Latest from Fenland Poetry Journal & Words For The Wild

If you write about nature, here are two great places to submit. I’m happy to have poems in Words for the Wild (surely one of the most visually delightful webzines going), and also in Fenland Poetry Journal, an elegant printed magazine edited by Elizabeth Sennitt Clough.

“The poems contained in this issue are textured with the ‘tremor of leaf play’ and ‘plosive bubble-threads – they are alive. They are creaturely.” says Sennitt Clough in her editorial for issue 4.

Poets in the spring issue include: Briony Bax, Kathryn Bevis, Sharon Black, Claire Booker, Dagne Forrest, Anna Maria Mickiewicz, Sarah Mnatzaganian, DA Prince, Hannah Stone, Charles Ulyatt, Louise Warren and Gareth Writer-Davies.

Fittingly, the Fenland Poetry Journal (like its previous incarnation, The Fenland Reed) comes to you from wind-swept, sky-rich Cambridgeshire. The magazine is published twice a year. For information about submissions windows, or to buy a copy, please visit: www.fenlandpoetryjournal.co.uk

Words for the Wild has built up a treasure trove of beautifully illustrated poems and short stories on a wide range of subjects that hold at their centre, the natural world. It’s edited by Amanda Oosthuizen and Louise Taylor, who both actively campaign to protect the countryside.

You can submit previously published work to their quarterly themed pages, or brand new work to their general pages.

The current theme (still open for submissions) is Gerald Durrell and his work as a conservationist. To read my poem ‘At the Bear Sanctuary’, please click on the following link: https://wordsforthewild.co.uk/?page_id=13306 This also allows you to scroll to other work within the site, including cracking poems by Kevin Cahill, Rebecca Gethin, Lisa Kelly and SA Leavesley, to name just a few.

Prole – Wales’ answer to a wet Sunday

It’s always a pleasure to open a copy of Prole magazine which celebrates its silver anniversary with issue 25. Editors Brett Evans and Phil Robertson have a keen eye for poetry that punches its weight yet remains accessible.

Poets featured in this spring issue include Ndonwie Muma Alain, Juliet Antill, Claire Booker, Richard Hillesley, Jennifer A. McGowan, Laura McKee, Arji Manuelpillai, Robert Nisbet, DA Prince, Charley Reay, Gareth Writer-Davis and Stella Wulf.

You can also read the winning poems from The Prole Laureate Poetry competition 2018, judged by Kate Garrett: “My favourite poems always have three things; musicality, exceptionality, and heart. I love words that chime well together, unforced.”

Louise Warren wins outright with her beautiful and mysterious poem The Marches. I was very lucky to hear her perform this poem recently at More Poetry in the City of London. The poem works just as beautifully orally as it does on the page. The runner-up is Mary Gilonne with her touching poem extra-marital morning on the edge of nowhere. Third prize winner Bruce Marsland offers a witty (and unsettling) post-apocalyptic take, toolbox for the penultimate age.  

And of course, as always in Prole, there are short stories too, plus cartoonist Sparx is on hand with more tongue in cheek humour. So plenty to occupy you if (when?) the weather takes a turn for the worse.

To buy a copy of Prole (issue 25), to submit your own work, or to consider entering the Prole Pamphlet Competition 2018, please visit: Prole 

 

Grab some Light Fantastic tonight at Poet in the City!

Poet in the City’s drop-in event tonight is hosted by John Mole on the theme of tripping the light fantastic.  The Drop-in is a FREE monthly event (6.30pm for 7pm start), in which regulars and newbies bring along themed poems to share (their own, or by poets who inspire them), all in the comfortable setting of the poetry section of Waterstone’s, Piccadilly.

I had the pleasure of c0-hosting last month’s event with fellow poet, Louise Warren. November’s theme was ‘Rumours’.  Not an easy one, but after scouring my book shelves, plus a trip to the Saison Poetry Library, I ended up sharing: ‘To Others Than You’ by Dylan Thomas; ‘I saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail’ by Anon (one of my favourite poets!); ‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ by TS Elliot; ‘I’m Nobody!Who are you?’ by Emily Dickinson; plus two of my own poems.

If you’d like to attend Poet in the City’s Drop-In,  please RSVP by telephoning Waterstones on 020 7851 2419 or by e-mailing  events@piccadilly.waterstones.co.uk  Tonight’s theme is Tripping the Light Fantastic, under the expert guidance of regular host John Mole. John has been a recipient of the Gregory and Cholmondeley Awards for Poetry. He has presented BBC Radio 4’s Poetry Please and Time for Verse and, for Radio 3 he has compiled and presented Poetry Now. His most recent collection is The Point of Loss (Enitharmon, 2011).

