The first guest of the New Year at this Monday’s meeting of the Writers in the Library (Cirencester) is poet Philip Rush.

Philip Rush has lived in the Stroud area for most of his life. Nature and landscape are constant themes in his poetry which has been described as moving, quirky and entertaining. He has published several poetry books including ‘Camera Obscura’.  He runs the Yew Tree Press and has published many local and non-local poets. He is also one of the organisers of ‘Dialect’ and leads inspiring poetry walks.  The session, on January 13th, starts at 2pm and will be followed by an open mic and refreshments. It is free and all are welcome.

January’s poem ‘Joining the Ring’ is by Frank McMahon, whose third poetry collection, “The Light Will Always Return,” was published in 2024. Frank, who lives in Cirencester, also creates poetry films, winning several awards. He volunteers for the Cheltenham Poetry Festival and has helped to promote the Queen’s project, ‘Poetry Together’, with Powell’s School. With other members of local writers’ groups, he organises ‘Writers in the Library’, a free event at 2.00pm on the second Monday of every month upstairs at the Bingham Library. (There is a lift!) A half-hour talk by a guest author is followed by an ‘open mic’ session – open to everyone to read their own work – or just listen to others.

To download a copy of Frank’s poem; ‘Joining the Ring’, click here.

Don’t forget, there’s lots more from Somewhere Else Writers on our website, including audio clips of poems, stories, plays and spoken word programmes. You can also buy copies of books by our published authors by going to the publications section.

Congratulations to Frank McMahon and Iris Anne Lewis who both have work published in the fifth ‘Christmas and Winter’ edition of the Black Bough anthology.

​The book features over 40 writers from across the world and is beautifully illustrated by Gower-artist, Emma Bissonnet. Black Bough specialises in short, imagist poetry and this anthology focuses on seasonal poems – crisp, chilly autumns descending into the darkness of winter and the fiery light of festivals. Many of the poems are highly personal, delving into childhood, nostalgia, loss and simple human joy.

​​​​​The anthology is £8 for paperback, or £13.99 for hardcover and is available ​​here.

You can read Frank’s poem ‘Winter Scribe’ by clicking here​​.

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Tina Baker was inspired to write this month’s poem, ‘ The Weight of Nectar,’ after a visit to one of the beautiful sunflower fields in the Cotswolds. 

“On that day,” she said, “the bees were numerous and oblivious to anything but their task. They seemed possessed. This reminded me of someone I once knew and that led to wondering about destiny and just how much control we really have in our lives.” 

Tina began writing as a young child then, as an adult, headed into the world of publishing (non-fiction) and event organisation. She has written plays, short stories and poetry and recently embarked on a second novel. You can read ‘The Weight of Nectar’ by clicking here.

Success for poets Iris Anne Lewis and Frank McMahon, who both have work published in the latest edition of Steel Jackdaw, a quarterly online arts magazine that aims to promote creative expression and positive purpose. To find out more or to purchase edition 15, click here.

Our prose piece this month is ‘History’ by Alan Passey. Alan has been writing and making up stories for most of his life. He’s amazed at how little has survived despite having a loft full of boxes. As a young man, his reaction to sitting his GCE Chemistry exam was to write a poem and submit that instead of wrestling with the Periodic Table. He wasn’t given his poem back. Since then, poetry and short stories have slotted in between the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and the travails of ordinary life. He had some success with publication in the 90s but sadly failed to build upon it.

In 2012, Alan began blogging at singlemaltmonkey.com and soon found himself on the front page of WordPress. An honour which brought him short-term international recognition and thousands of views in a matter of days. His 15 minutes of fame had begun but quickly came to an end when a comedian on Radio 4 pinched his tagline – “another sandwich-related injury”.

Alan still blogs, writes poetry and short stories, and dreams of becoming the new Raymond Carver. ‘History’ can be read by clicking here.