Poetry review – WINGING IT: Jennifer Johnson wonders if the laid-back title of Malcolm Carson’s collection belies the care with which it has been composed
Winging It
Malcolm Carson
Shoestring Press
ISBN 978-1-915553-69-0
53pp £10.00
Malcolm Carson was born in Lincolnshire and was an auctioneer and a farm worker before becoming a teacher. He has previously had six poetry books published by Shoestring Press. Sadly, the editor and publisher, John Lucas, died in 2025, so this will be one of the last books to be published by this well-known Press.
I want to briefly begin with some general impressions. The overwhelming impression I have, contrary to what the title might suggest, is one of succinct poems written with great care and thought. The title may be a modest one suggesting an impression of inspired spontaneity without any off-putting doggedness. The elegant movement of the language make the poems a pleasure to read and, apart for one sequence, each poem is under a page long. Carson uses well a variety of language that reflects the different characters or subjects described.
Let us begin by looking at the title poem ‘Winging it” which opens the collection. It is dedicated to Brian Donley and I will quote it in full.
He loved his pigeons, almost as much as serving
his Lord. He would attend to them
when his other flock were grazing on life.
He’d gurgle along in the loft, ministering
to their needs before the race. Setting the clock
when they were sent away for liberation,
he was all-a-flutter until the time
his darlings should return. Arriving too
the wedding couple, waiting at the altar
for his benediction, acceptance of
their vows, mutual devotion,
as he panted hot foot from the loft.
Gathering himself, he took them through the ritual,
until following their gaze to his shoes
below his surplice, blessed by pigeons,
‘For luck,’ he said, marrying his twin passions.
The title refers both to the wings of the pigeons as well as to the well-known phrase suggesting unpreparedness. The writing is anything but unprepared. There’s a nice bit of onomatopoeia in the second stanza in the phrase ‘all-a-flutter’. I love the way the poet succeeds in marrying the “twin passions” of the subject by telling the reader how the cleric’s shoes are “blessed by pigeons” said to bring good luck. Carson also achieves this earlier in the first stanza by the words “serving” and “flock” referring both to the subject’s role of pigeon-lover and cleric.
‘Lost for Words’ is another interesting poem. This common phrase implying an overwhelming inability to find the right words to express something has been adapted to the problem of expressing a lost past in which local Lincolnshire words played an important part. There is a helpful glossary at the end. The poem begins
I miss my friends, those words we used, passed down
as we would crockery, linen, family bible,
though much of my crockery’s worse for wear.
Using them, though, will soon as not produce
a furrowed brow, a ‘pardon?’ I’d lief they’d be
currency still, but too much to hope.
According to the glossary the Shakespearian “lief” meaning happily was used by some of the older farm workers Carson knew. The “currency” of the old dialect words is unlikely to be current so making it difficult to fully communicate this memory. Most readers will need to look up dialect words in the glossary such as ‘hava’, ‘rammel’, ‘rig’, ‘manna’, ‘mantling’ and ‘taets’. By doing so they will, in a small way, preserve the dialect. The phrase “my crockery’s worse for wear” also perhaps suggests the additional problem associated with memory and advancing age.
The one sequence in the book has the title ‘Esther’ referring to the biblical Book of Esther in which Esther alerts the Persian king to a plot to kill the entire Jewish community in the kingdom and thereby saves her people. The festival of Purim celebrates the memory of this event. As Carson interestingly says the Book of Esther “is one of only two books in the Bible not to mention God.” The four characters in this sequence express themselves in strikingly different voices. The sequence begins with ‘Mordecai’ who brings up his “uncle’s daughter” who later becomes Queen Esther. The rest of the sequence consists of king ‘Ahasuerus’, ‘Queen Vashti’, the king’s first wife, and ‘Esther’, the king’s second wife. ‘Mordecai’ begins
She’s a lovely girl, my uncle’s daughter,
a joy in my life since I brought her up
as my own. She has the sense too, not to blab
about us being Jews.
‘Ahasuerus’ – the king – justifies replacing his first wife Queen Vashti with Esther in the following lines.
Her judgement, loyalty and courage saved my life,
exposing Haman’s wickedness, his hatred
of her people. And so, of course, Esther
and Mordecai were rewarded, their people
protected in my hundred and twenty-seven provinces.
No mention of her god for she acted
with the certainty of goodness.
‘Queen Vasti’ has an angrier voice. Her speech begins
A pig, that man, ordering me
to parade my wealth and beauty for
the Princes of Persia and Media.
