both accepted which was an excellent feeling as this one was a poem I worked on at Write Here, Right Now Writing Group.

Saturday night we had our annual Sangria and Tapas Eurovision party. No bingo card this year.

At the allotment, more radishes have been harvested, tomatoes have been planted into their final spots and it looks like we may get some currants and berries this summer. The broad beans are I’ll probably use them in a jam maybe or a compote. It’s not all been plain sailing, our sunflowers have again been decimated by snails.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

Chasms

  • Poet: Carmella de Keyser
  • Press: Alien Buddha Press

Yes, we have a returning poet this week in The Book Bag. As soon as I knew Carmella’s latest pamphlet Chasms was coming out, I wanted to read it. And I am so glad I have.

The title of the book announces the main theme of the poems within as readers tread the gaps between past and present, dark and light. This is terrifically done in one of my favourite pieces, ‘Nana’s Card Games’, a poem that uses sensory detail to great effect. ‘Chasms’ opens the collection with defiance and a step into light.

Carmella’s trademark emotionally connecting poetry is evident throughout. The authenticity of pieces including the harrowing ‘Have You Forgotten’ and ‘Mother’s Violin’ is incredibly captivating and thoughtful.

Again, Carmella’s use of imagery creates vivid scenery that draws and grounds readers. The poems including ‘Neighbourhood Eclipse’ and ‘A Sapling’s Testimony’ give the reader immersion in sight, sound, smell, touch and the emotional state.

Those readers with a keen interest in form and language are well catered for in the collection. The conversational piece ‘My Name Is’ is one of my favourites. The poem ‘Immortalis’ has a genuine classic poetic feel utilising great language without pastiche or parody. We also have exquisite use of spacing and formatting in ‘Esmerelda’s Gaze’.

Fans of emotionally resonant poetry will love this book. Readers who like to interrogate the past and how it relates to the present will find this book rewarding. Poetics who enjoy defiance and resilience will enjoy this book. It’s a diamond.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Nana’s Card Games’, and ‘My Name Is’. I will add a bumper seven additional poems that have stuck with me this week. ‘Melting’, ‘Thresholds’, ‘Zephyr’s Lost Winds’ ‘No More Anniversaries’, ‘Names’, ‘Crucifix Port’, and ‘Getting Pierced’.

To find out more about Carmella, click here.

To buy Chasms, click here.

You’ve found your way to the playlist. This week is another eclectic mix.

Massive Attack – Teardrop
Joni Mitchell – A Case of You
Radiohead – Nude
David Bowie – Subterraneans
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
This Mortal Coil – Song to the Siren
Himzo Polovina – Emina
Tindersticks – Travelling Light
Charles Mingus – Stormy Weather
Sam Smith – Scars
Queen – These Are The Days of Our Lives

Before I Go…

Just want to say a huge congratulations to Dylan Thomas Prize Winner, Sasha Debevec-McKenney. A very deserved winner!


One More Thing…

If you’re into existential poetry, you should reach out to Evie @coastalpoet.bsky.social on BlueSky who is building a community of poets and poems around this. Also check out her #PoemsAloud hashtag and upload some spoken word pieces. I’ll be posting All Of Us Horses on there soon.


And Another…

The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press Ekphrastic Challenge 15 is open until the 7th June. Full details can be found here.


And Finally…

If you’re reading this on the morning of the 16th May you might still have time to get tickets for the launch of Hatchery by Beth Osmond.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: The Way the Water Held Me
  • Poet: Catherine Redford

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Hatchery by Elizabeth Osmond

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

Well what a couple weeks I’ve had! I feel like I’ve been non-stop but the train has slowed for a while…

The online launch of Unwhispered Legacy was a massive success and I have been overwhelmed by the sheer scale of positivity sent my way. Thank you to all the readers and audience who joined and thanks to those who tried their hardest to make it.

I was lucky to be invited to participate in Poetry (in Brief) hosted by the excellent Rachel Turney in association with Wild Roof Journal where we discussed inspiring overseas places. I learnt so much during the event from the other poets and I have a travel itinerary now. You can watch the video here. Rachel is also this month’s Poetic Voice. Catchup on a cracking part 1 of her feature here which includes a Q& A and poems from her recently released collection Retired Wannabe Kid Club.

