The Fringe Poetry White Book

By The Fringe

'The Fringe Poetry White Book' is an anthology of work from poets based, predominantly, in the North West of England. It follows on from the success of the anthology 'The Fringe Poetry Cafe' and from a series of six poetry pamphlets under the titles 'Poetry on the Move' and 'Poetry Festival' all published by SeaQuake Books. There is an eclectic mix of styles and themes and, as in The White Book of Llaregyb, all life is here. There are many prize winning poems in the collection. The poets included are Margaret Rowland, Mary Braithwaite, Bill Lythgoe, Stephen Beattie, Phil McNulty, Malcolm Terry, Jacqueline Pemberton, Linda Lewis, Mike Parsons, Allan Potter, Bob Eccleston, Olga Reid, Neil Goldstraw, Jan Machin, David Walker, Simon Keegan, Shaun Fallows, Ruth Adamson, Hillary Banks, Zoe Dalton, David Subacchi and Jim Finn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SeaQuake Books
• Release date: Oct 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370499083

The Fringe

The Fringe is comprised of indie authors and artists who, in addition to all being members of the Goodreads group Fringe Fiction, share the belief that creativity can grow and thrive in an atmosphere of respect, honesty, and friendship. Publishing is rich with hidden gems and diamonds-in-the-rough that belong to self-published, indie and otherwise underappreciated authors. Fringe Fiction is devoted to those who admire such individuals and want an outlet to discuss under-the-radar books with readers eager to discover fresh talent by obscure authors. Indie aficionados who welcome such recommendations and are enthusiastic about giving them are encouraged to let members know what they might be overlooking in the lesser-known corners of publishing.

Book preview

POETRY

WHITE BOOK

THE FRINGE POETRY WHITE BOOK

Published by SeaQuake Books

Copyright 2016. Individual contributors.

ISBN: 9781370499083

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

Publisher contact: [e-mail]

Contributors contact:-www.facebook.com/writinginsouthport

'The Reverend Eli Jenkins inky in his cool front parlour or poem room tells only the truth in his lifework............the White Book of Llaregyb.'

Dylan Thomas, 'Under Milk Wood'.

Shadow in a doorway

(Linda Lewis)

Her voice is trapped in the space behind the ice -

and she wants to shout, not plead

as they hurry by.

She is a stain on their conscience,

a tear in the fabric of who they are.

They do not look

because they dare not see

the naked need in her eyes,

as she tries to capture and hold theirs.

Can you spare any change please?

The words are whispered,

cracked like dried mud;

she hasn't done this before.

Once, she was like them,

walking on,

walking by,

immune -

or so she thought.

At night,

winter reaches beneath her clothes

and presses frozen fingertips

against her skin.

Enveloped in darkness,

she hides from the accusing glances

of passers-by

and becomes a shadow in a doorway.

She shakes a paper cup -

there is a pound coin in there,

making an empty sound

against the side.

She remembers the woman who gave it to her,

the way her eyes melted;

her smile

and her voice, asking her name -

Jane.

She was Jane once,

a long time ago,

or was it last week?

A time before

she became nameless,

formless,

wanting only to be warm

and full of food,

she was Jane.

And now......

she lifts the bottle to her lips

because she needs to be numb

and not feel

the terror of nothingness,

and her own disintegration.

She can say the words,

without seeing

their contempt,

their pity,

or their shame.

Unseeing,

she speaks Into the void -

Can you spare any change please?

Pictures of Pain

(Linda Lewis)

-Reflections on the Francis Bacon exhibition Invisible Rooms.

We walk inside the space

within the walls;

our feet make no noise.

It is quiet -

whispering a palpable peace;

a menagerie of tortured souls

scream

from their designated places;

contained in cages,

they mock the mundane.

We think we can guess

at the artist's agony;

feel his pain

by gazing at distorted faces;

slip his shoes on

and step into brokenness,

even as we mingle

among the formless

and the grotesque,

trying to figure it out.

His suffering is stark,

daubed in oil,

a rude shock,

touching hearts,

crude

as the bare bulb,

hanging,

solitary

Masks

(Linda Lewis)

They wear disguises

like skin -

their masks are closets

to climb into;

places to hide

from who they really are;

without light to shine

on the darker shades

of their souls.

Sometimes they bleed

and their scars show,

clawing through the facade

to beasts on the other side,

monsters tied

inside cages;

and angry children

beating fists

against walls

that keep them from their dreams.

What I am not

(Linda Lewis)

I have crossed the threshold, the borderline, the divide, that which rips me from the girl I once was.

Do not define me by