I had two poems published just before the end of 2021, which I thought it might be worth saying a little about here on the blog.
The first poem is in the wonderful Lighthouse Journal’s 23rd issue of poetry and short fiction, which you can purchase a copy of here. The poem, ‘Record of Rain’, begins with a rain-soaked copy of Annie Ernaux’s The Years (translated by Tanya Leslie) and the memories of Paris it provokes and preserves.
The launch is taking place online tonight at 7.30pm (GMT), just in case you happen to see this and want to join. It will be the first time I read my poems aloud for an audience.
The second poem is available to read online in Issue 9 of Tentacular Mag. ‘The Parakeet Feather of the Great North Wood’ rails against the city we moved away from in September 2020 and its toxic air.
Tentacular is a really interesting poetry magazine. Each writer is encouraged to stretch out one tentacle towards another contribution in the magazine (I chose Sasha Dugdale’s incredible ‘Philanthropy’ from Issue 7) and a second outwards into the web, towards some context.
Someone warns you/ that the blackberries are fume-dusted and rat-nibbled/ and you think of the long soak, hard water marbling/
purple, of sugar boiling the burst juices until the point/ of metamorphosis
‘The Parakeet Feather of The Great North Wood’
Francesca Brooks 