Last Sunday evening, I hosted a Book Bag Open Mic which was such a great event and the variety of poetry shared was terrific. Tickets for the next open mic are now on sale but are limited. Grab them here.

The allotment is a marvel. We harvested our first radish (icicle) of the year and used it in a steak salad. Can’t wait to harvest alot more! Bad news though, a snail has eaten our sunflowers. Lucky, we have some more ready to be planted.

Write Here, Right Now happened on Thursday and was a wonderful evening where I got to spend dedicated time on my writing. I shared a WIP and got some really valuable insight. I hope to complete the piece this weekend. The next one is in June, reach out if you’d like to know more.

We paid a visit to the Bluebell Woods in Bothal on May Bank Holiday. It was a carpet of bluebells (obviously) and wild garlic. There was so much birdsong, I shared a couple of pictures from my Merlin App but it cut off a couple of species.

On top of that I’ve been reading;

Hatchery

  • Poet: Elizabeth Osmond
  • Press: V Press

Hatchery is Elizabeth’s debut pamphlet that draws on themes including the history of neonatology and experience of working in the NHS.

Elizabeth’s empathy shines through the pamphlet and gives every piece authenticity. Two of my favourite pieces are the heartfelt ‘The Tiny Nappy’ and ‘I Wish I Could Write You A Prescription For Time’. These both have made a huge impression on me this week and have reminded me of the need for kindness. ‘Conversation’, another of my favourites, made me very emotional. ‘Dads’ is another piece that shows Elizabeth’s empathetic approach to people and poetry.

Hatchery delivers humour in well-placed positions in the book. I couldn’t help but smile at ‘Newbie’ and also the wry matter-of-fact description in ‘Newborn Check’.

Excerpt from Newborn Check

Elizabeth tackles challenging subjects throughout the book. ‘Mandatory E-Learning For Consent’ is a remarkable poem. As is ‘Spectacle’. Probably my absolute favourite poem in the book is ‘Doctors in Difficulty’, an authentic illustration of what being a doctor in 2026 is like and everything that comes with it.

Excerpt from Spectacle

Elizabeth’s skill in language, imagery and metaphor is present from the first poem and throughout. The piece ‘I Married The NHS’ is surreal and vivid filled with animalia. This continues in the piece ‘Neonatologist Visits The Reptile House’ which is delicate and tender. The book is perfectly balanced between realism and surrealism.

For all the fans of various forms and styles, Hatchery has you covered. ‘Ode To A Towel’ uses a couplet structure, there’s several ‘after’ pieces including ‘Hatched’. Elizabeth uses space as implied erasure to create an amazing effect in the piece ‘Spaced Out’.

This is a book which will appeal to poetics who appreciate emotive writing that is rooted in lived experience. It will strike a chord with parents and (adult) children. Readers who love explorations of form, language and imagery will enjoy this book. Grab it with both hands and hold it close, it’s a gem of a book.

To buy Hatchery, click here.

Keep up to date with Elizabeth on BlueSky, here.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Doctors in Difficulty’, ‘The Tiny Nappy’, ‘If I Could Write You A Prescription For Time’ and ‘Conversation’. I must also add the following handful; ‘Prognosis’, ‘I Want To Show You The Sink’, ‘On The Uses Of Pomanders’, ‘Making An Exhibition of Myself’ and ‘Bits’.

Oh, you stuck around for a playlist, did you? Here’s an eclectic mix for you…

Jack Johnson – Better Together
Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
Carole King – You’ve Got A Friend
Novo Amor – Anchor
Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
Brandi Carlile – The Story
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
The Paper Kites – Bloom
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris – Wildflowers
Tracy Chapman – The Promise
Norah Jones – Nightingale

Before I Go…
Elizabeth is hosting an online zoom launch for Hatchery on the 17th of May with a fantastic lineup. Ticket details here.

One More Thing…
Dust Poetry Magazine is still accepting submissions until the 17th May. Full details including submission guidelines here. Send them your best work.

And Finally…
The excellent Frazzled Lit Short Story Competition is returning for 2026. For those thinking of entering check the details which includes a grand grand prize, click here.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Chasms
  • Poet: Carmella de Keyser

Take it easy, stay poetic and practice kindness.

I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Cherry Blossom At Nightbreak by Rishi Dastidar

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

I’ve had a very busy week.

Work is ramping up ahead of Summer. I’m all settled into my new team and I’m learning more each day.

