Davis
It’s a new haircut,
I say, but you still
don’t notice.
You laughed when
the fringe fell
into my eyes.
Aren’t you supposed
to be able to see?
You brushed it
back behind my
ears, cupped my
face and said,
I am so glad
that we never
fell in love.
* Stephanie
Leal is a performance poet from the USA. She completed the MA in Creative
Writing at the University of East Anglia in 2007 and currently lives in
Norwich, England, where she is now reading for a PhD in philosophy. She is an active member of the Norwich spoken word scene – and our favourite American poet living in the UK.
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Tuesday, April 21
Steph Leal has a new haircut
by
Charles Christian
on Tue 21 Apr 2009 02:51 PM BST
Monday, April 20
Catherine Edmunds has been taking photographs
by
Charles Christian
on Mon 20 Apr 2009 10:00 AM BST
purple
he poured blue listerine into a bottle and turned it purple with a word. she drank. he watched as scarlet lips turned puce and cracked in pain. that’s good, very good he said as he took her photo before the colour could leech away. that purple polaroid lives in his pocket. he’ll carry it with him forever. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ the next morning he stared at the camera sepia tired after a night of foggy dreams spiked by frost she ignored him grazed on crisp grass licked her thick lips with thoughtful tongue minding the sensation his eyes beneath a tree bisected brushed to one side and on the other between the previous ghosts and the sign of the bush of holly they passed * Catherine Edmunds’ literary style is encapsulated in the title of her poetry collection wormwood, earth and honey. Her artwork veers between delicate portraiture, exploding dogs and decomposing toads – and is also featured in the new Anomalous Appetites anthology mentioned earlier today. www.freewebs.com/catherineedmunds/
New anthology edited by IS&T contributor John Irvine
by
Charles Christian
on Mon 20 Apr 2009 12:17 AM BST
 Anomalous Appetites is a new anthology of speculative poetry edited by IS&T regular contributor John Irvine. If you like sci-faiku and if you like HP Lovecraft, you'll like this book. It also includes contributions by a number of IS&T contributors, including Catherine Edmunds and Ken Head, as well as some contributions by IS&T editor Charles Christian. This is a beautifully produced book, available on Lulu for £17.45. Saturday, April 18
A double act of misunderstood love
by
Charles Christian
on Sat 18 Apr 2009 11:00 AM BST
This is a double act, starting with a short prose poem Angel by IS&T editor Charles Christian and followed by Unravelling, a response written by East Anglian poet Beverly Ellis. There is also a soundfile containing a recording of these two poems being read.
Angel of the morning Later that morning she brought me satsumas and a mug of sweet green tea that smelled of toasted rice. The slogan on her mug read I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered while the one on mine said I am not a number, I am a free man. She asked me when we’d meet again and I replied “soon”. At the time I said it, I meant it. But we never did make that second date. I am a free man and I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Unravelling Stuffing the other arm down the sleeve of his jacket, he brushes the back of his hand slowly across my cheek, kisses me: once, twice, leans his forehead against mine for several seconds. I’ll call you, he says, lips resting on my eyelid. Then he’s standing in the doorway, one shoelace trailing... Friday, April 17
Deborah Gordon is listening to silence on Blueberry Hill
by
Charles Christian
on Fri 17 Apr 2009 03:22 PM BST
Silence
How thanklessly the daybreak stands with hands That summon the sun and the earth is stilled. How tirelessly the evening crawls on bended knees To call, and to bring us to silence. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Blueberry Hill The blueberries crawl From a blueberry tree Where the blueberries call To a blueberry sea. And the blueberry sun Sticks its head through the sky As the blueberries hum And the birds skitter by. And the blueberry waves Tap their toes on the floor As the blueberries laze By the blueberry shore And the blueberry crawl From a blueberry tree Where the blueberries call To a blueberry sea. * Deborah Gordon says "I am an aspiring Sussex-based writer of poetry and prose and have been writing since the age of seven. My style is quite eclectic, however my focus falls mainly upon the Philosophical/Spiritual aspects of life and I love the concept of movement in poetry. I have had recent work published with Inclement, Phoenix, The Journal, Garbaj, Sarasvati, The Dawn Treader, Fire and Again Last Night. My first collection of poetry The Bluebells Pray (Indigo Dreams Press) is available now." Thursday, April 16