While ‘Esther’ in turn justifies herself
As for Haman, who would destroy Mordecai,
I had to act. No need to ask above
I knew my own authority.
A poem with contemporary resonance is ‘The Billionaire’. The short lines perhaps reflect the emotional poverty of the billionaire. An example is
I have earned the right
to impose myself
however I may wish.
Some object, but tough:
He does not need to appeal by showing any expansive warmth because he never has to negotiate. The poem begins with the stark opening statement “It’s mine now.” His immense material wealth has enabled him to buy a grand house with its “porticos, plinths, the staircase/that seems to reach to heaven”, the word “seems” being a telling one.
The other poems in the collection use a variety of language registers which are always appropriate to the subjects described. I would therefore recommend Winging It for readers who like succinct poetry written with care but poetry that remains enjoyable to read.
Jan 30 2026
London Grip Poetry Review – Malcolm Carson
Poetry review – WINGING IT: Jennifer Johnson wonders if the laid-back title of Malcolm Carson’s collection belies the care with which it has been composed
Malcolm Carson was born in Lincolnshire and was an auctioneer and a farm worker before becoming a teacher. He has previously had six poetry books published by Shoestring Press. Sadly, the editor and publisher, John Lucas, died in 2025, so this will be one of the last books to be published by this well-known Press.
I want to briefly begin with some general impressions. The overwhelming impression I have, contrary to what the title might suggest, is one of succinct poems written with great care and thought. The title may be a modest one suggesting an impression of inspired spontaneity without any off-putting doggedness. The elegant movement of the language make the poems a pleasure to read and, apart for one sequence, each poem is under a page long. Carson uses well a variety of language that reflects the different characters or subjects described.
Let us begin by looking at the title poem ‘Winging it” which opens the collection. It is dedicated to Brian Donley and I will quote it in full.
The title refers both to the wings of the pigeons as well as to the well-known phrase suggesting unpreparedness. The writing is anything but unprepared. There’s a nice bit of onomatopoeia in the second stanza in the phrase ‘all-a-flutter’. I love the way the poet succeeds in marrying the “twin passions” of the subject by telling the reader how the cleric’s shoes are “blessed by pigeons” said to bring good luck. Carson also achieves this earlier in the first stanza by the words “serving” and “flock” referring both to the subject’s role of pigeon-lover and cleric.
‘Lost for Words’ is another interesting poem. This common phrase implying an overwhelming inability to find the right words to express something has been adapted to the problem of expressing a lost past in which local Lincolnshire words played an important part. There is a helpful glossary at the end. The poem begins
According to the glossary the Shakespearian “lief” meaning happily was used by some of the older farm workers Carson knew. The “currency” of the old dialect words is unlikely to be current so making it difficult to fully communicate this memory. Most readers will need to look up dialect words in the glossary such as ‘hava’, ‘rammel’, ‘rig’, ‘manna’, ‘mantling’ and ‘taets’. By doing so they will, in a small way, preserve the dialect. The phrase “my crockery’s worse for wear” also perhaps suggests the additional problem associated with memory and advancing age.
The one sequence in the book has the title ‘Esther’ referring to the biblical Book of Esther in which Esther alerts the Persian king to a plot to kill the entire Jewish community in the kingdom and thereby saves her people. The festival of Purim celebrates the memory of this event. As Carson interestingly says the Book of Esther “is one of only two books in the Bible not to mention God.” The four characters in this sequence express themselves in strikingly different voices. The sequence begins with ‘Mordecai’ who brings up his “uncle’s daughter” who later becomes Queen Esther. The rest of the sequence consists of king ‘Ahasuerus’, ‘Queen Vashti’, the king’s first wife, and ‘Esther’, the king’s second wife. ‘Mordecai’ begins
‘Ahasuerus’ – the king – justifies replacing his first wife Queen Vashti with Esther in the following lines.
‘Queen Vasti’ has an angrier voice. Her speech begins
While ‘Esther’ in turn justifies herself
A poem with contemporary resonance is ‘The Billionaire’. The short lines perhaps reflect the emotional poverty of the billionaire. An example is
He does not need to appeal by showing any expansive warmth because he never has to negotiate. The poem begins with the stark opening statement “It’s mine now.” His immense material wealth has enabled him to buy a grand house with its “porticos, plinths, the staircase/that seems to reach to heaven”, the word “seems” being a telling one.
The other poems in the collection use a variety of language registers which are always appropriate to the subjects described. I would therefore recommend Winging It for readers who like succinct poetry written with care but poetry that remains enjoyable to read.