The allotment progresses more each passing day. Peas are now in their bed, turnips are planted, sunflowers are in the border. It won’t be long until we can start picking salad leaves.

On Sunday, I was at The Alnwick Garden to experience the Taihaku Cherry Orchard for the last day of its peak bloom. I took this week’s read to enjoy on the swings under the blossom. Coupled with the Japanese lanterns, chimes and traditional music, it was super relaxing.

After the Garden, I went to my parents for Sunday lunch. Cracking Roast Beef.

Sunday evening was the launch of Eleanor Holmes’s #Moth. It was an excellent launch with great readers, beautiful harp and a look behind the creation process from Sara who runs Ethel. Catch up with Eleanor’s Poetic Voice Feature here.

The running order has been finalised for the Unwhispered Legacy launch night, (subject to change). Join me and a stellar lineup of poets reading from the anthology, grab your tickets here.

On Friday, I attended an online workshop hosted by Sasha Debevec-McKenney, as part of Bristol’s Lyra Poetry Festival programme of events. It was a fantastic evening and has given me new techniques and a different perspective on approaching poems. We also read the work of 3 poets I wasn’t familiar with. I will now be buying more books!

This week, I’ve been reading;

Cherry Blossom At Nightbreak

  • Poet: Rishi Dastidar
  • Press: Nine Arches Press

Rishi’s poetry has real heart. The pieces ‘A leopard parses his concerns’ and ‘A man of theory on the Via Publica’ are two of my favourites that deal with relationships exceptionally well as is ‘Chromophilia (Song for B)’ and the title poem ‘Cherry Blossom At Nightbreak’ (another of my favourites). I’ll also add that ‘Charon the bus driver’ is a poem that made me happy.

Excerpt from Chromophilia

A spotlight is shone on the everyday. This is another of Rishi’s powers as a writer, to make poetry accessible and relatable. ‘Rake with telescopic handle’ and ‘Playing tag’ are both excellent examples of this. The poem ‘Knives raised in prayer’ takes us to the hallowed halls of Ikea, adding philosophical questions to the shelves.

There is plenty of humour in the book. ‘On bullshit jobs’ is one of my favourites because of its authenticity. On the following page is ‘Meanwhile in Ebisu’ a terrific example of satirical poetry. ‘I dreamed I stopped traffic’ is another chuckle worthy piece that makes great use of Pantone. I knew straightaway who would appreciate the poem.

‘Felt despairing, might delete later’ (one of my favourites), is a sad and strong assessment on the state of the current political situation. Its compact nature gives heightens the emotional language. ‘Credentialism’ is a smart poem that startled and stayed with me all week, especially the last line.

Excerpt from Felt despairing, might delete later

The style and form fans are well catered for in the collection. The use of couplets and line breaks in ‘Scapegoat-ish’ give it a tremendous rhythm. There is rhyme poetry in ‘Love’s Renewal’, a sprawling sequence poem named ‘the break of a wave’ which includes the clever ‘To his mistress moving to LA’ and a variety of styles. There is also free verse, a reverse ghazal, sonnets, an almost sonnet and more.

This is a book that will appeal to many readers for its heart, warmth, relatability and accessibility. Humour and hope can be found across the pages. Form is played with throughout so the technique lovers will adore this collection. I hadn’t even scratched the surface of how much I could write on this book, but I will say it’s one of the best collections I’ve read this year.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘A leopard parses his concerns’, ‘A man of theory on the Via Publica’, ‘Cherry Blossom At Nightbreak’, ‘On bullshit jobs’ and ‘Felt despairing, might delete later’. I’ll add another handful; ‘How to verb a sore heart’, ‘The late-style of my funk dancing’, ‘This Year My Only Strategy Was To Read Books About Strategy, To Work Out What To Do The Year After’, ‘Modern ruin’ and ‘Melted cockerel’. I could keep going.

Read more about Rishi here.

Buy Cherry Blossom At Nightbreak here.

If you’ve stayed for a playlist, then you’re in luck.

The Horrors – Still Life
Shakedown – At Night
Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine
Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
Tori Amos – Bouncing Off Clouds
Sheryl Crow – All I Wanna Do
Taylor Swift – Cardigan
Fatboy Slim – Praise You
John Coltrane – Naima
Bob Sinclar – World Hold On
Paolo Nutini – Cherry Blossom
Nightbreakers – Quarter to Midnight

Before I Go…

Last week I mentioned the Black Bough anthology in response to The Wasteland. ‘Shored Fragments’ is now able to purchase and the poets included are fantastic. Details here.

