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

Friday, 03 August 2018 10:12

The Glass Collector

Written by Steve Pottinger

in Poetry

Glass collector by Steve Pottinger Let us sing of the mouse-quiet collectorof glasses, clearer of plates, wiper of tables, he who returns sauce bottles to their allotted place on the worktophe who takes no space at allasks no space at allwho is seventeenwho will surprise you by butting into your…

Tuesday, 31 July 2018 18:31

They Trespass Against Us

Written by Rita Ann Higgins

in Poetry

They Trespass Against Us by Rita Ann Higgins The memo said,get them out of that bed,Make Lazarus out of the lot of them.By the head or the knee,a puck in the back,a knuckle in the nuts,a sweeping ankle throw,but no bruises.They trespass against us. Minimum force at all times,except at…

Saturday, 14 July 2018 20:45

Durham Miners' Gala 2018

Written by Jane Burn

in Poetry

Gala Day, Durham Miners by Jane Burn At eight-fifteen, the band stands up in regimented lines.July, before the schools break – the morning lull brokenby the stray parp of tuning notes, loud and suddenthrough nets ghosting open windows. It’s a signalto get up, throw cardigans over nighties, join the exodusof…

1984 Strike jeremy corbyn

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 11 July 2018 16:59

Bread and Roses Poetry Award 2018

in Poetry

Written by Mike Quille

Thanks to all of you who sent in poems this year. We received over 800 poems, so we're very grateful to all the contributors, and to Andy Croft from Smokestack Books and Mary Sayer from Unite for doing the difficult job of choosing the winners and the other poems to…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 09 July 2018 21:58

first amongst monsters: Trump comes to Britain

in Poetry

Written by Fran Lock

Fran Lock responds to Trump's visit, in prose and in verse. See here for some of the ways President Trump has described immigrants. I laughed until I cried I don’t find Trump funny anymore. I used to. Or rather, I used to laugh at him, which is not quite the…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 06 July 2018 13:37

Paul Summers, the Durham Miners' Gala, and arise!

in Poetry

Written by Mike Quille

Mike Quille interviews Paul Summers, including extracts from a major new poem which is published by Culture Matters. It will be launched at the People, Pits and Politics festival in Durham on Friday 13th July, the day before the Miners’ Gala, and is available for purchase here. Paul Summers is deeply rooted…

Durham Miners' Gala socialism workingclass culture arise!

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Thursday, 05 July 2018 17:04

The Match

in Poetry

Written by Helen Burke

The Match by Helen Burke Because ok lets face itLife is a match.You know it and I know it,And where you sit depends how it goes,And – you never get to pick your own team,And so much depends on the colours of your scarf.(None of this is by choice –…

Monday, 25 June 2018 12:49

Capitalism Aggressive, At Its Best

Written by David Susswein

in Poetry

Capitalism Aggressive, At Its Best by David Susswein the sales are at the pitmine the sales are in the minds of the working class told to work for dignity the sales are in the cleaner scrubbing floors her betters have dirtied the sales are in the minds of…

Sunday, 24 June 2018 21:43

The Waterfall and the Song and the Hammer in the Hand

Written by Fred Voss

in Poetry

The Waterfall and the Song and the Hammer in the Hand by Fred Voss Too many of the white machinists in this shop like Trumpthey are good menwith a tool steel square or a finely calibrated micrometer grippedin their handsor a newly-born granddaughter heldagainst their heartbeatsbut they have been fooled…

US immigration policy Donald Trump

Friday, 22 June 2018 22:29

Bertolt Brecht Offers Advice to Waverers about Attending the Great Anti-Trump Demonstration (London, July 13th, 2018)

Written by Chris Norris

in Poetry

Bertolt Brecht Offers Advice to Waverers about Attending the Great Anti-Trump Demonstration (London, July 13th, 2018) by Chris Norris You say: ‘it’s not my business, my concern,Nothing to do with me. My voteWent to the good guys, those who’d turnThe horror-show around’ – I quoteYour own words back at you…

Donald Trump US immigration policy antiTrump demonstration

Wednesday, 20 June 2018 20:27

The Truth Behind the Wire

Written by Kevin Higgins

in Poetry

The Truth Behind the Wire by Kevin Higgins Kindly disregard the attention seeking cries of the few.They are child actors being given scripts by liberals. Most of the young people there are delighted withwhat we’re doing. There is no policy of separation from parents. It’s just if you’re going to…