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, 05 March 2018 22:36

A witness to ruthless oppression: Maxim Gorky

Written by Jenny Farrell

in Poetry

Jenny Farrell introduces the life and poetry of Maxim Gorky, who was born 150 years ago, and presents his poem Storm Petrel, prophesying revolution. Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, or Maxim Gorky, was born 28 March 1868 in Nizhny Novgorod (named Gorky,1932-1990), and died 14 June 1936. He was a Russian and…

Friday, 02 March 2018 14:07

the employed poor

Written by Martin Hayes

in Poetry

the employed poor by Martin Hayes they have a car a job with no contract they work for a company that hasa zero-tolerance policy on sick days and non-attendance they have aflat with heating and food they have a bottle of wine of a night they cook a pasta dinner…

precariat poverty working poor immiseration

Saturday, 24 February 2018 18:28

What Did The Politician Get His Wife?

Written by Kevin Higgins

in Poetry

What Did The Politician Get His Wife?after Bertolt Brecht by Kevin Higgins And what did she get, the girlfriend,from the student union meetingat which he rose to his feetand realised he could speak? From that meeting she gotthe Snickers bar he forgot to eatso busy was he watching them listen;and…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Tuesday, 20 February 2018 22:05

The Communist Manifesto: A Poetic Coupling

in Poetry

Written by Peter Raynard

To mark the 170th anniversary of the publication of The Communist Manifesto, Peter Raynard presents his new poem, a 'poetic coupling' based on the text of the Manifesto. Counting in at around 12,000 words, has there ever been a more influential book containing so few words, than the Communist Manifesto?…

Karl Marx

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 19 February 2018 20:08

Grenfell Tower, 2018

in Poetry

Written by Rip Bulkeley

Since July 2017 Rip Bulkeley has been creating an anthology "Poems for Grenfell Tower", which will be published by The Onslaught Press at Easter. Poems were invited in any language and up to 50 lines long, and then selected blind by a small review panel. The resulting collection includes 62…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 09 February 2018 22:21

In Praise of Communism

in Poetry

Written by Jenny Farrell

The outstanding German communist playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht was born on 10 February 1898, 120 years ago. To celebrate the anniversary, Jenny Farrell has sent us one of his poems, which was translated by her father, Jack Mitchell. The image is by Mark Titchner, an artist who lives and works…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Thursday, 01 February 2018 12:20

......and its name is Communism

in Poetry

Written by Jenny Farrell

On the 170th anniversary of the publication of the Communist Manifesto, Jenny Farrell introduces Brecht’s poetic re-writing of the Communist Manifesto, with its ‘spectre of communism, which continues to be a threat to the rulers and a friend to the damned of the earth.’ In February 1848, Marx and Engels…

Brecht Communist Manifesto Karl Marx

Tuesday, 30 January 2018 11:26

The Communist Hypothesis: ten lessons from Alain Badiou

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

The Communist Hypothesis: ten lessons from Alain Badiou by Chris Norris We know that communism is the right hypothesis. All those who abandon this hypothesis immediately resign themselves to the market economy, to parliamentary democracy – the form of state suited to capitalism – and to the inevitable and 'natural'…

Marx Cantor Cavailles Paris 68

Friday, 26 January 2018 18:26

stitching this universe together

Written by Martin Hayes

in Poetry

stitching this Universe together by Martin Hayes Sadiq wants to stay a part of this control room, a partof this bunch of chained cynical indebted men who continually take the piss out of his haircuts his shoes and his love lifewho never cut him any slack whenever he makes a…

Thursday, 25 January 2018 11:43

The Divided Self: a poem for Burns Night

Written by Keith Armstrong

in Poetry

The Divided Self by Keith Armstrong 'When'er my muse does on me glance, I jingle at her.' (Robert Burns). Such an eye in a human head,from the toothless babyto the toothless man,the Edinburgh wyndsbleed whisky.Through all the Daft Days,we drink and greein the local howffs,dancing downBread Street.Like burns with Burnsthese…

Robert Burns Burns Night Edinburgh

Tuesday, 16 January 2018 10:52

Come in number 45, your time is up

Written by Steve Pottinger

in Poetry

In Which No. 45 Once Again Seeks Validation To Dispel The Existential Fear That Gnaws At His Very Soul by Steve Pottinger Thursday, 4am. The president wakesReaches, half-conscious, for his phoneUnwilling, untutored, unable to fight.Must! Have! Attention! Now!Punches the keypad over and over In a desperate, infantile frenzy. Then:Send. America!…

Trump Trumpisms Trumpetry Trumpedup in charge