One More Thing…

I’ll be taking part in Poetry (In Brief) hosted by the delightful Rachel Turney on Saturday May 2nd. Full details and how to join can be found here.       

And Another…

If you’d like to be in the audience for The Book Bag: Open Mic Sessions, you can grab your tickets here. Sunday May 3rd. 7pm UK time.

And Finally…

No regular Book Bag next week but when I return, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on Hatchery by Elizabeth Osmond.

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you soon.

Paul

The Book Bag: Neon Manila by Troy Cabida

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

It’s scary how fast the weeks are going by.

On Friday I attended an open mic and discussion held at Jesmond Library hosted by Len Pennie. I find my reading is becoming much better with each performance. I read Gravity Is A Force You Took For Granted and The Importance of Buoyancy. I also bought Len’s new book and got it signed.

Over at  the allotment, things are starting to flourish with greenery and the bulbs are blooming. I fitted a brassica cage ready for planting out in a few week’s time. It was still standing the following day despite the wind. 

I spent some time relaxing with my vinyls throughout the week. I keep returning to Coltrane by Coltrane. An exceptional album. The jazz of that period is quite simply magnificient.

Christine and I watched a terrific one woman show on YouTube. It was by Eden Sher who played the character Sue Heck in The Middle. The show was really moving, happy and sad. 

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

Neon Manila

  • Poet: Troy Cabida
  • Press: Nine Arches Press

The major strength in this book is the observation of different relationships. ‘My Daddy Baby’ examines dynamics and expectations in a relationship. In ‘Body Poem’, power dynamics are explored again but with a different perspective. One of my favourites is ‘Brighton Beach’ which combines excellent imagery and realistic, youthful personality. Another piece that caught my attention is ‘No One Wants What I Want’ which discusses an affair and the aftermath in a matter-of-fact way. ‘Symmetric’ was another of my favourite relationship pieces in the collection, exploring how an object can represent so much.

Excerpt from Body Poem

Several of the pieces use objects, often clothing, as metaphor which is something everybody does albeit mainly subconciously. The piece ‘Yellow Jacket I’ deals with desire and sensitivity all at once. The opening poem, ‘Order No: #UK65388’ is a smart piece on aspiration, it made me think of a friend I have who has an affinity for luxury watches and how they make him feel.

Discrimination is dealt with throughout in several ways. The poem ‘Race Riots Are Currently On The Way’ has humour but with an underlying unease. ‘You Walked Into School Wearing Your Mother’s Heels’ is a poem that shows resilience in the face of adversity. Resilience is a thread throughout the book and is done well and without cliche.

Excerpt from race riots are currently on the way.

There is a vulnerability and intimacy amongst the poems. ‘A Good Boy’, ‘Afterglow’ and ‘You (derogatory)’ are just a few examples of this. Throughout, it is heart on the sleeve poetry. I will say the piece ‘Thalassophobia’ shook me and I had to take a break from reading. Extremely powerful writing.

City life plays a key role in the book. The final piece ‘I Invoke The Spirit of Sarah Harris While Shopping For My Next Pair of Jeans’ is a piece that takes us on a tour of a London High Street and identity and the way the scene is set through vivid, relatable imagery you do become immersed in London life. Title poem ‘Neon Manila’ is a sprawling piece that covers multiple cities and countries looking at intimacy, vulnerability and culture with razor sharp insight.

Fans of form will savour this collection with a variety of different styles on display. ‘Black Turtleneck Sonnet’ (one of my favourites) is a multilayered piece that explores security, desire and control. The use lyrical language combined with couplets in ‘I Say I Am Myself’ gives the poem the right amount of space to breathe and move. There are excellent uses of space in ‘Slowed + Reverb’ and ‘Desiring’ plus many other pieces again giving the words room to make their mark.

