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A fabulous evening listing to poetry of deep attention with Yvonne Baker and Patricia Helen Wooldridge

The material world, how we interact with it, how our bodies make sense of it, how our species wrecks or honours it, how we create memories from it — all this and more was explored in these deeply reflective collections that keep us wondering as we celebrated the launch of  In the Shadow of the Yew, John Barnie; Material Witness, Edward Ragg and The Dolls’ House Maker’s Room, Robin Thomas.

(apologies that the beginning of the video was lost)

We had a wonderful evening on Tuesday celebrating 3 pamphlets: Bonnie Thurston’s Darkness, ,Liliana Pasterska’s Brontë Journey and G W Colkitto’s If you want to know her. Thank you to eveyone who was able to be with us — you can catch up here (and apologies that the recording begins a little way through)

It has been such a delight to work with Robin Ford on this collection and wonderful to share pictures of the launch at Medina Books on the Isle of Wight.

Ranging across three distinct sections, Robin Ford’s Jellyfish demonstrates a mastery of language in the service of deep emotions and the complex challenges of the way we live now. Acutely observed, the poems capture the essence of life on a small island, offering a perspective that can move from the satirical to the poignant, and focussing on the interplay of beauty and tragedy that surrounds us all. From the subtle nuances of daily life to profound reflections on human existence, the natural world and gender, Jellyfish is a collection that will resonate deeply as we story the lives we lead.

Excerpt from Jellyfish:

MERMAN

This may be our only night together
you, slender as a bright fish, stranded
by chance or unexpected storm.

You sleep, I cannot,
I must tell the minutes
like a string of beads
not miss one breath of yours
whilst darkness holds us.

At dawn our night must die
soon, with the turning tide,
you will join that sea I found you by.

As day invades
you will slam night’s door and I,
I will be left alone to count
your scattered pearls.

And you can find your copy here

Our first launch of our 20th anniversrary year was for one of the winner’s of our New Voices competition, Nikki Ali luanching Mira’s Story into the world.

Meet your girl, Mira. Hispanic-American, married to Andre and in polyamorous relationships with Paloma and Araceli, a young woman living with Cystic Fibrosis against the backdrop of an impoverished childhood with an unstable, drug-dependent mother who goes on throwing challenges into her complex life. Mira will take you to places you never imagined. And she will do it with an authenticity that will take your breath away. She will have you in tears and make you laugh out loud, all without an ounce of didacticism. Mira isn’t here to preach but to live—life in all it’s glorious, messy, joyous, sensual, heart-breaking fullness. This is Mira’s Story—a story for us all.

If you missed the launch you can catch up here.