And finally, the last poem chosen for us this month by guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs is a fantastically bitter persona poem from Dave Medd. Party Song History. You can keep your bleedin history. It aint mine. Deny all knowledge, lineage, bastards. Who cares who screwed who in bed or battle. Pigs have got it … Continue reading Party Song by David Medd
Month: March 2018
Deeper In Debt by Adrian McRobb
For our penultimate poem selected by guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs, here comes an 'austerity ballad' from Adrian McRobb. Deeper In Debt… Another day in a small grey town The rain as usual pouring down Sodden people standing in queues Reading papers full of yesterdays news In near empty bars staff idly wipe glasses Beer! … Continue reading Deeper In Debt by Adrian McRobb
Movement by Maria Stadnicka
This seventh selected poem by Maria Stadnicka contains some positive words of advice for moving forward into a better world. Movement If we want the world to move forward, we must hold hands. Documenting the pain and the joy, on the same page, with water, with fire, with ashes not with ink. Freedom … Continue reading Movement by Maria Stadnicka
Seriously by Angela von Son
The sixth poem selected by our guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs is about sexual abuse, and it's like a punch to the gut... Seriously When I said Make yourself at home I didn’t mean Do to my daughter What you do to your wife
Big little stories
For our March session, we focussed on ways to call small memories to life and turn them into short, authentic pieces of writing. It was a wonderful experience to hear people's work, and see how even small incidents led to large insights when remembered with attention and clarity. Scroll to the end for the writing … Continue reading Big little stories
Ways Not To Treat Women by Tracey Scott-Townsend
A strong and wide-reaching feminist poem for our fifth selection by guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs! Ways not to treat Women For enjoying a book too much Refuse to educate them In case men can’t satisfy them Genitally mutilate them If they get pregnant unmarried Take their babies away For suffering postpartum depression Electric shock … Continue reading Ways Not To Treat Women by Tracey Scott-Townsend
Friday Night Is Fun Night by Sara Dennis
Please be aware that this poem contains descriptions of domestic violence. The fourth poem chosen by guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs is a response to her callout for stories relating to violence against women and the #metoo and #timesup campaigns. If you'd like to know more about how to work for positive change on this … Continue reading Friday Night Is Fun Night by Sara Dennis
Gauntlet by Carol Fenwick
In the third poem selected by our guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs, we take a look from on high at modern 'gods' Weinstein and Murdoch... Gauntlet Wielding his gauntlet like Apollo’s arrow, Zeus greets them. From among his avenue of Alpha males, they stand like Gods. Those who don’t salute are left to suffer without … Continue reading Gauntlet by Carol Fenwick
Impossible Things by Rosamund McCullain
In the second poem chosen by our guest editor Jessie Joe Jacobs, poet Rosamund McCullain plays on the meaning of 'scab'. Worthy words as our university staff continue to strike for their pensions. Impossible Things Picking that irritating scab and wondering Can there be new skin underneath? Can Epidermis and epiglottis renew? Repair the Raw … Continue reading Impossible Things by Rosamund McCullain
No News Is Good News by Jackson Davies
Welcome to the first poem chosen for March by our guest editor, Jessie Joe Jacobs, who is part of the We Are Our Media collective working to bring 'alternative tabloids' to the people of the north east, written by the people of the north east! No News is Good News You might be under the … Continue reading No News Is Good News by Jackson Davies
Celebrating Change 