This is an excellent collection of poetry that deals with many important themes in an inventive and clever way. Neon Manila will appeal to fans of punchy poetry with light and shade and a sense of vulnerability. If you read poetry for form, this collection will appeal. In my opinion Neon Manila is a tremendous book navigating modern life, keeping your head held high and finding out how to be yourself. Add it to your poetry library.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Symmetric’ , ‘Black Turtleneck Sonnet’ and ‘Brighton Beach’. I could add so many but as of writing, I’ll stick to the handful that are in my mind right now. ‘Friends With Freudian Theory of Inversion’, ‘On Normativity’, ‘Both Wrists Silvered, Watch Me Deflect’, ‘Pearls In A Thumbprint Bowl’ and ‘Bone Cuff’.

You can read more about Troy Cabida here. 

Visit the Nine Arches Press Store and buy Neon Manila here. 

You’ve come this far, you may as well check out the playlist and what else is going on. This week’s mix is a quirky blend of old and new.

Sabrina Carpenter – Cappuccino 
ABBA- Angeleyes
Marilyn Monroe – Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend 
Pharell Williams – Marilyn Monroe
Dua Lipa – Levitating
Troye Sivan – Bloom 
Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s 
Audrey Hepburn – Moon River
Thelonious Monk – ‘Round Midnight
The Weeknd – Blinding Lights
Bruno Mars – Treasure 
Hilary Duff – All About You

Before I Go…

Tickets for the online celebration and launch of Unwhispered Legacy are free here. Join me and a host of incredible poets on Friday May 1st. The lineup is released this week. Keep an eye on social media.

One More Thing…

Black Bough Poetry’s eagerly anticipated Shored Fragments anthology is coming out very soon. Edited by Matthew MC Smith and Kitty Donnelly, the pieces have been written in response to The Wasteland by TS Eliot. Keep an eye on Black Bough social media for details.

And Another…

Dust Poetry are open for submissions until 17 May. There is no theme and submission guidelines can be found on their website. They are an incredible magazine and I would encourage you to send your best work.

And Finally…

I’m delighted to be able to share the exciting news about my inclusion on Wave 3 of The Whiskey Tree. I’m in such great company and really value the opportunity. I’ve already started working on my pieces and can’t wait to share them.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Cherry Blossom At Nightbreak
  • Poet: Rishi Dastidar

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Joy Is My Middle Name by Sasha Debevec-McKenney

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

The weather took a turn for the better this week. It was great to feel the warm spring sunshine and be out in the garden and allotment. Thankfully, Storm Dave caused minimal harm to the allotment structures with only a cover being askew and one pane dislodged in the greenhouse. More vegetables have been planted, and the bulbs are in bloom. At home we planted some bat mix in a hope to attract some bats to the garden.

My regular barber fixed my hair which was great. In February, I went to a different barbershop and long story short my hair was shaved off using grade 2 clippers rather than my asked for trim.

I’m almost finished finalising the running order of the Unwhispered Legacy launch night. It’s a fantastic lineup of readers and you can get your audience tickets here.

Did you catch Eleanor Holmes second piece being added to her Poetic Voice feature? Read it here. Eleanor is launching #Moth on 19th April with a wonderful ensemble of readers. You can grab tickets here.

On top of that I’ve been reading…

Joy Is My Middle Name

  • Poet: Sasha Debevec-McKenney
  • Press: Fitzcarraldo Editions (UK) / W.W. Norton & Company (US)

Throughout the book, readers are treated to wit and humour grounded in real-world situations mixed with some excellent pop culture references. This includes the poems ‘Stand-Up Routine’ and the darker ‘I’m Starting To Like This Version Of Myself, Actually’ One of my favourite pieces ‘For The Record I Literally Wish I Talked Less But I Literally Cannot Help It’ had me chuckling away at the delivery.

Excerpt from Stand-Up Routine

Vivid language brings poems from page to the mind’s eye in a series of authentic pieces. ‘Dog-sitting Poem, Chicago, January 2023’ gives a multi-sensory glimpse of city life and after reading it, I immediately picked up Brody’s lead and took him for a walk. ‘Poem After Moving Away’ is a melancholic piece outlining the effect a place can have.

As this is book is brimming with realism, the themes mirror this. Politics and history are a recurring trend throughout out the book. ‘Kaepernick’ and the powerful,  sequenced ‘On Days I Believe In The Death Penalty’ and ‘On Days I Don’t Believe In The Death Penalty’  are some of the pieces that showcase this. In ‘Poem For The Racist Tour Guide At The Franklin Pierce Manse’, American history and the truth collide in a sharp incisive poem on the 14th President.

