Poetry

It goes on one at a time,
it starts when you care to act,
it starts when you do it again after they said no,
it starts when you say we and know who you mean,
and each day you mean one more.

Marge Piercy

Monday, 11 January 2021 09:08

The Masks of Anarchy

Written by Barry Smith

in Poetry

The Masks of Anarchy by Barry Smith The song of the Thames-side boatmenAs they sail the ship of stateRings out across the choppy watersWhile the winds of pestilence blowRow, boys, row! The helmsman stands at the rudderSurveying his motley crewTousled blond hair all askewGive it all you’ve got, boysRow, boys,…

Sunday, 10 January 2021 20:48

These books have held me: outstanding poetry from 2020

Written by Fran Lock

in Poetry

Fran Lock writes about some outstanding poetry books published in 2020 It became apparent to me around the second week of December that I couldn't write this round-up in the usual way. By which I mean I could not – for a variety of reasons – simply recapitulate the tedious…

Monica's Overcoat of Flesh The Street of Algiers See What Life is Like Spirograph Almarks

Saturday, 09 January 2021 16:35

Why we talk about nothing but the weather

Written by Fred Voss

in Poetry

Why we talk about nothing but the weather by Fred Voss The welder is walking around the shop wearing a T-shirt coveredin decal-like images of red white and blue assault rifleson other days he wears a T-shirtwith National Rifle Associationplastered across itis he one of Trump’s Proud Boysdoes he have…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 09 January 2021 09:08

Baked Alaska

in Poetry

Written by Alan Morrison

Baked Alaska by Alan Morrison Emperor Trump's mob took him at his word,Stormed the Capitol, seat of American democracy,Vandals sacking Rome, Spartans spilling into Athens,Barbarians at the gates in red baseball caps brandedWith the legend: MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!Barbarians from within, chanting empty mantrasAnd chauvinistic rhetoric - "Stop the Steal!"Amongst…

Trump Twitter Alt Right

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 06 January 2021 16:17

A Finnish Story

in Poetry

Written by Edward Mackinnon

A Finnish Story* by Edward Mackinnon Landless, she worked on the land of a great landlord and his lady where the grass was lush and fat cows blinked at the northern lightBut she had to walk thirty miles with a fish and a pound of butter and having an honest…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 04 January 2021 09:50

Spirograph: an interview with Pauline Sewards

in Poetry

Written by Fran Lock

Fran Lock interviews Pauline Sewards about Spirograph, her latest collection of poems FL: Hi Pauline, thanks so much for agreeing to talk to me about your latest collection of poems, Spirograph. The title poem uses the conceit of the Spirograph Set to explore those moments of 'not quite repetition' in…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 02 January 2021 14:01

The Case of George Nkencho

in Poetry

Written by Kevin Higgins

The Case of George Nkencho by Kevin Higgins If this boy had been more prudentlydropped into life on, say, a streetwith trees that throw out their annual yellowto make a welcome parade for the sun;had as childhood neighbours a Circuit Court judge whose front door had no letterbox, a Garda…

Saturday, 02 January 2021 12:01

Grieving the City

Written by Fran Lock

in Poetry

Fran Lock introduces three poets writing loss in London I no longer recognise this city. I map this city by what is missing. By which I mean, I map this city by what I miss, by whom I miss. There is a species of exile that Edward Said identifies as…

Thursday, 24 December 2020 09:31

Emmanuel

Written by Fran Lock

in Poetry

Emmanuel by Fran Lock sometimes the sky fights me. sometimes the dayis a dogful of loss. sometimes the day is a desert,a prolonged and hopeless music. how the heart has timid discipline enough to make you retch,and i should gather in my wan rejoicing, stoneby stick, by feather by stone.…

Sunday, 20 December 2020 10:17

Christmas 2020. It’s all about the loved ones

Written by Annie McCrae

in Poetry

Christmas 2020. It’s all about the loved ones by Annie McCrae but what about the sick onesthe bullied onesthe just about surviving onesthe unemployed onesthe struggling onesthe can’t cope any longer ones? And what about the lonely onesthe grieving onesthe drowning onesthe exploited onesthe abused onesthe trapped can’t leave ones?…

Sunday, 20 December 2020 09:46

It’s hard to say ‘I love you’ to a Tory

Written by Louisa Campbell

in Poetry

It’s hard to say ‘I love you’ to a Tory by Louisa Campbell It’s hard to reason with people who make you so angryyou want to beat some sense into their cold, cold hearts.And why would anyone listen to someone who hates them?So, here you go: I love you, when…

Jacob ReesMogg Unicef