John Forth suspects that Peter Bland’s poetic inspirations come to him unbidden – rather as shy creatures will approach nature-watchers who remain patient while waiting for small animals.
D A Prince examines some of the subtleties that make Hubert Moore’s poetry so effective
Peter Giles re-tells a little-known story from the second world war…
Emma Lee finds depth in a slim volume of poems by Jacqueline Gabbitas
What exactly is the essence of Belgium? Far harder to pin down than French chic or English sang-froid, the nation’s uneasy mix of Walloon and Flemish, surreal and down-to-earth, all miraculously held together, is perfectly encapsulated by the Atomium – a giant, futuristic structure on the northern edge of Brussels.
D A Prince’s new collection exemplifies the virtues of understatement in poetry
Thomas Ovans wonders if David Perman’s new collection is being knowingly undersold by its own cover
Two recent Shoestring collections from Anna Adams and Tony Roberts earn the approval of Merryn Williams
Anna Robinson’s half-fantasy, half-dream poem sequence strikes a chord with Richie McCaffery
Thomas Ovans finds that Josh Ekroy’s military-related poems usually hit their target
* This issue of London Grip features new poems by: *Wendy French *Peter Kennedy *Teoti Jardine *Rob Yates *Jan Hutchison *Mohammed Kamran *Antony Johae *Nancy Mattson *Ian C Smith *Mary Franklin *Colin Bancroft *David Flynn *Christopher Mulrooney *F M Brown *Sarah Doyle *Allen Ashley *Robert Nisbet *Michael Thomas *Kerrin P Sharpe
Josh Ekroy identifies commitment and precise observation as being the chief strengths of Christopher Smith’s new collection
By Michael Bartholomew-Biggs • books, poetry reviews, Year 2014