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

Saturday, 24 October 2020 13:23

A Resistance Writer Reflects On His Life: Variations of poems by Bertolt Brecht

Written by Ciaran O Rourke

in Poetry

Author's note: Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) was one of the most influential playwrights of the twentieth century, blending an aspirational communism with anti-fascist politics, while developing a satirical, "epic style" of drama that broke new theatrical ground. Famously, in The Threepenny Opera (1928), Brecht posed the question: "Who is the bigger…

Thursday, 22 October 2020 10:28

Searching for each other's souls

Written by Fred Voss

in Poetry

Searching for Each Other's Souls by Fred Voss Working 10-hour days in this machine shop we put on our COVID-19 pandemic maskslike strangers aboard the Titanicthrown together to strike an iceberg and live an historictragedyand we stareover the masks into each other’s eyessafety glasses fogged up with our breathdazed with…

Thursday, 15 October 2020 08:32

Team Song

Written by Martin Rowson

in Poetry

Team Song by Martin Rowson You put your tender in!You drive your rivals out!You send in your consultantsWhen the money's thrown about!You put the Hokey-CovidIn your Turnover That's what it's all about! Whooooaaaaaaa! Hokey-hokey-Covid!Wheeeeeeeeeeee! Hokey-hokey-Covid!Phwaaaoooooor! Hokey-hokey-Covid!Knees bentBoots filledRa-ra-ra! You drive the numbers up!You keep the proles locked down!Send in more…

Serco Test and Trace Dido

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 12 October 2020 12:57

Fatima

in Poetry

Written by Steve Pottinger

Fatima by Steve Pottinger Fatima’s working in cybershe’s learned how to snoop and to hackshe’s talented, driven, and passionateher revenge a cold feast, not a snack Rishi’s bank account there on a spreadsheeta few clicks of the keys, and… goodbyeHancock’s now being sought on charges of fraudGove for intent to…

Rishi Sunak

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 09 October 2020 09:44

“the poor core of the world, wide open”: The poetry of Anne Carson

in Poetry

Written by Annette Skade

Annette Skade presents the poetry of Anne Carson, and a brief biography In Anne Carson’s series of poems, “The Glass Essay”, the speaker is channelling Emily Brontё: “my lonely life around me like a moor”, and the narrative of lost love, analysis and estrangement is woven through with references to…

Nobel prize for Literature

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 09 October 2020 09:13

Eden

in Poetry

Written by Martin Rowson

Eden by Martin Rowson Some years ago George MonbiotTold me his rewilding schemes,Worthy and exquisite plansFor reconnecting rootless we With the Eden in us all, With our internal wildernessCaught inside, like Milton said,And trapped in dreams or yearning hope,But with his help we can break out Of our enclosed hearts.…

George Monbiot

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 09 October 2020 08:21

the dreamers' ark

in Poetry

Written by Paul Summers

the dreamers’ ark(the haven, tynemouth) by Paul Summers the oak is seasonedthe sawyers done each board & beamis shaved & steamed rendered immaculate in barrel curves planed & polishedto perfect laps the wrights slip-glazed by noble toil each limb in balanceeach peg set tight like lovers’ vowsimmoveable in situ caulked…

Tuesday, 06 October 2020 20:24

The Approaching Storm

Written by S. J. Litherland

in Poetry

The Approaching Storm by S. J. Litherland A grey interlude of calm and a whinein the woods, a lone siren.Diamonds arrive on my window,tracery of casual beauty. The grey overhang of cloudtells us nothing, it’s blank like a liar avoiding a question.Seeds of rain and a lone bird aloftas if…

Monday, 05 October 2020 07:14

Rathlin: In memory of Derek Mahon

Written by Jenny Farrell

in Poetry

Jenny Farrell memorialises Derek Mahon by presenting a reading of his poem Rathlin, bringing out its political message and artistic skill Derek Mahon died on 1 October. Born into the Protestant Belfast working class, he was of a generation with Seamus Heaney and Michael Longley. All three poets benefitted from…

Sunday, 04 October 2020 22:02

Poem for the Feast of Saint Francis on the subject of forgiveness, October 4th 2020

Written by Fran Lock

in Poetry

Poem for the Feast of Saint Francis on the subject of forgiveness, October 4th 2020 by Fran Lock i cried for the highlands last night. for myself. there is something writhing inside of me, a snake of mutant spleen. i waited for a storm to make my terrors holy. concentrated…

Trump and Covid

Friday, 02 October 2020 11:12

Trump has Covid

Written by Jane Burn

in Poetry

Trump has Covid by Jane Burn and I do not celebrate. Melania has Covidand I do not celebrate. Covid is a fiend, a brute –a devastator of too many homes, a ruiner of health,relationships, families. Of businesses, of lives.I wish it gone, I wish healing to the whole world.He will…