Candid poems on relationships appear throughout the book. ‘Watching National Treasure For The First Time’ is a no-nonsense piece about an ex that is compelling. I have friends who’ve done similar things. One of my favourites, ‘Jordan Says He Loves Me So Much He’ll Delete His Instagram For Me’ is a sharp, surreal piece.

Form and style enthusiasts are well catered for throughout the collection. ‘Sestina Where Every End Word is Lyndon Johnson’ is remarkable and clever piece, and  ‘I Always Make It Nice (Real Housewives of New York Taglines) Pantoum’ is superbly inventive. The piece ‘No Fap Found Poem’ is startling and unsettling. There are multiple other styles too, including prose, micro poetry, free verse – something for everyone.

Excerpt from Sestina Where Every End Word is Lyndon Johnson

This is a collection with a wide appeal. It will strike a chord with readers who want candour and humour in their poetry and frequent displays of resilience. Poetics who value realism in their poetry will love this book. If you like experiments in form you will appreciate this book. It is fantastic.

Favourite Poem:

I’ve already mentioned ‘Jordan Says He Loves Me So Much He’ll Delete His Instagram For Me’ and ‘For The Record I Literally Wish I Talked Less But I Literally Cannot Help and I could name another dozen as I sit here writing but I’ll stick to a handful. ‘Alonederland’, ‘If You Just Wanna Say Fuck It’, ‘It’s So Idyllic Here’, ‘Sample Of Myself’ and ‘Joy Is My Middle Name’.

To read more about Sasha click here.

To buy Joy Is My Middle Name, click here.

Looking for this week’s playlist? Look no further! This week is a quirky blend:

Nina Simone – Feeling Good
The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
Ludacris – Act A Fool
John Coltrane – Giant Steps
Guns N’ Roses – Civil War
Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen
Johnny Cash – Hurt
Jay-Z – Dead Presidents
Mel B – Word Up
Édith Piaf – Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
P!nk – So What
Salt-n-Pepa – Push It
U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

Before I Go…

My poem ‘This Space Is for You’ was accepted by Full House Literary and is now on their website under the Featured Creators section and I am so happy about it.. You can listen or read here. I’m among some incredible company.


One More Thing…

The Broken Spine has an open submission window for one of their slimline anthologies. The theme is on Poetry At The Edge of Knowing and more details can be found here.


And Another…

Rachel Turney is launching her latest book Retired Wannabe Club Kid (published by Parlyaree Press) on Zoom on Friday 17th April at 6pm MST / 8pm EST. Details here.


And Finally…

You can still download a copy of Unwhispered Legacy and if you wish to, you can donate to Médecins Sans Frontières. Click here for full details.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Neon Manila
  • Poet: Troy Cabida

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul

The Book Bag: Strike by Sarah Wimbush

Welcome back to The Book Bag. I hope you’ve had a poetic week.

What an eventful week!

On Wednesday, Eleanor Holmes became the newest featured poet in The Book Bag: Poetic Voices series. Read part one here. It is jam-packed with greatness.

Before that, on Tuesday, Unwhispered Legacy was launched into the world. Raising money for Médecins Sans Frontières, the anthology can be downloaded from its dedicated webpage here. If you feel you are able to donate, all proceeds go to MSF and would be greatly appreciated. If you’re a UK taxpayer, you can also add gift aid which means they will receive further funds. I’m super proud of this anthology.

Also, this week I visited my parents and took another trip to Barter Books — one of the best second-hand bookshops you’re likely to ever see.

I have also been able to get over to the allotment and plant our potatoes. It was good to see some of our flowers beginning to bloom and the fruit trees flowering. I’m looking forward to harvesting some produce.

On top of that I’ve been reading;

Strike

  • Poet: Sarah Wimbush
  • Press: Stairwell Books

A few weeks ago, I visited Woodhorn Museum, a mining museum built on the site of a former working colliery in Northumberland. Aside from the tremendous immersive and interactive exhibit, they also house a poignant and moving collection of photography titled Coal Town by the social documentarian Mik Critchlow. I must also thank Jenny from the museum for her insight.

It was that visit that prompted me to seek out a Strike, a book I’d seen in poetry press (shortlisted for the Forward prize in 2024) but hadn’t read. Lucky for me I found a copy of Strike online.

