Poetry London is an arts charity and leading international poetry magazine where acclaimed contemporary poets share pages with exciting new names. Published three times a year in February, May and September, each issue contains new poetry, incisive reviews and features. Poetry London holds an annual poetry competition and launches each issue with readings from distinguished poet contributors to the magazine.

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Summer 2017: Issue 87

The Summer 2017 issue features new work from Ocean Vuong, whose Night Sky With Exit Wounds swept the board in the US and is published here by Cape. Other newcomers to the magazine include Ella Frears, Dominic Hale, Dom Bury and Trinidadian poet Danielle Boodoo-Fortuné, together with poems from Mark Ford, Tim Dooley, Kathryn Maris, Stanley Moss, Ruth Padel, Martha Sprackland and Andrew McMillan. New translations include an extraordinary poem from the Arabic by Riad Saleh Hussein, a Syrian poet from Aleppo.

In the reviews and features section, D. Nurkse explores the language-universe of fascism, Andrew McMillan speaks to Ocean Vuong about uncensoring the self, Malika Booker praises Tyehimba Jess’s Pulitzer Prize winning Olio, and Sam Riviere enjoys the collected texts of artist Ed Atkins. Plus reviews of ecologically oriented works, modernist volumes, translations and more.

You can read a selection of poems and reviews here.

  • ‘Poetry London has long been essential reading. Try imagining contemporary poetry without it.’Sean O'Brien
  • ‘Its eclectic international editorial vision makes Poetry London one of the very best, essential poetry magazines in English.’Steve Berg, Editor, American Poetry Review
  • ‘The name Poetry London might suggest a publication geared to a metropolitan coterie. Nothing could be further from the truth. Poetry London spreads its net wide to include the latest from Europe, America, and other parts of the world, as well as from the islands of Britain and Ireland; work by new poets and established ones. In other words its one of the best magazines around.’Ciaran Carson
  • ‘I’m impressed especially with your openness to international poetry in translation, but also with your resolutely non-sectarian approach to poetry in English – from many sources and schools.’Marilyn Hacker
  • ‘Poetry London is no longer simply an interesting poetry journal for those living in the region, it’s an essential international journal of poetry. The reviews of poetry volumes are often statements of poetics – going beyond their immediate surroundings. They create connections and nodal points for further investigation and discussion, and there’s an editorial dynamic at work that suggests a plurality of vision, a theatre of possibilities. What I particularly like about Poetry London is that it keeps talking to you when you close its covers.’John Kinsella
  • ‘Poetry London has become THE magazine I most want to read.’The Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy
  • ‘For its consistent representation of the best in British poetry, for the keenness of its critical response, for the way it attracts work from both established poets and the brightest newcomers, and for its editorial acuity, Poetry London is indispensable.’David Harsent
  • ‘Poetry London has gone from strength to strength and is now essential reading for anyone who cares about poetry in the UK. It publishes in-depth reviews and a wonderful range of international poets: young poets who have not yet published a collection, old hands, and poets from a wide variety of traditions. The one thing they have in common is their excellence.’Ruth Padel
  • ‘There is no other literary magazine I read to find out what poets are up to across the pond. More than The London Review of Books or the TLS, I look to Poetry London. Whenever it arrives in my mailbox I cancel my plans and spend my time, instead, within those ecstatic pages.’Matthew Dickman
  • ‘Poetry London has been my favourite poetry magazine for some years now. It keeps readers like me plugged into the most consistently exciting bits of the UK poetry scene, while bringing across some of the most important transatlantic writers too. The reviews are among the best being published, giving poets/critics the space to exercise a level of judgment that feels increasingly rare in this climate.’Sarah Howe

News

POETRY LONDON VACANCY:
Freelance Digital Editor

Poetry London is seeking a new part-time Digital Editor.

The person appointed to the role of Digital Editor will work closely with the Poetry Editor, Co-editor and Reviews Editor to maintain the magazine’s website and to develop a new digital presence for the magazine via various forms of social and digital media.

The closing date for applications is 30 June 2017.

CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER DETAILS & TO APPLY

Poetry London Mentoring Scheme

Thank you to everybody who applied to the Poetry London mentoring scheme. The three successful applicants have now been chosen and notified.

We will be announcing the names of the successful applicants soon.

Many thanks to the Fenton Arts Trust for their ongoing support.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE SCHEME

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