For more information about the many events that Poet in the City organise, please visit: http://www.poetinthecity.co.uk

Poems for The Good Earth – film, art and music too

Mountain peaks, lush meadows, oceans and estuaries – even the moon took part in The Art Project’s poetry, film and music evening ‘Song of the Earth’ at St Pancras Hospital’s Conference Centre last Friday.

It was all part of London’s Creativity and Wellbeing Week. Poets and musicians performed in front of an ever-changing screen which celebrated the richness of our planet – including acclaimed novelist and poet Maureen Duffy, Lisa Kelly, John Gibbens, Ken Champion and Claire Booker.

Lisa Kelly reads from her pamphlet ‘Bloodhound’

‘Song of the Earth’ was curated by Camden poets, Alan Price and Louise Warren as part of ‘The Good Earth’ exhibition of landscape paintings, photography and sculpture by artists Tim Bradford, Michael Connell, Peter Herbert and Amanda Taylor.

“Whether it be sky above or mud below, we live in a unique world,” says Peter Herbert of The Arts Project. THE GOOD EARTH offers artwork that responds to the often transient beauties and evolving surfaces and shapes of the world created by nature and often influenced by mankind itself.”

Maureen Duffy

Live music was provided by Armorel Weston and John Gibbens (The Children) whose lyricism with voice and acoustic guitar kept the audience enraptured.  

 

THE GOOD EARTH exhibition is free and remains open until Thurs 24th June (Mon-Fri 9.00am to 5.00pm in the Conference Centre, St Pancras Hospital, 4 St Pancras Way, London, NW1 0PE. For details of future events planned by The Arts Project, contact its curator manager, Peter Herbert, on pbherbert@gmail.com

Alan Price’s collection ‘Outfoxing Hyenas’ is published by Indigo Dreams. Lisa Kelly’s pamphlet, ‘Bloodhound’ is published by Hearing Eye. Louise Warren’s collection ‘A Child’s Last Picture Book of the Zoo’ is published by Cinnamon Press. 

Provençal Crosses published in South Poetry Magazine

Pizza with friend in Maidenhead then round the corner to the launch of South (issue 48) where I read my poem ‘Provençal Crosses’ to the winking eye of a video recorder and appreciative audience (or so I like to hope!)

One of the joys of going to launches is hearing poems performed by their authors. It was therefore delightful to hear other contributors to South get up and declaim, including Andy Hickmott (Footsteps of Dancing Giants), Kitty Coles (A Soul), Patricia Griffin (Father) and Jennie Christian (Down Under).   

With 60 sparkling poems, plus incisive reviews of the latest poetry collections, including ‘The Silence Unheard’ by Ruth O’Callaghan, and ‘Bloodhound’ by Lisa Kelly, South is  a must at £7 incl p&p.  Or go wild and subscribe for a year’s worth of magazines at £12 incl. P&P.

To order a copy of issue 48 or submit your own work, please visit: http://www.southpoetry.org

The deadline for submissions is 30th November 2013.

For more information about the poetry and plays of Claire Booker, please visit: http://www.bookerplays.co.uk

Dickens turns up at ‘Poets Off The Shelf’!

Did you know that Charles Dickens experienced a record 12 white Christmases during his childhood?  Or that there really was an Old Curiosity Shop – but only because the canny owner of a local store decided to get in on the act?

After a fascinating illustrated talk at Swiss Cottage Library on the great author by Camden archivist, Tudor Allen, five poets were invited to read their specially commissioned poems inspired by Dickensian characters or themes.

Claire Booker, Lisa Kelly, Alan Price, Pauline Sewards and Louise Warren had some real fun and games with ghosts of past and future.  The newly minted poems included ‘In the Beginning I am Bored’ – a very broad interpretation of the brief by Claire Booker.  She chose to recount her childhood tussles with ‘David Copperfield’. The novel was used as a punishment book from which she had to copy out a page for every major misdemeanour.

PARENTS PLEASE NOTE:  this is not an effective way of encouraging a love of the arts!

Poets Off The Shelf’ is a poetry event held every other month at Swiss Cottage Library (the Gallery, 88 Avenue Road, London NW3 6ER) from 6pm to 8pm. Cost: free.  Further details from Alan Price 0207 419 7819