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BoundBy: Summer '24

From the Mushaira tradition of South Asia to contemporary works worldwide, the ghazal is an emblem of heritage and culture. In this edition, young poets grapple with form and identity to create moving and thought-provoking poetry. Also featuring commentaries by Quinn Collins, Esther Bennett, Dr Edward Loveman and Christopher Tang on their submissions, with a review of Simon Armitage's new publication Blossomise by Kelsey Edwards.

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My Corridor

A poem and commentary by Quinn Collins

Room 12:
Mum and Dad

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In Room 12
they sit and hope
for me, for my
fragile ill health [...]

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cat-eyed

A poem by Amelie Chadwick

my large and loud one, here’s your homework:
follow in my footsteps, stalk sunshine, soles bare

watch out for the burrs and spines!

floorboards splinter like bone fractures [...]

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MY BIRMINGHAM

A poem and commentary by Esther Bennett

Speeding along, the National Express meets the tangle of the spaghetti junction across the river Tame.

 

Connecting me to London.  Birmingham to London. London to Birmingham. Connecting me to my Birmingham [...]

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Indice

A poem by Lloyd

While wishing for the rain 

Which had washed away  

That unknown bridge, 

A saline stream ran down my neck 

Carl Wark and Higger Tor supplanted. 

Our view at peak a flock of grazing sheep [...]

Inspired By: Ghazal form

Ghazal for Custard Apple

A poem by Christopher Tang

the first time i ate a custard apple, its soft belly died sweetened

under my tongue and i saw green. you, too, smiled: sweetened

 

and ripe with joy at a culture smoothing before my teeth. you like to [...]

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A Review of Blossomise by Simon Armitage

A review by Kelsey Edwards

Kelsey Edwards provides an insight into the production, writing process and thematic success of Poet Laureate Simon Armitage's latest release, Blossomise.

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Birds don't sing, only cry

A poem by Grace Simmonds

Sing for me, my pretty singing birds. Sing!

Virgin girls’ squawk―discordant and

distressed [...]

After Angela Carter's The Erl King

Inspired By: Ghazal form

For 'England'

A poem and commentary by Dr Edward Loveman

Silencing whistles, hush, quiet

then, benighted performances

begin, bordering belonging --

A voice cuts through pandemonium [...]

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Primary

A poem by Nia Prehaye

they were warm summers

the pretty red gingham dresses

would come out

or purple or pink or blue if you wanted to stand out [...]

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