And we end our set of poems about change of identity with one that our guest editor, Degna Stone, says "is a change that feels familiar, the move from idealistic teen to cynical grown up..." Home from the late shift serving lobster and guinea fowl to the rich folk at The Stile Restaurant. I rub … Continue reading Message to my 16-year-old self by Rachel Burns
Author: Kirsten Luckins
Poet and performer.
North East Programme Co-ordinator for Apples and Snakes.
First collection, The Trouble With Compassion, launched March 2016 and available from Burning Eye Books.
First solo show, The Moon Cannot Be Stolen, voted second in Saboteur Awards 2014. Second show currently under construction.
Poet-in-Residence at the Heroism & Heartbreak project, Hartlepool Community Archive, looking at WW1 maritime stories.
Yorkshire by Kathryn Metcalfe
Guest editor Degna Stone chose this poem saying "I like the way the changes that occur to the speaker in this poem are caused by the landscape and by a reaction to or against the generation that came before." Kathryn herself says "the poem is about how identity can be shaped by our background and where … Continue reading Yorkshire by Kathryn Metcalfe
Challenge by Dominic Nelson-Ashley
Guest editor Degna Stone was attracted to this poem because it shows "the ever changing relationship between a parent and child. The challenge of responding to someone who is constantly evolving to find their place within the world." I knew she was a girl before she arrived. Didn’t have to tell me. A father knows … Continue reading Challenge by Dominic Nelson-Ashley
That’s Not Me by Suzy Bromwich-Alexandra
We're just past the halfway point of our 'change of identity' poems, selected by guest editor Degna Stone. Here's her take on That's Not Me - The defiance of not letting circumstance or the expectations of others define you comes through loud and clear in this poem. And who can resist a poem that references … Continue reading That’s Not Me by Suzy Bromwich-Alexandra
Call-out for poetry submissions!
I'm delighted to announce the last of our three guest editors - Clive Birnie of Burning Eye Books! He's given a lot of thought to what aspects of change, and of poetry, he'd most like to see from all you fab writers out there, and he says this: I am interested in the effect of … Continue reading Call-out for poetry submissions!
Human Conflict by Rob Etherson
An introduction by our guest editor, Degna Stone: This piece asks more questions than it answers. Mostly it asks us to think about how our ties to our identities influences our ideas of those who are not like us. The thing that makes this piece unusual are some of the identifiers that are revealed at … Continue reading Human Conflict by Rob Etherson
Identity Theft by Marilyn Longstaff
This poem takes a playful look at living under an alias, of reinventing yourself and finding a way to separate your present from your past. Identity Theft He took my name and promised to get back to me. He didn’t, of course, and I wondered what he did with it? Losing my name meant … Continue reading Identity Theft by Marilyn Longstaff
