Passing Through: Geraldine Green, Indigo Dreams
By sheer coincidence, when Geraldine Green’s book arrived for review I was reading another volume of poems bearing exactly the same title by the Welsh poet John Tripp. Tripp’s book, which was published by Poetry Wales Press in 1984, explores change in a largely urban setting whereas Green’s book is a celebration of her native Cumbria couched in a rural setting. Both poets share the same gift of s...
30th September 2018
The Houses Along the Wall: Karen Hayes, Holland Park Press
I may well have fallen for this collection before I read it, as soon as I heard of its subject matter. The set of poems in The Houses Along the Wall creates a fictional history for 16 of the buildings along the Parrog, the old port area of the coastal town of Newport in north Pembrokeshire. I visite...
26th September 2018
Contentment, Creativity and Cracks
The concept of cracks may seem a strange subject for contemplation, but these overlooked creatures of absence are often the constructive features that frame our existence. Even though many of us are a...
24th September 2018
"Writing in Rhyme" by Becky Who is Write Out Loud's Poem of the Week
This week's Poem of the Week is by Becky Who, who was thrilled to be chosen. "This really means a lot to me, and thank you for a great web site, it has really changed things for me". The pleasure is ...
24th September 2018
Poetry & The Great War, a Series: 1
In approximately two months time we shall commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the end of the First World War, when the guns fell silent after four years of bitter conflict which claimed the lives of ...
23rd September 2018
Kierkegaard's Cupboard: Marianne Burton, Seren
Marianne Burton trained as a lawyer and worked in the City. Her first book, She Inserts the Key was nominated for the Forward prize for best first collection. Kierkegaard’s Cupboard, the culmination o...
22nd September 2018
Inua Ellams' R.A.P. Party at Totally Thames
Inua Ellams' R.A.P. Party ***** (Five Stars)
Totally Thames Festival, London. Onboard the Dixie Queen. 12th September 2018
Arguably the jewel in the crown of this September-long festival cele...
22nd September 2018
The Poetry of Spirituality
The poetry associated with or originated from the many forms of spirituality is vast indeed, stretching back into the centuries of antiquity and embracing all religions and none. It is a treasure hous...
20th September 2018
Flood: Clare Shaw, Bloodaxe
Floods inhabit myths, legend and our psyche. From classical tales and bible stories they appear throughout our literature. The flash flood in DH Lawrence’s The Rainbow springs to mind, as does Tom Wei...
18th September 2018
Sharpen Your (S)Words - Holmgangr Comes To Winchester!
One particular event at the 2018 Winchester Poetry Festival (October 5th-7th) is the only way to settle literary disputes - as “Only One Translator leaves alive!”
Winchester may not be Valhalla, bu...
17th September 2018
September is National Translation Month!
National Translation Month (NTM) is a fantastic celebration of literary translations throughout the month of September.
The aim is to encourage readers worldwide to celebrate literary works in tran...
17th September 2018
‘The Voice of the Commons’ by Janey Colbourne is our Poem of the Week
This week, Janey Colbourne is awarded the Poem of the Week accolade for the first time. Her poem The Voice of the Commons attracted a lot of praise when it was first posted on Write Out Loud, and we'r...
17th September 2018
The Evening Entertainment: Matthew Paul, Eyewear
There is no shortage of exotic subjects in Matthew Paul’s debut poetry collection, which is said to have taken 30 years to put together. It includes poems about high-wire artists cheating death, a man...
14th September 2018
Cross-Cultural Translation: One Hand Clapping
A recent trip to the magnificent Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York proved enlightening on many fronts. Alongside the main guest exhibition of work from the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti was ...
13th September 2018
The Cultural and Emotional Landscapes of Theophilus Kwek
I've been intrigued by the prolific creative output of Theophilus Kwek, a Singapore-based writer and researcher, for some time. He's published five volumes of poetry, most recently The First Five Stor...
13th September 2018
The Lovely Disciplines: Martyn Crucefix, Seren
Martyn Crucefix is closing in on his third decade as a poet of renown. His first collection, the wonderfully titled Beneath Tremendous Rain came out 28 years ago, when this reviewer still thought pop ...
13th September 2018
‘Triptych #1: Coffee, Paper, and Storm’ by Aly is Write Out Loud’s Poem of the Week
This week, our Poem of the Week comes from Aly, who describes herself as 'a woman made out of poetry, art, and architecture'. We hope you enjoy her poem 'Triptych #1' and her answers to Write Out Lou...
10th September 2018
Love Thy Creative Group
As a response to a culture saturated with superficial pursuits and social media, there seems to be a growing phenenomon of meet up groups where common interests can be shared in a physical environment...
9th September 2018
Genevieve Carver: The Unsung
Genevieve Carver is a Sheffield-based poet interested in finding the humanity amidst the chaos. She performs regularly at prestigious events across the country, having supported artist such as Buddy ...
9th September 2018
No Homeless Problem: Voicing the Struggles of Homelessness
No Homeless Problem is a moving collection of poems by Irish writer Séamus Fox (pictured) based on the real life stories of 44 people who, like Fox himself, have experienced homelessness and are now b...
9th September 2018
Edinburgh Fringe Reviews: Sophie Sparham and Do It Now:Manual Override
With the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe now in its final week there is just a handful of days left to nip over to the Scottish capital and grab a fistful of spoken word entertainment. If you can avoid the alm...
9th September 2018
Edinburgh Fringe Reviews: Amsterdam
Amsterdam *** (Three Stars)
Jahmar Ngozi, Solomon Adams and Danielle Allen. theSpace @ Jury’s Inn. August 17th. 8.05 PM. £8 (£5 concessions).
Amsterdam is unlike any other show I have seen at ...
6th September 2018
‘Just before sleep’ by Peter Taylor is Write Out Loud’s Poem of the Week
The new Write Out Loud Poem of the Week is Peter Taylor’s ‘Just before sleep’. As you’ll see from Peter’s answers to our Q&A, his dinner party sounds like one well worth sitting in on!
How long hav...
3rd September 2018
Elvis McGonagall: Full Tartan Jacket
Following my attendance at his show Full Tartan Jacket (see review below) I spoke to Elvis McGonagall about what he was doing, and why. “The aim of the show was to bellow my material into the void whi...
1st September 2018
Quines: Gerda Stevenson, Luath Press
Gerda Stevenson is well known as an award-winning actor, director, musician and playwright, but is less well known as a poet. Her first collection was the autobiographical If This Were Real (2013), wh...
1st September 2018
