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

Wednesday, 25 April 2018 09:32

'Structures don't take to the streets!' May '68: a structuralist riposte

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

May ’68: a structuralist riposte by Chris Norris A cloud no bigger than a man’s hand crosses the English Channel from Paris, and then, in an instant, the trees, the orchard, the hedgerows, the field of wheat, are black with locusts. When at length they rise to fly on to…

Saturday, 21 April 2018 19:15

Eye of the Needle

Written by Ira Lightman

in Poetry

Eye of the Needle by Ira Lightman Camels shouldn't vote for death.They needn't die at Christmas.On the 25th, Christ's birthis the defeat of Adam's cursewhich was death. The rich make human life ridiculous and cold on our visit to Bath.We particularly notice,much more than in the North East, in Bath…

Thursday, 19 April 2018 07:25

These Hands

Written by Jon Tait

in Poetry

Jon Tait has sent in this prosepoem in response to The Things Our Hands Once Stood For, by Martin Hayes. These Hands by Jon Tait The lines of hands get blackened by oil and dirt and produce a map of work, of chipped nails and grime and honest graft, of…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Tuesday, 17 April 2018 10:29

Poetry on the Picket Line: real people and real poetry in the real world

in Poetry

Written by Chip Grim

Chip Hamer introduces the squad of activist poets which supports striking workers. Poetry on the Picket Line sounds a little unlikely, but it works: a squad of writers prepared to turn up on picket lines and read poetry. Something a little different and it usually goes down pretty well. It…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 14 April 2018 19:32

Doodgeskiet: In memory of Chris Hani

in Poetry

Written by Andy Croft

It is twenty-five years this month since the assassination of Chris Hani, general secretary of the South African Communist Party and chief of staff of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Hani was also Mandela’s de facto deputy; his murder opened the way to the disappointments and betrayals of Thabo Mbeki and Joseph…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Saturday, 14 April 2018 18:08

More important than Elvis's comb

in Poetry

Written by Fred Voss

Fred Voss sent in the following poem after reading the new collection by Martin Hayes, The Things Our Hands Once Stood For, published by Culture Matters and available here. More important than Elvis's comb by Fred Voss What is more importantthan a cheap blue linoleum kitchen table in a little…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 30 March 2018 19:08

The rich versus the people & Turn the other cheek

in Poetry

Written by Ira Lightman

The rich versus the people by Ira Lightman Some rich think they cleverly simmer us sleepy - cos we'd jump if it got too hot.The leaders their media got us try to sell off the NHS.Mouthpiece and paymaster don't realise we the oppressed arebrighter than we were; more schooled, as…

Wednesday, 28 March 2018 11:14

Hoodied Bridget

Written by Kevin Higgins

in Poetry

Hoodied Bridget after Bertolt Brecht & Kurt Weill by Kevin Higgins A spectre is haunting Europe — the spectre of communism. - Karl Marx You’ve seen me doing my hours emptying the ashtrays of third hand taxis cabsand scrubbing hard with bleach their tainted back seats before they’re offered up again…

Tuesday, 27 March 2018 10:42

Those Hands

Written by Mike Jenkins

in Poetry

Mike Jenkins offers a prose-poem inspired by Martin Hayes’ book of poetry ‘The things our hands once stood for’ Those Hands for Martin Hayes I’ll never forget those hands resting on his…

Monday, 19 March 2018 17:53

Bread and Roses Poetry Award 2018

Written by Mike Quille

in Poetry

Culture Matters is pleased to announce that the second Bread and Roses Poetry Award, sponsored by Unite, is now open for entries. It is part of our mission to promote a socialist approach to culture. The purpose of the Award is to create new opportunities for working class people to write…

Sunday, 11 March 2018 16:43

our mother's day will come

Written by Fran Lock

in Poetry

our mother’s day will come by Fran Lock my mother’s face exists in the space between kaijū and sphinx. she’s wearing clothes that holdher body in contempt. her breath, imperfect peppermint. she has to go to work. her earringsare obols, shorn of their funerary usage. palestflirtation of dubious gold. unclaimed…