Poetry Review: Good Listeners

As if I was going to wait however long until I was back to reading poetry collections before I reviewed this. I’ve been excited about this pamphlet for months and when I finally got it in my hands I read it all there and then. It’s a beautiful thing with a gorgeous cover, and of course I got the postcards and stickers bundle, all of which are so painty and beautiful I’ve displayed them around my room.

Pondering on Poetry: The nightingales are drunk

I’ve reviewed one of the 80p Penguin Classics before, but I have several on my shelf and they all need reading at some point. Honestly, I grabbed this one just from the title alone and had no idea what sort of book it even was. Note my delight when perusing my shelves for my next review and I learn it’s a poetry collection by the Persian poet Havez. With only the knowledge of what the title implied, I read through the whole thing in one quick sitting.

Pondering on Poetry: A Very Tiny Trans Poetry Anthology vol. 2

I nearly forgot I owned this tiny zine, simply because it’s exactly as described – tiny! “A VERY tiny TRANS poetry ANTHOLOGY Vol. 2″ is not a poetry zine you can get your hands on, unelss you steal my specific copy. If you’re trans (or maybe more broadly queer) you may be familiar with the account Tiny Trans Zines (@TransZines), which created personalised hand-made zines on comission! Sadly, the creator is no longer making zines, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other queer-run tiny zines out there! And, who would I be if I wasn’t giving love to a fellow small-time creator?

Pondering on Poetry: Knots

I’ve always had a copy of R.D. Lang’s poetry collection “Knots”. As the theme suggests, the language of the poetry tends to circle around on itself and get confusing. Lang himself previously worked as an army psychiatrist, so the complications of human mentality and self-destructive thinking play a huge role in the poetry. If you’ve ever spent time studying unhealthy thinking patterns, you’ll recognise lots of them used as techniques in this poetry.

Pondering on Poetry: Fragments

Evan Morgan (1893-1949) was a Viscount of Tredegar, an author, a poet, and queer (also an eccentric occultist, but that’s details). Unlike the rest of the poetry I’ve read, my copy of “Fragments” is a PDF I was able to download for free, as it was initially published in 1916. The main reason I chose to read this one, is because I was after queer Welsh poetry specifically, and so far only Evan Morgan’s work has fit the bill. I plan to go through more of his work, but I’m just focusing on “Fragments” today.

Pondering on Poetry: 19 Years of Skin

Kenya Sterling’s first poetry collection “19 Years of Skin” was released only last year after he won the Superbia Chapbook Competition. I bought his work when he was lined up to host an online event for G(end)er Swap and was enchanted by the beautifully detailed cover art. I can’t help myself when I see a queer artist with work available on the market, so I snapped it up!

Pondering on Poetry: Time-Asst-Till

I came across the tiny haiku zine many years ago at London MCM Expo where the author, Chris Bingham (aka Bing), was selling merchandise with the rest of the YouTube Cakebomica crew. The zine stood out as completely unique among the art prints and tshirts, and as a haiku lover I had to have it. Despite having it all this time, I’ve only now sat down and properly read it. So was it worth the wait?

Pondering on Poetry: Three Tang Dynasty Poets

I’ve never read much Chinese poetry before, but when this collection popped up on the 80p Penguin Classics I was compelled to get my hands on it. No doubt it’s still widely and easily available – hopefully as it’s intended price. Certainly, reading it has inspired me to seek out more Chinese poetry, both of the Tang dynasty and in other periods.

Pondering on Poetry: Frances and Martine

This month I have read “Frances and Martine” by Hilda Sheehan, illustrated by Jill Carter. I got this collection after seeing Hilda herself perform her work at Bath Spa University in November of 2014 and was so taken by the characters that I bought a copy directly from her, which she was kind enough to sign for me.

Pondering on Poetry: Cardiff my Cardiff

This year I’m taking time to explore poetry more, having met several poets over the years and bought their books and then never read them. A shame! So this year once a month I’ll pick a collection and talk about it – in an eclectic and theme-less way.
This month I am looking at Richard O’Connell’s first poetry collection “Cardiff my Cardiff: Thirty three poems”, first published in 1997. I came across it by chance in a small shop, of course in the city itself, and being a local I had to have it. Who wouldn’t be enamored by the sketchy artwork of the main street with all its people going by?