review

The Book Bag: Down River with Li Po by Karen Pierce Gonzalez

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

This week has been busy. Friends visiting the past weekend got us across North Tyneside and Northumberland. A walk around Rising Sun Country Park, a trip to the coast and a walk over the causeway to St. Mary’s Lighthouse. Some fish and chips too. I also saw Tim Minchin live on Wednesday at Newcastle City Hall who was excellent as always. His live shows always make me laugh, cry and leave with a smile.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

Down River With Li Po

  • Poet: Karen Pierce Gonzalez
  • Press: Black Cat Poetry Press


I first read Karen’s work on a Broken Spine or (maybe a Top Tweet Tuesday) prompt response. Then I was lucky enough to see her read on an open mic and it was clear that she is both a tremendous writer and performer. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on one of the several collections Karen has or is releasing this year. I will be honest here, I had been sent this collection electronically hence it being on my tablet, but I have also ordered the physical copy, I loved it that much (it didn’t arrive intime for the photos which will be updated once it arrives). Read on for my thoughts as well as an eclectic playlist.

Down River with Li Po transports us back in time and space back to 8th Century China during the Tang Dynasty whilst also having a foot in modern California. This adds a great dynamic to the collection as the parallels become visible.


From the first poem, it is clear that creating sensory immersive imagery is one of Karen’s strengths. Pieces including ‘Lantern Festival’, ‘On The Bank’ and ‘Waking Up In Paradise’ are all terrific examples of this.

The collection feels relaxing, soft and uncomplicated as readers sail down the Yangtze River. Pieces such as ‘Waiting’ and ‘At The Harbor’ are excellent examples of crafting serenity in poetry. ‘A Tender Walk’ is a beautifully crafted piece that made me feel calm after reading.  However, Karen counterpoints tranquillity with urgency in pieces such as ‘When The General Arrives’ and ‘Instincts’.

Nature is a focal point in the collection. ‘Early Summer Rain’ is a fine example of Karen’s ability to weave the domestic and the wild. ‘Dandelions’ is a perfect display of economy of language and the omnipotence and movement of the oft overlooked golden wildflower.

Relationships are explored in the collection. ‘During The Invasion’ portrays a protective instinct. ‘Woodland’ reads as a poem of longing, potentially of lost love and how we attach meaning to sensory input. ‘We Meet In Spring’ is a wonderful piece. There is so much contained in eight lines.

Karen is deft at using form and formatting to set the pace of individual pieces. ‘Wistful’ and ‘Merlot With The Moon’ are two examples where a change in formatting and use of space adds further depth to the poems. ‘Between Us’ plays with alignment on the page as does ‘Bird Talk’ and many others.


This collection will appeal to anybody who wants to immerse themself in a calmer, less complicated world, even if it’s just for a few minutes away from the chaos, listen to the sounds of the natural world both modern and centuries old. It will also resonate with readers who appreciate rich imagery and expert use of language. It is a triumph.

Favourite Poem:
I have a few in this collection. ‘The Shift’, ‘Between Us’, ‘Dandelions’ and ‘Imperial’ all wrangled for top spot on various days.

To read more about Karen including other works, click here.

To buy Down River with Li Po click here.

As promised, a playlist;

Wong Yiqin – Summer of Jiamusi
Zhou Xiao-Qing – Chinese Dragon
Hong Ting – Lotus Out of Water
Zhang Wei-Liang – Plum Blossom Melody – Three Variations
Yu Xunfa – Six Clappers in Zhong Hua
Joni Mitchell – California
Bruce Springsteen – Goin’ To California
Maxime Le Forestier – San Francisco
John Denver – Country Roads

One More Thing…
Keep an eye out for another poem from June’s featured poet dropping on Monday. If you’ve missed it, catch up on the feature here.

And Another…
I’ll be sending out invites for this month’s Write Here, Right Now writing group meeting this week. If you’d like to know more, drop me a message on social media. We are an inclusive, supportive group.

