There is a cyclone fence between ourselves and the slaughter behind it we hover in a calm protected world like netted fish, exactly like netted fish. It is either the beginning or the end of the world, and the choice is ourselves or nothing. (‘Ourselves or Nothing’) Journalist, academic, memoir-writer, editor, poet and human rights’ Read More
Rachel Mann’s A Kingdom of Love is a collection of incantatory free verse that leaves a pattern of allusions for readers with religious inclinations to discover. The sensual and intellectual writing within demonstrates what language can do when tackling weighty issues such as the presence of God, the reality of death, suffering and love. In Read More
I Here is Shepstone Road, and here is the vinegar that runs from your mouth. Here is your black family car and your father idling in the front seat. Here is his broken elbow from his recent fall, the gravel still under his skin. Here again is the apple you ate this morning when you Read More
Tourists visit St Andrews for three main reasons; it’s the home of golf, the grounds of the renowned University where Prince Harry met Kate, and the StAnza international poetry festival in March, which bring poetry paramours to St Andrews’ historical streets. I reviewed Mary Jean Chan’s debut pamphlet, a hurry of english, some time ago Read More
Briar Mouth is the first published collection of poems by Helen Nicholson. She has had poems published in Gutter, and Magma magazines and shortlisted in the Bridport Creative Writing Competition, 2015. She lived near Fort William as a child, spending time in Skye, and now lives in Fife. These locations are clearly reflected in her Read More
Ulsterman Jon Plunkett is both a poet and the impetus behind Perthshire’s Corbenic Poetry Path, an inspiring stroll through beautiful moorland and forest to the accompaniment of wayside poetry and poetic fragments carved into wood, stone and glass. His first full collection takes something of the wind-blown spirit of Corbenic, but adds the warmth and Read More
Forwards opening, backwards closing desire widening, hours leaking, words as poems, poems as prayers: time home love. So many ways of seeing the forward thrust of desire, the steady backward tug of time, beating, knowing, not knowing. © Geraldine Gould From A Cabinet of Curiosities: Reimagining Rare Books. A disparate trove of pieces created by students of Read More
With an osprey on his back, in full flyte, and looking as if he might leave: an abruption in nature. Instead, offering further anecdotes, he crosses over into other territories not covered by his map of words; accosting a soldier with questions of how it feels to kill. The osprey on my own back surges Read More
Prickly all over, but for spider silk blooms. Thorns studding stems, give purchase even for earthbound aluxob — any height might be scaled. No barrier built keeps them out these bearers of cures and dreams. Like their cousins everywhere, supple skirts spread to reveal baby rattle pod which, when finally split, spills myriad tiny balls. Read More
A fine anatomical agony: Mouth wide open portcullis-like Tongue, teeth, tonsils hang Eyes closed like smooth marble stones It’s all in the head. Shriek. Skelloch. Der Shrei der Natur. The Scream of Nature. Skrik. (‘Skrik’ is Norwegian for Shriek) © Loretta Mullholland From A Cabinet of Curiosities: Reimagining Rare Books. A disparate trove of pieces created by students Read More