ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE Charles Rammelkamp reviews a prose and poetry anthology edited by Dan Denton & Michele McDannold
year 2026
Poetry review – MAPPING BROKEN ROADS Sue Wallace-Shaddad finds a reassuring humanity among the various unfamiliar forms and layouts used in Roger Bloor’s collection
Poetry review – LIZZARD LOOKS Will Yeoman praises both the craft and the choice of themes in Prue Chamberlayne’s new collection
Metamorphoses. Review by Barbara Lewis. The final word of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” is “vivam”: I shall live. It was prophetic. More than any other poet, Ovid lives on as a muse to fine artists to this day.
Poetry review – EVIDENCE OF WAR Jennifer Johnson considers Alan Price’s perspective on the tragedy still unfolding in Palestine
Poetry review – FORGETFULNESS Ian Pople admires the mixture of play and serious exploration within Ian Seed’s poetic examination of the workings and failings of memory
Poetry review – maybe i’ll call gillian anderson Kate Noakes finds much to enjoy in Rhian Elizabeth’s reflections upon life after a child leaves home
Poetry review – THE WEIGHT OF SOUND Charles Rammelkamp finds rich detail and skilful understatement in Mariano Zaro’s poems
Long Live the Republic! Review by Alan Price. It’s the spring of 1945 in the Moravian village of Nesovice. The defeated German army is retreating as the Russians rapidly advance. Twelve year old Oldrich (Zdenek Lstiburek) runs away from his parents to journey across a war-torn landscape.
Poetry review – TOYS / TRICKS / TRAPS James Roderick Burns admires Christopher Reid’s tightly focussed examination of childhood
Poetry review – UNDER THE LIPPY Jennifer Johnson finds Angelena Demaria’s poetry to be both important and memorable
Poetry review – OUR WEIRD REGIMENT: Shanta Acharya discusses Martyn Crucefix’s thoughtful and eloquent explorations of change and fragility
By Michael Bartholomew-Biggs • books, poetry reviews, year 2026 • Tags: books, poetry, Shanta Acharya