And Another…
Beautiful Little Fools, an anthology inspired by The Jazz Age, following 100 yeas of the Great Gatsby will be released on 7th July 2025. If you follow me on social media, I’ll be sharing a link when it goes live.

And Finally…
The Winged Moon are open for submissions on the theme of Biophilia until the 2nd of July. More details here.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Midden Witch
  • Poet: Fiona Benson

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

Paul

The Book Bag: Lode by Gillian Allnutt

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

This week has been a week. For starters, I’ve hurt my back and it’s limiting what I can do. But this week I shared an article on recently appearing on the BBC, sent out a couple of submissions, done some prep for next month’s Write Here, Right Now, we had some close friends visit us from Lincoln. We also harvested and ate some of the turnips from the garden.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

Lode

  • Poet: Gillian Allnutt
  • Press: Bloodaxe Books


I was tipped off to Lode by Bloodaxe Books (as its NE based) and had pencilled in to read in July. However, I got myself a copy early, moved some dates around due to postage and decided to rad it this week and share my thoughts with you all. Also there’s a playlist below (just my recommendations).  

Lode is divided into three sections. Postwar, Covid and Earth-hoard. We start in 2016 then time travel across generations throughout the book going back to late 40’s Britain all the way to modern day.

There are deeply personal pieces in this book. The poems dedicated and in memoriam of Gillian Allnutt’s father are full of emotional resonance. ‘Flame-thrower’ is an exceptionally crafted piece that gave me pause.

I’m familiar with most of the northern villages and towns mentioned throughout Lode. Therefore, when seeing names of places, I know in some of the poems, I could feel myself there enjoying sight, smell and sound memory concentrated even more so by Gillian Allnutt’s writing. ‘Dunstanburgh’, a conversation poem in the collection is home to a ruined castle and is a favourite walk of ours from Craster. In ‘My Father, Mislaid’, a moving piece, Gillian takes us to Chillingham, a place I’m very fond of.


There are threads of spirituality peppered throughout the collection. The poem ‘The Way She Remembered It’ is preceded by a quote from Song of Songs. In ‘Trist’ God is referred to again. In ‘At 71’ the poet reflects on Covid, mortality and loneliness. It’s a balanced poem of humour and sadness.

Nature plays a key role in the book both in terms of the landscape and fauna. ‘Dark Night of The Soul’ is an incredible piece that is both introspective and rich with natural imagery. As is the piece ‘Of The Trees In The Wood By The Old Pit Line’. I enjoyed ‘Golden Saxifrage’ as it combines wild nature, domestic lawnmowing and an online literature festival (saxifrage is one of my favourite plants especially the arctic variety for its resilience).

Wit is a constant through the collection. The poem ‘Azuma Meditation’ is a clever piece. Also ‘Audience’ will draw a smile where Gillian Allnutt is meeting Queen Elizabeth II when collecting her Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2016.

Form-wise, we are treated to various forms and devices. There are micropoems including ‘Footnote’, I’ve mentioned ‘Dunstanburgh’ which is a poem in conversation script form. Some pieces including ‘Audience’ have an internal rhyme structure. There are couplet arranged pieces including ‘Pink Jenkins’ and ‘On Having To Leave York University Without The Clock’. I must also mention the notes section of the book. This gives extra emphasis to the pieces and context.


Favourite Poem:
There’s a few that I must name. Crabapple Moon, The Walk (allowed) and The Song of Arachnid. I could add a few others including Beechwood, Do The Birds Worry? and Roughage.

To read more about Gillian Allnutt click here.

To buy a copy of Lode direct from Bloodaxe Books, click here.

