The Frip

illustration showing a woman with blue skin covered in images, light blue leaves intertwine with pink flowers, a yellow sun on each breast.

Finishing mummy’s pictures

Rachael Matthews reviews The Illustrated Woman by Helen Mort (Chatto & Windus, 2022)

Two book covers, one green, one blue. Sigh.

Two pamphlets that sing together

Isabelle Thompson reviews I Hate to Be the One to Tell You This by Zoë Walkington (Smith|Doorstop, 2023) and Past Tense Future Imperfect by Jon Miller (Smith|Doorstop, 2023)

Photo of Vanessa Kisuule standing in front of a green and purple wall. She is looking to her right and smiling.

punk ballet. Act 1. / there is more to come

Bruno Cooke profiles Bristol-based poet, writer, performer, and slam champion, Vanessa Kisuule

Photograph of Vanessa Kisuule by Jon Aitken

A Friday clearly isn't a Friday without an abstract poetry book cover to describe. I am almost, but not quite, at a loss for words. Here we go, poetry fans! Pop art seems to be the style choice. Purple jagged forks of what looks like lightening cross diagonally passing behind white cloud like formations (although one does seem to have a dark doorway in, so it may not be a cloud). Green ribbons, a blue sky and a red dot top right complete the picture. Ah ... poetry.

I am cobalt and cherry pulp lyric

Tim Murphy reviews VISIONS & FEED by Maria Sledmere (HVTN Press, 2022)

What looks like an ancient Greek plate or bowl. A bloke with a bad back seems to be have been bitten by a snake and he is gesticulating towards a reclining fellow who is possibly having his heart pecked out by a large bird of prey. Lotta blood, but they were rough in them days.

Lots wider inside than it looks

Stephen Payne reviews The Nature Thief by Henry Walters (The Waywiser Press, 2022)

Stewart Sanderson standing in a field in front of the Cheviots. He is smiling.. well, why not? It looks like a great place.

Crossing the Line: Walking in the Cheviots with Dante

Stewart Sanderson considers the notion of 'crossing the line' in poetry while walking his beloved Cheviot hills

Three pieces of fruit, made out of wood on a pale background. Pretty sure one is a pear and more than 80% sure that another represents an apple. The last could well be a beef tomato, then again a teeny pumpkin fits too.

You are less separate than you imagine

Charlotte Gann reviews The Hopeful Hat by Carole Satyamurti (Bloodaxe, 2023)

Part of book cover showing Kite form by Mike Barlow — a piece of abstract art (because we have learnt by now that nothing says competent poet more than a bit of random abstract artwork). Painted driftwood is the background to geometric shapes in shades of blue. These are criss crossed with bits of fine string. Told you ... poetry.

To walk, move the ground backwards

Mat Riches reviews Spider Time by William Gilson (Wayleave Press, 2022)

Black and white photograph of Picasso and Éluard in conversation.

Picasso, ici, je te vois, et je te nomme

Rowan Bell on the relationship between artist Picasso and poet Paul Éluard

Pixelated image with a black background and a thick rainbow border on the left hand side and top. Small square blocks of colour seem to explode into the centre from the top left hand corner.

Can’t you see the poetry in throwing a fire extinguisher through the window of the Ritz?

Karen Smith reviews Improvised Explosive Device by Arji Manuelpillai (Penned in the Margins, 2022)

Clint Eastwood in full cowboy regalia standing in front of a road sign saying 'Welcome to Kent'.

This barter of enthusiasm 6

Andrew Neilson, Emma Simon and Jonathan Davidson choose favourite poems by Roddy Lumsden, Lorraine Mariner and Kit Wright

Three piles of stones on the seashore. Five stones, seven stones, and then five stones. Haiku innit.

What I think about when I think about English-Language Haiku

On form, spirit and resonance: an essay with three commentaries by Matthew Paul