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

Thursday, 26 October 2023 12:23

Bread and Roses Poetry Award 2023 - the winners!

Written by Culture Matters

in Poetry

The five winners of this year's Award are: Michael Lowkain, Jenny Mitchell, Ian Parks, Ross Walsh and Rob Walton. £100 will wing its wandering way to their worthy workers' wallets, and we'll produce the printed anthology by the end of November. That will include the winning poems plus poems by…

Wednesday, 25 October 2023 16:04

Outlook

Written by Steven Taylor

in Poetry

Outlook by Steven Taylor Mainly cloudyA chance of rainDusty. GrubbyRubble mostlyDeath expected Britain Could send umbrellasBut they preferProviding weaponsTo the killers (with instructionsto be careful, obviously) The sound of weepingWailing is distressingFor our viewers

Israeli bombing Gaza

Sunday, 22 October 2023 14:32

The Spanish Civil War: Three poems by Bob Beagrie

Written by Bob Beagrie

in Poetry

The three poems below are from a sequence of poems inspired by The Spanish Civil War and The International Brigade, which Bob Beagrie been working on for around four years now. It is now a 35 poem collection, Romanceros, and is due to be published next Spring by Drunk Muse…

Spanish Civil War International Brigade Romanceros

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Sunday, 22 October 2023 14:31

British History is Black: Plantation Yard to Council Flat

in Poetry

Written by Jenny Mitchell

Plantation Yard to Council Flat by Jenny Mitchell Once there was a slaving house battered by the sun, rays like golden fists, blood oozing through the floors, women forced to breed a child, sold by master with a whip. Now there is a tower block beneath harsh clouds, unemployed in…

Enslavement Wage slavery

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:50

Poetry / Filíocht

in Poetry

Written by Gabriel Rosenstock

Poetry/ Filíocht is a bilingual poem by Gabriel Rosenstock in response to the latest conflict in the Middle East Poetry perhaps rabbi Nachman could give me advice but how can I find him among so many ashes Zbigniew Herbert I have strained my eyeslooking at headlinespored over in-depth analysis –who…

Israeli bombing Gaza

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 20 October 2023 13:06

Business Meeting

in Poetry

Written by Edward Mackinnon

Business Meeting October 2023 by Edward Mackinnon The blood-red carpet's been rolled out againfor the salesman with formidable armsand a mouth like the barrel of a gunwho knows only too well the source of all terrorin the depths of his atrophied heart His government will wait a hundred yearsbefore getting…

Gaza Israel War crimes

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 16 October 2023 13:44

Another Vote for Sunak!

in Poetry

Written by Chris Norris

Another Vote for Sunak! by Christopher Norris, with image above by John Greenfield Me, I’m your typical swing voter – The only thing I care about’s my car.Just keep your hands off me and my old motorElse you’ll find out how narky us lot are. That Sunak, he won’t screw…

Ulez climate crisis

Saturday, 14 October 2023 12:56

When Braverman quotes Shelley

Written by Paul Francis

in Poetry

When Braverman quotes Shelley by Paul Francis Our setting is celestial bliss.“Hey, Percy, have a look at this.”He thinks the angel’s having a laugh –she offers him the Telegraph.“The Tory Party Conference? No.”For Shelley, he won’t stoop that lowbut she’s insisting that he needsto see this. So he sits and…

Rwanda Masque of Anarchy

Saturday, 14 October 2023 12:40

To those who seek nemesis in my name

Written by Janet Sillett

in Poetry

To those who seek nemesis in my name by Janet Sillett you do not do this in my nameyou do not use my nameyou do not speak for me my anger is mine not yoursyou do not use my nameto light up the dying sky with sulphurous starsto bleed the…

IsraelGaza war War crimes

Wednesday, 11 October 2023 10:00

British History is Black: Black Hair

Written by Jenny Mitchell

in Poetry

Black Hair by Jenny Mitchell Entering the gallery, you’ll see it in a case, dark strands gathered close, size of a fist,taken from a Negroid head. Long-denigrated in the West a sign explains – Known in the past by several names – Bush, Wool, Nest. Nothing indicates why it was…

Black History Month

Tuesday, 10 October 2023 10:32

Eyeless

Written by Ruth Aylett

in Poetry

Eyeless by Ruth Aylett They bombed other people’s housesin Gaza, fish-in-a-barrelso we sold them some more bombs agreed that those others were terroristsso the world was probably better off without themagreed that the planes had done everything possibleto avoid civilian casualtiesand sold them some more bombs agreed that they had…

Gaza Israel