This Week’s Playlist:

Kathryn Tickell – Back to the Rede
Mark Knopfler – Kingdom of Gold
Exile – In Between Tides
Lindisfarne – Kings Cross Blues
Sting and The Police – Brand New Day
Bearpark & Esh Colliery Band – Songs of the Tyne
The Unthanks – Magpie
Sam Fender featuring Easington Colliery Band – Remember my Name
The Jam – London Calling

This is a book with broad appeal. It has heartfelt, emotive poetry, wit, excellent imagery and various forms. The book navigates shifts in time deftly and like a lode, this book is a journey. Now, I need to get my hands on more of Gillian Allnutt’s work to read.

One More Thing…

You can read my piece on appearing on the BBC here. If you’re a poet or writer looking to get your work out there, it may be worth a read.

And Another…

Black Bough Poetry has another Crafting Your Year In Poetry workshop coming up on 13th July, a great way to help get serious about your writing. Details here.

And Another…

It’s not long until the Frazzled Lit Short Story Competition Closes. Details here.

And Another…

Broken Spine Arts has a range of events coming up including open mics and workshops. Details can be found here.

And Finally…

The Beautiful Little Fools Anthology, published by Broken Spine Arts will be out Early July. This is a book in response to the Jazz Age. It’s hotter than a Gatsby party. More details soon.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Down River with Li Po
  • Poet: Karen Pierce Gonzalez

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

Paul

The Book Bag: When It Rained For A Million Years By Paul Farley

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

This week has been busy. Bank Holiday blustery winds almost sent my towels into next doors garden, I got an acceptance and a rejection,  saw some oystercatcher chicks fledge from the nest near work and attended the Broken Spine Arts open mic on Thursday evening. Also, I started anniversary celebrations with a visit to a very special restaurant. Details on that in couple of weeks maybe.

I also launched The Book Bag: Poetic Voices. If you’re yet to read, each month will feature a different Poet, showcasing an exemplary piece of poetry. I’m really excited for the names coming up and chuffed to bits that Matthew MC Smith agreed to be the inaugural Poetic Voice.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

When It Rained For A Million Years

  • Poet: Paul Farley
  • Press: Picador

Sometimes a book cover or title will grab you. This is what happened when I saw ‘When It Rained For A Million Years’. Both grabbed my attention, and as I read the back cover, I thought, yes this will do. In all honesty, I hadn’t picked up a Paul Farley book prior to this purely because I hadn’t come across his work. Something I will be rectifying.

Again, I’ve popped a playlist that I listened to whilst reading this as it was well received from last week’s episode.

There are some real impactful and emotionally charged poems within the collection including ‘Source’. The piece ‘Difficult To Enter House’ felt heavy and I had to take a few minutes to breathe before continuing reading. Another excellent example is ‘Our Father Showed Us Sea Level’, that had a different sort of weight.

Farley peppers humour throughout the book whether tongue in cheek or satire. I chuckled a while after reading ‘Turkeys’ and ‘Attack of The Fifty-Foot Poem’. However, these pieces are multi levelled and on second reading you find more and so it continues.

The imagery on display in this book is vivid and potent. Pieces such as ‘Wagtail Roost’ and ‘Cheshire Oaks Outlet Village’ and ‘Corncrakes’ are perfect examples. The poem ‘Cross Bedding, Between Edge Hill and Liverpool’ is another that I was drawn to. A marvel.

The landscape plays an integral role in this collection. The settings aren’t pastoral. Farley uses industrial backdrops (his bio does mention he is from Liverpool) to great effect, and they seem familiar. Liverpool and Newcastle are similar in terms of industrial heritage. Poems such as ‘King Carbon’ and ‘The Workaround’ (which takes us back in time and to the North East) shine a spotlight on these often-overlooked places. On a side note, the people of Liverpool have my thoughts after the horrific scenes following the bus parade.

References to pop culture appear throughout the collection. The poem ‘Usher’ takes us into the cinema of the early 90s. Each stanza headed with a movie title. Zoom pops up in the piece ‘Gorilla’ and ‘Horde’ gives readers an 80s soundtrack.



