Poetry

It goes on one at a time,
it starts when you care to act,
it starts when you do it again after they said no,
it starts when you say we and know who you mean,
and each day you mean one more.

Marge Piercy

Sunday, 30 April 2023 15:31

May Day poem: Looking For My Brother

Written by Fred Voss

in Poetry

Looking For My Brother by Fred Voss When I stepped into the steel mill the first time it felt goodto holdonto the handles of the cutting torch machinethe steel sparkerI squeezed between my thumb and fingers to make the sparkto light the torchthe knobs on the red tank of gas…

Saturday, 29 April 2023 15:23

Coronation poem: When the New King Came

Written by Mike Jenkins

in Poetry

When the New King Came by Mike Jenkins, with image by Steve Bell When the new king came to the DiffThere were many lining the streetsWaving their Union JacksReady to take mobile snaps :Waiting, waiting, waiting. Others who sang and heckled -Glyndwr, Yes Cymru banners and placards;The purple-headed girl with…

King Charles

Thursday, 27 April 2023 18:20

Conscripted

Written by David Betteridge

in Poetry

Conscripted by David Betteridge Being human means throwing your life entirelyon the scales of destiny, while rejoicing in every sunny day and every beautiful cloud... - Rosa Luxemburg Sleeping is hard, with the mind so troubled;also hard is staying awake when fear exhausts us and tests us on a sharp…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 21 April 2023 08:44

Subverting capitalist realism: Ivor Cutler and the cherry blossoms of Glasgow

in Poetry

Written by Amy K Grandvoinet

Late in March 2023, I went on a Cherry-blossom Season adventure to Glaschu (Scottish-Gaelic for Glasgow). Some years ago, my Auntie Sandi – or Alexandra Lucky – who grew up in the Gorbals there, passed away. When she was dying, she got a number of guide-books on ‘JAPAN’, to look…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Wednesday, 19 April 2023 10:28

Zoom launch of Machine / Language by Martin Hayes, with Fred Voss

in Poetry

Written by Culture Matters

Culture Matters is proud to introduce the third long-anticipated collection in their new series of digital poetry pamphlets: Machine / Language by Martin Hayes. The book is available free to download (below) and is also available from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as a print-on-demand hard copy. We celebrated with a virtual reading at…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Monday, 17 April 2023 09:40

A bilingual tribute to Queen Camilla

in Poetry

Written by Gabriel Rosenstock

Gabriel Rosenstock's bilingual tribute to Queen Camilla has moved millions of her ardent followers: Ar chuala tú trácht ar Chamillab'í gile na gile í - na gile! do chruaidh sí gach slat bhí go dtí sin gan atcé gur fhéach sí ar nós sean-sinsile There was a fine queen called…

K2_PUBLISHED_ON Friday, 14 April 2023 08:39

Sculptor

in Poetry

Written by Tom Hubbard

Sculptor by Tom Hubbard They who had chiselled the names and the datesOn the angled and sunken stonesHad themselves died long ago. They sharedThe worn anonymity: memorialisedAnd memorialisers alike. So now, the living,Gathered at the gates, the awkwardly present,Barely hearing a new voice in their souls,Uncertain, wary, inarticulate. There were…

Tuesday, 11 April 2023 09:30

Someday There Will Be Machine Shops Full Of Roses

Written by Nick Moss

in Poetry

Nick Moss reviews Fred Voss's latest book of poetry, available here There is a curiously valedictory tone to some of Fred Voss’s writing here. In fact “valedictory” doesn’t come close to it – I’m dancing round the issue. Some of these poems sound beaten, distressed, as if he’s had the…

Tuesday, 11 April 2023 09:06

Beer Foam Resurrection and The Job I Don't Get Paid For: two poems by Fred Voss

Written by Fred Voss

in Poetry

The Job I Don't Get Paid For by Fred Voss The machine shop manageris taking the new-hire around the shop showing him the machinesand their operators“This is Fred,” he saysas the new-hire shakes my hand“Fred is the quietest guy in the shopHe just does his jobHe doesn’t get involved in…

Saturday, 01 April 2023 10:54

Your Penance: A Decade In Sales

Written by P. W. Bridgman

in Poetry

Your Penance: A Decade In Sales* by P. W. Bridgeman I. Hail Mary, full of grace,the Lord is with thee.Blessèd art thou amongst womenand blessèd is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God,Pray for us sinners. Now…It’s the sizzle that sells the steak – not the cow.…

Saturday, 01 April 2023 09:19

the screams of the supervisors

Written by Martin Hayes

in Poetry

the screams of the supervisors by Martin Hayes you can’t always decipher what the screams of the supervisors meanso numerous are they sometimes they sound like moos from within a herd drowned out by the rest of the heardthen other times they are like the beatings of a silverback’s chestcharging…