REVIEW: SALLYANNE ROCK’S ‘SALT & METAL’
Reviewed by Stella Backhouse | Hidden behind every domestic abuse statistic lies not just a heartbreaking story of real-life tragedy, but also, on the victims’ part, a toxic mixture of fear, shame and silencing that is the very reason these experiences remain out of sight in the first place. Sallyanne Rock’s brave new pamphlet ‘Salt & Metal’ breaks this cycle. By taking us inside an abused woman’s mind, she exposes the mechanisms used by perpetrators to […]
INTERVIEW: FIRE & DUST MEETS ANDREW MANYIKA
Andrew Manyika is a poet, comedian and renowned MC based in Zimbabwe, who likes using his unique combination of poetry and comedy to query and poke fun at the world we live in. Andrew was our headline guest at Fire & Dust on 10th March. We caught up with him after the gig, to ask a few questions…
REVIEW: CALEB PARKIN’S ‘THIS FRUITING BODY’
Reviewed by Stella Backhouse | “This queer ecopoetry revels in surreal, eye-popping possibilities […] Parkin’s ecopoetics lie in his exploration of the boundaries, fluidity and connectedness between bodies that seem wildly disparate. I use the word ‘bodies’ advisedly; one of the fluctuating boundaries interrogated by the collection is the one between ourselves and […]”
They Exist in the Verses, Too
In this new mini article, HCE’s Eve Volungeviciute dives into some poetry book recommendations that touch on our theme of gods and monsters…
April 2022 Round-up: Virtual Literary Events
April is here! HCE has created another list of online literary open mics, events and workshops, to help you plan for the weeks ahead. Don’t miss out on taking part – seize this opportunity to “travel” far and wide…
INTERVIEW: FIRE & DUST MEETS PHYNNE~BELLE
On 13th January, poet, writer, podcaster and animal lover Phynne~Belle from the San Francisco Bay area was our first Fire & Dust virtual headliner of 2022. HCE caught up with her after the gig, to ask a few questions…
REVIEW: DANIEL SLUMAN’S ‘SINGLE WINDOW’
Reviewed by Stella Backhouse | “[Single Window] is the unflinchingly honest reportage of an intensely challenging year endured by [Sluman] and his wife – “[he] an amputee with chronic pain, [she] suffering from Crohn’s Disease and Fibromyalgia” – in isolation from society “except for a single window, where they watched the world moving around them”.
REVIEW: ‘THESE ARE THE HANDS’ ANTHOLOGY
Reviewed by Stella Backhouse | “I have a lot in common with contributors to These Are the Hands, most of whom work in the NHS in some capacity. What’s striking is how many of them have chosen to crystallise their thoughts through recollections of a single patient. Indeed, many of these poems function as a sort of confessional […]”
OCEANIC MYTHOLOGY: GODS AND MONSTERS
By Eve Volungeviciute | Let’s go travelling again! This time, Eve takes us on a trip to the Oceanic region where we’ll be delving into some folklore, mythology, gods and monsters…
Saboteur Awards 2022
It’s that time of the year again: The Saboteur Awards! Literary prizes for independent writers, projects and literary organisations. Between HCE and our Fire & Dust poetry events, we’re eligible for your vote in FOUR categories this year…