Form and style take on various forms throughout the book. One of my favourite examples of this is ‘The Execution of Anne Boleyn, Airfix 1:12’. A meticulous piece that I almost lost my head at.

Here’s the small playlist I enjoyed when reading this book.


David Bowie – Space Oddity
The Beatles – Hey Jude
Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
Sting & The Police – Roxanne
Fleetwood Mac – Landslide
Soft Cell – Tainted Love
Elton John – I’m Still Standing
Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark
De La Soul – Me, Myself & I
Duran Duran – The Living Daylights
Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
The Human League – Don’t You Want Me

This collection has broad appeal. I would recommend it to poetry readers who enjoy vivid imagery, humour and emotion woven through excellently crafted multi-layered pieces.

Favourite Poem

Again, I’m choosing a few this week. Bubblewrap, Trth and Where the Owl Sleeps and the Spiders Nest.

One More Thing…

Your regular episode of The Book Bag will be taking a break for next week as my wife and I are celebrating our anniversary. See below for the cracking book I’ll be reading for the next entry.

And Another…

I’d love some audiobook and podcast recommendations to listen to during travelling. Let me know on social media or in a comment below if you have one.

And Finally…

I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all poets who were on the longlist and the prize-winners for the Rialto Nature & Place competition that was recently announced. It was great to see Book Bag poets Matt Gilbert & Victoria Spires amongst the names.

The Next Read Coming on 15th June 2025

  • Title: I Am Not Light
  • Poet: Louise Machen

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

Paul

The Book Bag: East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon by Taz Rahman

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

This week has been a fun one. Projects coming together, submissions entered, lovely sunshine walks with my wife and Brody the dog, Julian Cason wrote some very nice things about me on Top Tweet Tuesday reviews week, I cooked up a storm in the kitchen, played some sax and gardened a little. I also saw my first swift and watched the pipistrelles swirling in the twilight.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

East Of The Sun West, Of The Moon

  • Poet: Taz Rahman
  • Press: Seren Books


I was lucky enough to see Taz perform live at the incredible Black Bough Poetry fundraiser in aid of WellChild in Neath in 2024. If you get the chance to hear him read and perform, sit back and enjoy.

Jazz. Poetry. Two art forms that complement each other in terms of speaking an improvised language that is unusual but makes perfect sense at the same time. In their purest forms they are outlets for the disenchanted, disenfranchised, the dismissed. They also happen to be two of my passions. I’ll share a playlist that I listened to whilst reading this book further down the page.

Imagery is delivered with the grace and flourish of a blues scale. ‘Bread of Heaven’ is a perfect example of immersing a reader in a poem that by the end you feel a sense of connection to the poet. This is also the case for ‘Animal Wall’, a sectioned piece that incorporates folklore.

There’s genuine emotion on display throughout the book. The poem ‘Chocolate’ displays fear compared to ‘Sanctuary’ which I felt showed his feeling of safety and peace. I must almost mention the piece ‘Drama/Trauma’ which is really important and exquisitely crafted.

For the romantics, which I count myself as, ‘I Want To See Your Face in Every Kind of Light’ is excellent. I also consider ‘The Free State of Roath’ to be a love poem either to person or place.


Place is important in the book. There are references to Cardiff and Wales, scattered throughout. ‘The Nearness of You’ takes a walk-through Cathays Cemetery. I’ve already mentioned ‘Animal Wall’ and ‘Sanctuary’ above but you get a real sense of surroundings with Taz’s deft use of vivid language.

Equally important is Taz’s admiration and relationship with nature. This is apparent in his language. Poems such as ‘Muktijoddha’, ‘Snapdragons Need The Bulk of Bumblebees to Force Open The Flower’ and ‘Substrate Of A Rose’ show this off really well.

There are poems linked to Taz’s heritage that lift from the page through sensory experience. ‘Anda’ is mesmerising with scents of daal, hot sugar and rosewater. ‘Yashica 365’ is a poem that opens the book with a rich tapestry of language that is evocative, full of sounds, smells and colour.

