Poetic Republic: Poems to Talk About 2013

Poetic Republic: Poems to Talk About 2013 documents an anonymous peer review process in which 729 poets (from 48 countries) read, voted on and commented on each other's poems (1,346 poems in total) during May and June 2013. 

The 48 poems in this anthology have been selected by superimposing independently formed opinions. This is selection by a community of authors. 

The eBook includes nearly 400 of the best comments on poems made during the judging process. This is a taster of what people said about the shortlisted poems:

'What the Weather Man Said' (Dan Stathers):
"It has delicious language use, a tight form and makes me feel like a wild child every time I read it." 

'Dementia' (Bernie Brooks):
"One of the best poems on mental health that I have read."

'Objector' (Jill Fricker):
"Form echoing content in the finest of ways, this poem bangs out its message like a military drum. Anger, pain, courage, all there. I love it!"

'And Suddenly a Sunbird' (Simon Miller):
"Makes a scintillating point about transience, capturing life's struggles, chance and brevity. Great atmosphere."

'That Last Click' (Penny Shutt):
"A lovely variation on a villanelle, dragging the verse form into the 21st century, but without losing its essence!"

'Drawer Life' (Shelley Nutting):
"A writer with the audacity to submit such a short poem - I like it. The brevity suits the theme. Beautifully put together; nice use of ellipsis at the end."

'Kashmir Road' (John Keenan):
"An authentic bare-faced poem, alive with the music, rhythms and accents of natural speech. Stanzas about the sun and shadows particularly vivid.  I wanted to read this aloud over and over and did so."

'Taking his Picture' (Rachel Irven):
"You almost feel like you're in the background or a fly on the wall as you read it."

'Handwritten' (Mhairi Duncan):
"Really enjoyed the gentle restraint of this writing. So evocative and beautiful. Seemed effortless so of course it wasn't."

'Gaza 2' (Phil Billing)
"Powerful evocation of the impact of modern warfare on a civilian population."

'Waiting for Rain' (Phil Billing)
 "Never has alliteration worked so well; and what imagery. I see them. I hope for rain."

'The End of the Road' (Richard Woolmer):
 "The author has captured the deterioration of the mind brilliantly."

The Poetic Republic Poetry Prize has been developed over six years and is now one of the largest poetry events based in the UK.

This is a new way of discovering poetry.

Dettagli