Tag: free poetry

Mini Review Roundup [17/06]

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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

This was fast paced and brilliantly written, definitely worth a read. I did, however, spend 99% of this novel going:

flight is a magazine collection of poetry and prose. It’s going to take me a while to get through them all, but there are some great poems in here! I especially liked ‘Kite Flying’ by Arian Farhat. I love poems that can tell a story while weaving in lovely turns of phrase.

the golden eagle soared over
the dusty dry lands
perhaps my family looked
up once in a while and
saw it circling overhead,
a blessing, a curse, or a spell in reverse

Absolutely lovely writing! I can’t wait to check out the rest of flight. If you’re a fan of poetry, check this collection out for yourself here.

Uncanny Magazine Poetry Roundup [14/06]

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I managed to read a good few poems today, yay! (/◕ヮ◕)/

Uncanny Magazine Issue 3: March/April 2015

First, the cover of this issue is *everything*!

‘Cloudbending’ by Jennifer Crow was wonderful.

If mortal hands could map the skies,
make clouds into countries
or sunsets into salvation,
what strange markets would open

I loved this part especially. The whole poem just flows so well. Read it for yourself here.

‘Deep Bitch’ by C. S. E. Cooney was also very striking and had some great lines.

She tuns her blunted head my way.
Nips me, rips me open slightly.
Her smile is all teeth.

*chills* Read it for yourself here.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 8: January/February 2016

‘tended, tangled, and veined’ by Kayla Whaley was beautifully intense and raw. It’s a story in a poem and I love the imagery Whaley uses!

she practiced her girlhood with heat–stricken hair, sheared nails, scrubbed skin.
she baptized herself with fat wrung from beans and battered into butter.
she oiled her joints with poise,
scented her flesh with propriety,
and clothed herself in performance.
she practiced girlhood,
but she never quite perfected it.

I thoroughly recommend this poem and I can’t wait to read the rest of this issue. Some seriously good writing here. Read it for yourself here.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 9: March/April 2016

OH MY GOSH ‘FOXGIRL CYCLE SONG: 1‘ IS SO GOOD.

Trap her in thorn, and she’ll slip her skin
Drown her in water, she’ll learn to swim
Burn her, she’ll turn into smoke and wind
Think you can catch her?
Well, think again

This poem is by C. S. E. Cooney and I’m SHOOK. What a fantastic poem! Read it for yourself here.

‘The Book of Forgetting’ by Jennifer Crow was also great!

You taught me heaven is not a place, but
the magic circle drawn around two souls

I loved the emotion in this one. Read it for yourself here.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 11: July/August 2016

I started this issue with ‘The Persecution of Witches’ by Ali Trotta. It gave me chills.

Tell me what ‘legitimate’ means—
how much proof do I need
to convince you
that blood is blood
and bruises are bruises?
Why is my voice a casualty
of violence you won’t examine?

It’s a commentary on modern rape culture and I recommend everyone read it. Very strong, very poignant. Available online here.

Read any poetry lately? I’d love some recommendations!

Poetry Roundup & Mini Reviews [01/06]

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Uncanny Magazine Issue 26

I’m definitely on a poetry kick. There are some seriously wonderful poems published by Uncanny! I do find there’s not enough poetry these days. Which is such a shame. Poetry’s so fantastic. #poetrystan

In this issue, I’ve so far read ‘Steeped in Stars’ by Hal Y. Zhang, which was beautiful. Some great turns of phrase!

but the ghost
of the old stone wall still
streams your meteor shower

Read it for yourself here.

Jennifer Crow’s ‘Red Berries’ was also wonderful.

Tell me what the winter whispered to you

Read it for yourself here.

Cassandra Khaw’s ‘A Letter from One Woman to Another’ was fantastic. This one was probably my favourite from this collection! There’s something very raw and brutal about it.

not love he proffers, but lies
by the dozen, semen-thick and
serpent-slick.

Read it for yourself here.

I also read ‘The Watchword’ by Sonya Taaffe.

a song must outlive its singer
or it dims bitter in a land of milk and honey

That line really struck me. I kept rereading it. Read the whole poem for yourself here.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 27

The poems in this are beautiful! I’ve read three so far and I recommend them all! The word play is just lovely.

a city whose heartbeat I’m learning to carry
in a pocket left of a sound like the word home

‘things you don’t say to city witches’ by Cassandra Khaw. Read it here.

I never liked the trick
with the girl and the swords.

‘Other Forms of Conjuring the Moon’ by Chloe N. Clark. Read it here.

aromas of caramel arnibal mingle with
the tangy bite of auburn dust

‘Taho’ by D.A. Xiaolin Spires. Read it here.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 28

The fire is her mother’s arms, it is the love
in her mother’s breast, as hot as a train furnace.
If you have that kind of love, not even death
can defeat it.

AMAZING POEM IS AMAZING.

Theodora Goss’s ‘The Cinder Girl Burns Brightly’ is definitely worth a read. It’s Cinderella with a twist. Read it here.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 30

I started with ‘Monsters & Women—Beneath Contempt’ by Roxanna Bennett.

Dismiss reversal of promises & missing curatives,
who notices holes in the old narrative

Read it here.

I really liked all of the poems I read from these issues. It’s reminded me that I ought to take the time to read more poetry. Let alone write more poetry.

Also, aren’t these covers so beautiful?

Anyone have any favourite places to find current poetry? 🙂