Taz plays with different forms and styles throughout in the book. These shifts add interest and deliver his lyrical language sometimes interpreted messages with great skill. Pieces such as ‘Permission’, ‘Trap Arachnids For Rainy Days’, ‘Amygdala’ and ‘Chocolate’ are a selection that show the variation and strength of his skill. Also, I must mention the introductions and quotes that precede some of the pieces. It was great to see Johnny Cash mentioned, someone with a deep relationship with Jazz.

This collection is one of my personal favourites. The connection between jazz and poetic skill and language often mirrors itself throughout. Taz uses rich imagery and terrific language and turns of phrase and has crafted an exceptional book. A masterpiece. Buy it.

Also as promised, a playlist to listen to while reading. This was my personal choice anyway…

Trying To Figure It Out – Grace Kelly
Freddie Freeloader – Miles Davis
C Jam Blues – Charles Mingus
Take Five – The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk
In A Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
East of The Sun (And West of The Moon) – Charlie Parker
Night In Tunisia- Dizzy Gillespie
Mood Indigo – Frank Morgan
Blue in Green – Cannonball Adderley

Favourite Poem:
I’m choosing three this week. Permission, Turning Saints into the Sea and East of the Sun, West of the Moon.

Taz has a website over at https://tazrahman.blogspot.com/ where he regularly shares updates and news.

To grab yourself a copy of this terrific collection, visit the Seren Books website here.

One More Thing…

Keep a close eye out for a new monthly feature from The Book Bag launching on June 1st. It’s an exciting development which I think you will all enjoy.

And Another…

For the Short Story authors, this is a polite reminder that the great people at Frazzled Lit are opening their competition on 1st June. Details here.

And Another…

Fans of open mic’s, whether to perform or be in the audience, the Broken Spine Arts #PoemsAbout event takes place Thursday 29th May. All the information can be found here.

And Finally…

Regine Ebner and Black Bough Poetry are having an online launch for her collection Mountains That See In The Dark on Saturday 7th June 2025. There’ll be readings from Regine and special guests. Grab yourself a free ticket here.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: When It Rained for a Million Years
  • Poet: Paul Farley

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

Paul

The Book Bag: Soi-même by Victoria Spires

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

This week has been hot and sunny in Newcastle, and I’ve been able to absorb some Vitamin D in the garden (I also tripped over and landed in worm tea – not my finest hour). My wife and I also took the dog to the coast for a walk and ice-cream for breakfast!

On Monday evening, I did have to call the fire brigade during our dog walk. Someone thought it would be funny to set fire to trees in the nearby community orchard where lots of birds are currently nesting. The fire service was on the scene in quick time.

Poetry wise, I was lucky to do a reading and interview, details to be shared soon. Also, I’ve sent out some submissions, had an idea for participants of Write Here, Right Now and did something very exciting. Also, on Friday, the final episode of this season’s Thousand Shades of Green aired which featured work on the theme of water from myself and fellow contributing poets from the season. You can listen here . It was such a privilege to be part of and look forward to returning to feature again in the future.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

  • Poet: Victoria Spires
  • Press: Salò Press

I first read Victoria Spires’ poetry on social media, I want to say in response to a prompt on Top Tweet Tuesday. Since then, I have read her work in multiple anthologies and lit mags where her poetry is always polished and beautifully crafted. She also introduced me to the ‘Sevenling’ form which I have practised a bit. Victoria is also a contributing editor to The Winged Moon, an excellent poetry magazine which has regular competitions and a weekly newsletter.

When Victoria announced on BlueSky that her debut pamphlet was incoming, I jumped straight on the pre-order page (a bargain from Salò Press).

Touch recurs through the book in various ways; ‘On Surrender’ begins tentatively and delicate between two people while the poem ‘Trouble’ looks at the want of haptic feedback from both the writer and inanimate objects like door handles. Poems in the collection are equated to desire (as stated on the back cover) and you definitely feel this upon reading. At points there is real intimacy.

