writing

The Book Bag X Write Here, Right Now: Unwhispered Legacy Anthology

Welcome to The Unwhispered Legacy Anthology page.

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 48 hours, 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You may submit up to 2 unpublished poems of your own work (poems shared on social media are acceptable).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.

The submission email address is: thebookbagsubmissions@gmail.com.

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.

Stay Poetic,
Paul

The Book Bag: Midden Witch by Fiona Benson

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

This week has been busy. An open mic on Thursday, was a highlight although I could only stay for the first half. I submitted a couple of pieces to some really good magazines, had a tussle with Submittable and had a lovely rejection. I finished an audiobook that felt like it was unfolding in real time in places. Work is busy, and enjoyable and I’ve been able to work on a new project. I did find some time to get a long overdue haircut. On Sunday evening (tonight, 6th July), I’ll be reading at the Black Bough open mic.

On top of that, I’ve been reading;

Midden Witch

  • Poet: Fiona Benson
  • Press: Cape Poetry

Let me address something. This is the first time I’d read a collection by Fiona Benson in full, so I came into this review with only my appreciation for her work that I’d read in anthologies and online.

Midden Witch is divided into sections each titled with links to witchery, for example, ‘Discovery of Witchcraft’ and ‘Familiars’. There are micropoems on each division page, which feel like bonus material.

Language is a major strength of Fiona Benson. As this is a collection steeped in witchcraft and magic and the perception of it, this is no major surprise but poems such as ‘Robin Goodfellow’ and ‘North Berwick Witch Trials’ are incredibly rich. In fact, some of the pieces felt like spells, especially ‘Song of The Riparian Zone’ (part ii of ‘Beaver Trial’).  

A key theme throughout the book is how those in power have mistreated people, especially women in medieval times. Famous witches (yes I did my research and was shocked, SHOCKED by the accounts!) are referred to throughout such as ‘Jenny Greenteeth’. Poems including ‘Defamatio‘ showcase persecution. The reference to the church and the antaganost in the piece ‘Matthew Hopkins (Persecutor)’ is forthright and unapologetic.

There are some moments where I felt my heart crush and I had to pause reading, the impact was so intense. This was the case with ‘Charm For An Ailing Child’ . When you have such a strong emotional response when reading, you know a collection will stay with you.

Nature plays a major role in this collection. Fiona Benson creates exceptional imagery in pieces such as  The symbiotic relationship between humans and nature is explored also. The poems ‘Lark Ascending’ and ‘Lilac Chaste-Tree’ are great examples of this and show completely opposite approaches. However, ‘Moss’ for me is the standout in this theme, partly as I am partial to it but mostly because it is exquisite.


There is plenty of wit and humour in the collection in different shades. ‘The Bill Against Conjurations And Wichecrafts And Sorcery And Enchantments, Henry VIII, 1541-2 Cut Up, Rearranged’ feels like a dark satire reimagining a law against Witchcraft signed by Henry VIII, a King known for his treatment of women.

Fiona Benson plays with form throughout. We have chaptered poems in ‘Babushka’. ‘Amy Duny’ reads like biographical prose with a great shift in the closing line. Tercets appear throughout, including in ‘Wisp’. Alignment and spacing is played with in the poem ‘Exorcism: Wild Horses’ adding further emphasis to the writing.

Favourite Poem:

There’s a few in Midden Witch that I returned to time and again this week. I’m picking five six seven today, but it could be a lot more.  ‘Midden Witch’, ‘Patrick Swayze’, ‘Invention Of Opium’, ‘Leddy Lister’, ‘Accusatio’, ‘Charm For An Ailing Child’ and ‘Transformation: Galinthis’.

This collection will appeal to many. Witchcraft enthusiasts for one. Oh and people who agree that rules aren’t applied evenly to all genders, sexes and classes. It will appeal to poetry readers who love rich language, nature, various forms, myth, metaphor and realism. A bewitching collection.

To read Fiona Benson’s bio, click here.

Buy Midden Witch here.

What’s your favourite Fiona Benson poem or collection? Let me know in the comments.

I’m sharing another playlist today to accompany the reading;

Kate Bush – Babooshka
Evanescence – Bring Me To Life
Nina Simone – I Put A Spell on You
Frank Sinatra – Witchcraft
Donovan – Season of The Witch
Stevie Nicks – Rhiannon
Wardruna – Helvegen
Siouxsie & The Banshees – Spellbound
Aurora – Running With The Wolves
Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – The Time of My Life

One More Thing…
It was great to see an exciting opportunity for poets who had attended or plan on attending one of the Black Bough Poetry ‘Crafting Your Year in Poetry’ workshops. I found this opportunity through subscribing to their newsletter. A terrific source of information including details of Louise Machen’s forthcoming online launch of I Am Not Light, a link to the new Silver Branch feature for July which celebrates a tremendously talented poet and artist, Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad and details of their next ‘Crafting Your Year in Poetry’ workshop. Sign up to their newsletter here.

And Another…
There is a new resource available to writers to get their work in front of new audiences through the Promote Indie Lit platform. If you know any writers who are looking to get their name out there for free, definitely direct them to https://promoteindielit.com. There are multiple opportunities and mediums for writers to have work shared including reviews (some will appear on The Book Bag), interviews, features and more.

And Another…
The Broken Spine are launching a new workshop. Cut To The Bone is all about editing your poetry to its sharpest. Details here.

And Finally…
Beautiful Little Fools is released on Monday July 7th 2025 exploring and responding to The Gilded Age. I’m very happy to have two pieces in the collection, sharing pages with some incredible poets. On Monday, go to Amazon and search Beautiful Little Fools. I’m sure Broken Spine will be sharing a link on Monday via their BlueSky social media.