Christian Ward is looking at the sea
by
Charles Christian
on Thu 16 Apr 2009 02:12 PM BST
The Sea
Walking down the street, I empty my pockets of the sea I was looking after for you. Mussels come tumbling first, cracking open their castanet shells on the pavement. Acres of seaweed and oysters. Taking a deep breath, I pour saltwater into the middle of the road. Islands of people and cars bob in the newly created sea. Somewhere amongst this is an old trawler. You are inside, sending signals back to a lighthouse forgotten in a trouser pocket. * Christian Ward is a London based poet. His poetry can be currently seen in Grasslimb and Sage Trail. Wednesday, April 15
Rachel Fox has been watching Dad's army in the park
by
Charles Christian
on Wed 15 Apr 2009 01:33 PM BST
Dads army
In combat trousers Some long Some short They wear the modern camouflage For parks and play areas It's a must The beige and grey and khaki green Nice modern men blend in Avoid unnecessary conversations Mums can't seem to dodge so well These are the loaded guns “He's very small isn't he?” “Does she eat fruit?” “Oh, an only child” Shaven heads Sunglasses Trainers in winter Maybe risking open sandals In summer But in a neutral colour Dads keep their mouths closed Their eyes and ears open Not at war but always prepared They don't fall in traps Mums could learn a lot from their approach No hearts on sleeves No nervous wittering No defensive play Just cropped heads steady Resolve firm No time wasted We're here to play, kids So play * Rachel Fox lives in Montrose in Scotland. She has a book called More about the song (reviewed on IS&T on Sunday 6th July 2008), a busy blog at – http://crowd-pleasers.blogspot.com/ – and a website of the same name – www.crowd-pleasers.net
More on the Amazon book ban
by
Charles Christian
on Wed 15 Apr 2009 08:30 AM BST
There's been further developments on the Amazon book ban – apparently 57,310 books have been affected by what Amazon describe as "an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error" – although that hasn't stopped a huge debate as to whether the underlying cause is cock-up or conspiracy. You can read more here http://tinyurl.com/cvjfgo
Tuesday, April 14
Mandy Pannett sends a postcard from Rajasthan
by
Charles Christian
on Tue 14 Apr 2009 10:00 AM BST
POSTCARD FROM RAJASTHAN
If you could see me now at Pushkar Fair – though with thousands of tourists milling around I’m small as a bug in the hay. Can you imagine the smell of it – spices and sweat, hot camel dung? These fields are hazy with dust. Have you been close to a camel? They moan like wrestlers – but such soft eyes with brows as bushy as brooms. Last night I sat by the lake. Some people were bathing – a ritual dip. The sky was saffron and red. * A regular contributor to IS&T, Mandy Pannett runs an arts cafe, supports local writing groups and enjoys giving readings and running writing workshops. She has two poetry collections from Oversteps Books – Bee Purple and Frost Hollow. Monday, April 13
So you've got a book deal - now the work really begins
by
Charles Christian
on Mon 13 Apr 2009 09:43 PM BST
There's a popular view among wannabe authors (whether of poetry or prose) that once you'v got a book deal, that's it, you are home & dry and can just sit back and start work on your follow-up opus. In your dreams. The reality of publishing today means that once you've got a book deal, you will have to do most of the running to publicise it – readings, signings (if you are lucky) and everything else. As a g-r-e-a-t example of just how innovative promotions can be, here's a YouTube clip Anne Brooke (a regular IS&T contributor) put together to promote her crime novel Maloney's Law.
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