There is an array of forms used in the pamphlet, sometimes from page to page. A prime example is the change of style from ‘A Hawk from A Handsaw’ to ‘Soi-disant’. Each form used gives extra focus to the poems and adds a little mystery before you begin reading.

The way in which emotion is portrayed within the pamphlet aligns with the nature of the poem. In ‘Soi-lui’ there is an edge, confrontational maybe. However, in ‘Orchard’, the emotion is mostly guided through the poem with touch and imagery.

The vocabulary in the collection is also worth mentioning for the sheer scale and precision of use. ‘Moon Almanack’ and ‘Mare Crisium’ taught me a handful of words unfamiliar to me which fit perfectly in place in the pamphlet.

Another benefit of incredible language use is the imagery within pieces such as ‘Brain As Radula’ and ‘Soi-lui’. This is also the case in ‘Sanguis’ which partners image, metaphor and form across the page.

This is a book that will appeal to many. At times it feels very intimate and is filled with poems exquisitely crafted that linger in the mind long afterwards making you return time and again. Highly recommended.

Favourite Poem:

White Gold.

If you want to keep up to date with Victoria, she has recently launched a Substack that can be found here.

To buy your copy of Soi-même (a bargain), click here.

One More Thing…

It was International Dylan Thomas Day on Thursday. Here is one of my favourites. Drop a comment with yours…

And Another…

Broken Spine Arts have an open mic on Thursday 29th May 2025. Details here of this always supportive event.

They have also released spotlights on the contributors to The Whiskey Tree Wave 2. Give them a read, all interesting insights to poetic thinking and inspiration. More info here.

And Another…

Black Bough Poetry are hosting a launch for Regine Ebner’s ‘Mountains That See In The Dark’ on Saturday 7 June 2025 at 630pm UK Time. Details here.

And Finally…

It was great to see recently featured Poyums by Len Pennie win the Discover Award at the 2025 British Book Awards this week. A triumph for poetry and Scots language.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: East of the Sun, West of the Moon
  • Poet: Taz Rahman

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

Paul

The Book Bag – The Language of Bees

Welcome to a new feature on Paul Writes Poems. Every Sunday, I’ll be sharing the poetry pamphlet, anthology or collection I’ve been reading that week! Each week will feature a different book and I’ll let you know how I enjoyed it.

On a week where the only weather I didn’t have was snow, I spent my breaks and downtime reading; 

The Language of Bees

  • Author: Rae Howells
  • Press: Parthian

After reading Rae Howell’s, This Common Uncommon (which I recommend if you believe that wild spaces should be kept and not built upon), I wanted to read more. Her characterisation and smart word-play in This Common Uncommon had me going page to page and almost devoured it in one sitting.

In my opinion, The Language of Bees is an outstanding collection, (an opinion shared with lots of others, including the judging panel at Wales Book of The Year 2023) that talks about the importance of bees to humans and climate change in an engaging way. The way insects are used to discuss personal themes including loss, loss love and other deep human tragedy is tremendously done with care taken over each word. 

I’d highly recommend reading this if you’re a fan of poetry that deals with nature and has very personal and broader themes packed with smart language and incredible imagery. I would say to have some tissues handy as some pieces are highly emotive.

Favorite Poem:
A bit of a cheat here but my favourite is a sequence of poems that are sprinkled throughout the book with the title Dying Bee in a Takeaway Box. 

Find out more about Rae Howells at https://www.raehowells.co.uk/ where you can find links to her other books.

Next Week’s Read

Looking ahead, here’s what’s lined up for my book bag next week;

  • Title: Street Sailing
  • Author: Matt Gilbert

That’s it for this week one. If you’ve read any of the books I’m sharing or have recommendations for what poetry I should be reading, drop a comment below. 

Take it easy

Paul