I am 1 of 10 featured poets in this new Bloodaxe anthology showcasing the nationwide mentoring programme The Complete Works.
Poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy said this about it:
'A powerful command of form and rhythm inherent in the broken and fragmentary structures of her sequence Yellow Logic.' Alan Brownjohn, Poetry Review
'This thrilling, moving, challenging and
inspiring new anthology introduces 10 sparkling new talents who
demonstrate the richness, energy and confidence of the poetic voice in
our multicultural country. It is a joyful and important moment in
publishing.'
'Karen McCarthy Woolf ’s Yellow Logic, a six-poem sequence, is dedicated to Otto, “born and died 7 August 2009.” The sequence begins in fragmented disarray, evidencing underlying turmoil. Emotive material requires skilful technique to create good poetry, and the pauses, spacing and line-breaks combine to create a memorable picture of struggle:
There is a God
and he dwells in the perfect
horse dung on the bridle path.
and he dwells in the perfect
horse dung on the bridle path.
Evening is the hardest skin we carry.
The poem becomes increasingly direct as it goes on, always under control, but the emotional effect isn’t deadened by clever technique. Quite the opposite, in fact.'
Rob Mackenzie, Magma