This book is a mixture of poetry based on the mining strikes that took place across the UK in the 1984 with photography from the time. The spectre of the pit closures still haunts communities across the UK. 

Sarah Wimbush does not hold back against the power players in either side of the strike. The pieces ‘Thatcher’, ‘Kinnock’ and ‘Scargill’ are portraits that sum up their sensibilities, aptitude and attitudes without caricaturing. ‘This Is The BBC’ highlights the poor reporting (putting it mildly) from the BBC and their commitment to representing the government narrative. 

The landscape of 80’s Britain is brought to life through vivid language that adds colour to the pieces. Poems such as ‘Stop’, (one of my favourites), and ‘Picketing at Penrhiwceiber, are both terrific examples of this. 

‘Strikebreaker’, ‘Berry Hill’ and ‘BASTARD NACOD SCABS’ give the readers glimpses into the attitudes to those who didn’t strike or crossed the picket line. ‘Silver Birch’ cleverly portrays Chris Butcher, a man backed by the Mail and businesses to try and break strikes.

Excerpt from Berry Hill

Pieces including ‘Coal Boy’ and ‘The Police, The Miners’ Wives, Their Children’ capture the reality of how families were affected by the strike and the aftermath. ‘Miners Leaning Forwards’ highlights the financial struggle that miners experienced when relying on hardship payments from the NUM. 

The collection also shows the resilience of the women behind the men and how they took to the streets and organised too. One of my favourites in the collection, ‘Women Against Pit Closures’ is a testament to the women who rallied around and showed they were in the fight to. 

There is an angry undercurrent throughout the book., however, we are regularly treated to humour throughout the book. The piece ‘Flat Cap’ is a satirical look into the future and how the common clothing item may be considered. The piece ‘Our Lady Of The Pit Canteen’ gives a smile as the achievements are minimised against the return of plates. The leaning into the Yorkshire dialect adds the authenticity which emphasises the humour further. 

Form and style is played with throughout the book. It is an excellent display of ekphrastic poetry. The list poem ‘The Enemy’ is a cracking piece that brims with anger. In ‘Mounted Policeman Canters Towards Lesley Boulton’ the use of couplets gives the sense of urgency and danger. 

This is a book that will appeal to those who like poetry of testimony, readers who may have been impacted by industrial action and those with an interest in major social and political events.  It will appeal to poetics who appreciate various forms and styles. This book got under my skin – I’m sure it would resonate with many people my age who live close to a former pit, shipyard or steelworks. This is an important and powerful book that I highly recommend. 

Favourite Poem:
I’ve already mentioned ‘Stop’ and ‘Women Against Pit Closures’ and I could easily choose a lot more but the ones in mind today are ‘Standards’, ‘Pits and Perverts’, ‘People Who Support the Miners’ and ‘Kick-off’. 

You can read more about Sarah and buy her book from Stairwell Books here.

This week’s playlist has a more serious edge to it in keeping with the themes of the book;

Grimethorpe Colliery Band – Gresford (The Miner’s Hymn)
Frank Wilson – Do I Love You 
Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead
Manic Street Preachers – A Design for Life
Sam Fender & Easington Colliery Band – Remember My Name
Erasure – A Little Respect
Test Dept – Shockwork
Bronski Beat – Smalltown Boy
The Clash – This is England 
Linton Kwesi Johnson – Fite Dem Back 
Desford Colliery Band – Share My Yoke

Before I Go…
April’s Poetic Voice, Eleanor, is holding an online launch on Sunday 19th April. Hear Eleanor and a wonderful ensemble of poets celebrating #MOTH . Full details here. 

One More Thing…
Rachel Turney is launching her latest book Retired Wannabe Club Kid (published by Parlyaree Press) on Zoom on Friday 17th April at 6pm MST / 8pm EST. Details here.

And Another…
On Friday 1st May, I’ll be hosting the zoom launch for Unwhispered Legacy. Starting at 7pm UK time, some of the brightest voices in contemporary poetry will be reading their pieces live. Tickets are free and you can register here. 

And Finally…
The Winged Moon is opening for submissions this coming week for both poetry and art to feature in their Substack issues planned for later in the year. Follow them on social media if you’re not already. 

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Joy Is My Middle Name
  • Poet: Sasha Debevec-McKenney

Take it easy and stay poetic, I’ll catch you next week.

Paul