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.
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.
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
Paul Writes Poems 