Rishi Dastidar on three collections that offer varied responses in an age of crisis Mark Waldron Sweet, like Rinky-Dink Bloodaxe £9.95 Kei Miller In Nearby Bushes Carcanet £9.99 Richard Osmond Rock, …
At the Borders of Life and Death
Phoebe Clarke on two morally searching, oracular books Ilya Kaminsky Deaf Republic Faber £10.99 Ariana Reines A Sand Book Tin House $24.95 ‘There are exercises in the spiritual sense,’ wrote Paul …
The Church of a Better World
Suji Kwock Kim talks to Danez Smith on the eve of publishing their new book, Homie SKK: How would you articulate what’s specifically ‘American’ about US poetry – keeping in mind all the limitations …
The Benefit of the Doubt
Joey Connolly on the poems – and ways of reading – that inspire trust ‘It is more shameful to distrust your friends than be deceived by them’ – François de La Rochefoucauld, …
To Turn
Amineh Abou Kerech They threw a very little ping-pong ballat my country, a very little ball. I thought the ball would come backand everything would be okay but I was …
my poems
Danez Smith my poems are fed up & getting violent.i whisper to them tender tender bridge bridge but they say bitch ain’t no time, make me a weapon! i hold a poem to a …
Caddisfly Larvae
Fiona Benson Trichoptera At first we take its chamberfor a twig –a dark lengthamong the dredgings; then it moves,and we see it is a sleevestitched and glued,careful découpage of wet, …
Editorial: Reading as Friendship
Dai George Should a poem be thought of as a friend? Obviously poets can be friends, and I’d guess that few people, if any, would lobby for an alternative reality …