Next Week’s Read

  • Title: Modern Poetry
  • Poet: Dianne Seuss

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

Paul

The Book Bag Bonus Edition: Peeling Apples by Alan Parry

Welcome to special bonus edition of The Book Bag.

Last week I took some time out to read Peeling Apples, a novella from Alan Parry, published by Dark Winter Press. Alan is the driving force behind Broken Spine Arts, mentioned multiple times previously in The Book Bag news sections.

Peeling Apples is Alan’s debut novella about a young lad called Martyn who befriends his Nana’s next-door neighbour, Mrs Joyce.

The personalities of the two main characters is realistic and rooted in the time. Martyn’s football-mad curious mind and how his perception of Mrs Joyce evolves is deftly done.

The references to Saturday morning wrestling, which does use one character to describe the journey Martin and Mrs Joyce take is a smart device. I also liked the time-accurate wrestlers and wrestling managers and commentators including Bobby Heenan and the merchandise available at the time in the form of cards.

There is a scene in which Martyn is at the ‘pop van’ was like time travelling. We used to get a crate of 6. 2 x Lemonade, Dandelion and Burdock, Sarsaparilla, 2x Cola and a Cream Soda. Sometimes a lemonade was switched for limeade and a cola for orangeade. Every Friday. I love Dandelion and Burdock, but Sarsaparilla will always be my favourite. It’s a bit like a root beer but not. I miss it!

The narrative and prose could easily be adapted to TV. Maybe a series by Ken Loach or Mike Leigh airing on Sunday evenings. It has an almost ‘This Is England’ crossed with ‘Danny, Champion of The World’ feel which is testament to Alan’s approach. This is definitely a working-class setting expertly written by a working-class writer.

I read Peeling Apples in under 2 hours. Only stopping for a drink part way through. The pace of the narrative is focussed yet unforced making it an easy read.

This novella truly resonated with me.

I would like to see another Martin and Mrs Joyce book. Maybe a collection of short stories containing more of their adventures.

Peeling Apples is a highly nostalgic book that takes the reader on a journey of a boy reaching emotional maturity. It’s also a tale of friendship and how important bonds can be made with those we think are our polar opposites.

I’d recommend this to anyone who knows the value of friendship, even more so if you were a child of the 80’s and 90’s.

Peeling Apples is available on Kindle and in Paperback. To find out more about the book and order your copy, click here.

Sunday’s Read

  • Title: Smatterings of Cerulean
  • Poet: Susan Richardson

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

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #24: A Mild Christmas Eve

The low dawn casts its shadow
gently as pastel persimmon
across the rooftops
as blinds twitch 
in hope of snowfall 

robins like paladins
stand proudly atop fenceposts 
keeping watch over the people they love
singing quiet whispers of strength 

along the emerald and dull silver hedgerow 
the squabbles of nature seem calmer
as if peace has befallen predator and prey
and no man’s land is safe for a while 

believing isn’t seeing
believing is believing

Thanks for joining me for the last day of the advent calendar of poems. I hope you’ve enjoyed my scribbling over the past month and year. All your support is highly appreciated.

Here’s a quote from my favourite Christmas film, Scrooged: “ It’s Christmas Eve! It’s, it’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we, we, we smile a little easier, we, w-w-we, we, we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be! It’s a miracle, it’s really, a sort of a miracle because it happens every Christmas Eve.”

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #23: Pressure Cooking

There’s a tumbling of sprouts
mini green baubles spilling 
over the kitchen floor 
from the punctured paper bag
a reindeer’s snack 
has caused the tear 
as if anticipating 
the sound of sleigh bells 
but the only sound at the moment 
is sobbing and swearing 
the self-imposed pressure building 
before you can relax 
you have a hundred jobs to do
but Christmas isn’t all on your shoulders
grab a drink and take a seat 
a deep breath to slow down
like snow falling 
everything will be okay.

Hey everyone Merry Christmas Eve Eve. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read the penultimate advent calendar poem for 2022.

Here’s a quote from one of my favourite Xmas movies, The Polar Express “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #22: Sparkly Presents

The wreath shines
in winter light 
scarlet holly glowing 
slices of scented citrus 
glistening like stained glass 
even long-dried pinecones 
have a revived golden aura 
emerald fir and spruce branches 
hold everything together 
this natural bracelet
a truly precious 
and priceless gift.

Thanks for taking the time to read this poem. I hope you’re doing amazing this week and have some merriment planned over the festive period. Only 2 poems left of the calendar. Thanks for the ongoing support, it’s very appreciated.

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #21: Midwinter

The winter solstice 
deepens the darkness 
tilted away from the sun 
we cling to the watercolour sky
and whatever sunlight we can 
for our diurnal delectation 
the night              
  -   can wait.

Hey, happy solstice day and thanks for stopping by to read poem number 21. I hope you are having a great week and have had plenty smiles this week.

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #20: A Take on Christmas Films

I slip into the comfort 
of old Christmas movies 
like John & Hans   tearing up Nakatomi
Buddy finding his family    and a new job
George finding help from Clarence
Frank Cross reuniting with Claire
and a boy in blue dancing with snowmen 
the nostalgia is like hot chocolate 
and warm hugs 
it’s hard sometimes to step away.

Thanks for stopping by today to read number 20 in the advent calendar. I hope your week is going well and that your all sorted for the festivities.

Take It Easy

Paul

Advent Calendar Poem #17: Feast


The robins and gulls 
were dancing around the 
garden this morning 
and last night
eyes on the ground 
oblivious to each other 
beaks tapping on frozen ground 
percussive plundering 
but there was nothing to find.

Tonight when they return
they will enjoy 
a bounty of seeds and nuts
a festive feast
from us to them.

Thanks for reading. I hope your weekend is going well.

Take it Easy

Paul