The Frip – The Friday Poem

“The month of May was come, when every lusty heart beginneth to blossom, and to bring forth fruit; for like as herbs and trees bring forth fruit and flourish in May, in likewise every lusty heart that is in any manner a lover, springeth and flourisheth in lusty deeds. For it giveth unto all lovers courage, that lusty month of May.”

— Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte d’Arthur

Do poets need their own union?

What power do we have, as poets, individually or collectively? Do we need our own union? And what would a union campaign for, or against?

Three pamphlets: Gillingham, Payne and Rouf

Rachael Matthews reviews The Human Body is a Hive by Erica Gillingham, Richie McCaffery reviews The Wax Argument by Steven Payne, and Bruno Cooke reviews House Work by Khadija Rouf

One kid looking on in wonder

Matthew Stewart explores Ben Wilkinson’s poetic development and looks at his new collection, Same Difference (Seren, 2022)

A dark shape from the sun

Rob A. Mackenzie reviews Dead Souls by Sam Riviere (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2021)

Ups and Downs

In Conversation: Lorna Dowell talks about her first teachers at school, setting up Poetic Licence, and how creative expression is key to general well-being and mental health

Mosses and dunlins, lichens and curlew, light and water

Carl Tomlinson reviews what is near by Kay Syrad (Cinnamon Press, 2021)

The hail clanjamfrie’s singin

Regina Weinert writes in memory of William Bonar (1953-2021)

Photo by Kim Ayres

I could have been betterer. Et-fucking-cetera

Hilary Menos reviews Miracle Theatre’s Everyman, adapted by Carol Ann Duffy, at the Princess Pavillion, Falmouth

Castaway Companions

Castaway poet Sarah Wimbush chooses poems by Ted Hughes, Liz Berry and Paul Bentley to take to a desert island

Poems of witness

Emma Simon reviews The Underlook by Helen Seymour (Smith|Doorstop, 2021) and The Thoughts by Sarah Barnsley (Smith|Doorstop, 2021)