Alchemy Spoon and Orbis #202

A first time for me in The Alchemy Spoon, and a welcome return to Orbis – one a relative newcomer on the poetry scene, the other with more than 200 issues to its name. I love them both.

If you’d like to get into the next issue of The Alchemy Spoon, the submissions window closes on Feb 28th, with a theme of Grafitti. So get scribbling!

Editors Roger Blore, Vanessa Lampart and Mary Mulholland choose themes for each issue, creating a unified feel but with plenty of air to breathe. Their online launch was lively, enjoyable and free; a great way to get a taste of the magazine. Or better still, buy a copy at: www.alchemyspoon.org

Poets in the Gift issue, include Barbara Barnes, Heidi Beck, Claire Booker, Pratibha Castle, Rachel Clyne, Luciana Francis, Rachael Goodman, Emma Gray, Hannah Linden, John Martin, Emeline O’Dowd, Gillie Robic, Paul Stepehnson, Rob Walton and Kate Young.

There’s also a perceptive interview with Forward Award-winning Liz Berry, who says “good poems constantly reveal new things” and gives the advice: “don’t feel you should write poems that are fashionable. Write for pleasure, be fearless, but also kind to yourself.” You can also read an honest and deeply revealing feature article by Jane Burn on notions of courage, permission, poetry and the search for the writing self.

Carole Baldock is the tireless editor of Orbis which brings together a community of poets and readers, each impacting on the other. Readers get the chance to vote for their favourite poems, and poets thus chosen can win £50. Short stories and poetry makes up the bulk of writing, but you also get book reviews, readers’ letters and feedback, plus details of submission and competition opportunities. Even adverts!

Poets in Orbis #202 include Claire Booker, Alexander Corrin-Tachibana, Tina Cole, Mark Czanik, Cathy Grindrod, Marie Lecrivain, Judith Pollinger, Katherine Swett, Anne Symons, Isobel Williams and Jackie Wills. I also really enjoyed reading Mary Earnshaw’s fascinating feature article on that “prolific shape-shifter and most widely travelled, longest-lived Past Master – Anon.” Yes, Anon would be a multi-billionaire by now, if they’d been able to draw royalties. To buy a copy of Orbis, take our a subscription, or submit your work or details of your competition, please visit: www.orbisjournal.com

Poetry on a stick – The Interpreter’s House is so suckable!

It doesn’t come cooler than Albion Beatnik Press as a boutique venue for one of Britain’s best loved literary mags. Throw in a balmy Oxford evening, mouth-watering books packed from floor to ceiling, teapots in all sizes and some cracking poetry and you’ve got yourself a launch.

People came from as far away as Aberdeen, Wiltshire, Manchester and London to celebrate the work of 56 poets and short fiction writers, including Tammy Adams, Claire Booker, Nancy Campbell, Anas Hassan, Gram Joel Davis, Rachel Mann, John McAuliffe,  Rosemary Norman and Judith Taylor.

 TIH 59 is a bumper issue which includes the winning poems from the 2015 Open House Poetry Competition – Roz Goddard’s ‘The Baroness and the Nun’; Dan O’Brien’s ‘ The War Reporter Paul Watson on the Devourer of Hearts’; andTerry Jones’ ‘The Naked Blessed Childhood of Maire O’Hanlon’. 

Liz Berry was the competition judge responsible for whittling an avalanche of entries down to three winners and seven highly commended poets. “I was looking for something magical or surprising, something well crafted and affecting too. There’s a strange indescribable electricity I feel when reading or hearing a brilliant poem and so I let that feeling be my first guide.”

Her choices don’t disappoint. Nor does the main body of poetry selected by Editor, Martin Malone. And for those who enjoy short fiction, there are stories by Jacob Ross and Alison Hitchcock too.

Now that the magazine has up sticks and left for Aberdeen, it remains to be seen whether TIH’s popular shindigs will come south of the border again.  Aberdeen’s gain is Oxford’s loss. Or could dual launches be the answer (any excuse for a party!).

Copies of The Interpreter’s House (issue 59) are available for a very reasonable £5.00 from the website at: INTERPRETER’S HOUSE

If you come to Oxford, you’ll love Albion Beatnik Press as a place to brouse, drink tea, buy poetry. The cafe is close to Worcester College, only 10 mins walk from the main train station, at 34 Walton Street, OX2 6AA.