Tiny moments of life: Hazel Hall reviews ‘Bitumen Psalms’ by Lizz Murphy
Lizz Murphy’s latest collection, Bitumen Psalms is a collection of short song-poems in a tiny book exploring ‘tiny’ moments of life.
Flying Island Books
The sheer joy of immersion: Magdalena Ball launches ‘100 Poets’ edited by Brian Purcell
It was Brian Purcell who suggested we might celebrate our 100th book with an anthology of 100 authors. To reward Brian for his great idea, he got the massive and thankless task of editor. The resulting anthology is a treasure and a testament to both Brian’s tenacity in herding the many Flying Island cats—some, whose works stretch right back to the early days of 2010 and some slotted for future publication, gathering, collating, nagging, proofreading, and finally presenting the fine collection here.
Poetry of place, and travels of the heart: Sarah St Vincent Welch launches ‘Bitumen Psalms’ by Lizz Murphy
Documenting poetic reactions: D. G. Lloyd launches ‘Filmworks’ by Brian Purcell.
While many of his paintings are impressionistic of nature, his poems – particularly in his latest book Filmworks – are more impressionistic of movies. (It’s almost like a juxtaposition of the still life and the motion picture. The point being, his approach to Impressionism is as far-reaching as possible.) And, like his paintings, Purcell’s poems are more or less characterized by a select number of essential details which convey a sense of urgency in both feelings and sensations.
Fierce and poignant: John Bennett launches ‘Stranded’ by Bronwyn Rodden
Bronwyn’s poems are alive, they talk to us. Often as quiet presences that draw us into a life from childhood on. She left home early. Her poems can be fierce and poignant regarding family dynamics.
Highly polished, subtle and filmic : Anne Casey launches ‘Separation Blues: Poems 1994-2024’ by Nathanael O’Reilly
Nat’s poetry is highly polished, subtle and filmic in its detail. ‘Separation Blues’ is, I believe, Nat’s thirteenth book – and what a gorgeous production it is! Within its pages – which span more than four decades – you will find his characteristic precision and concision; powerful opening lines and dramatic closes; razor-sharp observation; clipped phrases; as well as skillfully painted portraits of people, places and eras.
A wild ride: Mike Ladd reviews ‘Tadpoems 400 Shorts’ by Tug Dumbly
As Rae Desmond Jones said in his introduction to The Selected Your Friendly Fascist, “Poetry can tend to sombre pomposity, or the self-consciously polite.” Tug Dumbly is certainly not that.
A delight in language: Jean Kent launches ‘nibs & nubs’ by Josh Stenberg.
An utter delight in language propels so many of the poems. Josh has such a natural fluency and feeling for how to let a poem become itself – it all feels effortless! – and he combines this with much wit and delightful leaps of thought.
Making Sorties into the Unknown: Brook Emery launches ‘Tide’ by Ivy Ireland
I’ve read and admired Ivy Ireland’s three previous books of poetry. This afternoon, simply, subjectively, in five minutes, I’d like to share with you five reasons why I keep reading Ivy’s poetry and why you, too, might enjoy the poems in Tide.
Rochford Street Review 