Barehands Submissions

Submissions are now open for Issue 22 and full guidelines can be found here. They published poetry and are starting to include reviews. Send a maximum of three poems

You can read issue 21 here to see what kind of poem works in their format. Featuring poetry from Vaughn M. Watson, Peter Lilly, Eileen Ní Shuilleabháin, Edward Ahern, Laura-Blaise McDowell, Emma Lee, Bethany W. Pope & Anne Tannam, photography from Conor Horgan, Hugh O'Conor, Clare Coyle, Ella Potter & Deianira Urovi, an essay by Claire Brankin, and Alvy Carragher reviews The Year of the Ingénue by Michael Naghten Shanks.

Guest Review: Acumen poetry magazine
by Nicole O'Driscoll

When I was asked to be a guest reviewer for writing.ie, it occurred to me that what I feel is more urgent than reviewing new poetry (though I’ll be doing that too) is the need to cut a path through the plethora of poetry magazines that are in circulation in Ireland and the UK. One of the most time-consuming tasks for a new poet looking to get published is having to work through each title on various poetry magazine websites, trying to earmark the best ones to approach.

So the aim of my reviews is to give writing.ie readers an idea of what each magazine is about, and what kind of poetry they typically publish. To do this, I’ll review not just the magazine but some of the poetry it contains too – this will give you an idea of whether your submission is likely to end up in the editor’s rejection pile simply because it doesn’t fit their criteria. Newer magazines seem to take more liberties with publishing more experimental styles of poetry, while longer-standing magazines can have that long-standing reputation to maintain.

For anyone who watches ‘The Apprentice’ it might seem that the meaning of the noun ‘acumen’ has been virtually annihilated by the steady stream of would-be Sugar-ites desperate to big up their ‘business acumen.’ But if there’s one thing that poets love, it’s to take a word back to its root meaning and to choose from whichever incarnation along the way that best fits that particular line.

Such is the case with Acumen, which describes itself as a ‘literary journal,’ though is weighted more in favour of poetry than prose. This might be because of its link with the Torbay Festival of Poetry, organised by the journal’s general editor, Patricia Oxley. So does the magazine have it? Acumen, that is? It does, and in more than one way. It certainly looks for literary confidence and stylistic ability in the poetry that it publishes, but that is not to say that it does not make discerning judgements in favour of new poetry and unpublished poets. In fact, it takes a certain responsibility as a literary journal to publish a limited number of pamphlets each year of contributors who, Patricia Oxley tells me, have been regularly published in Acumen and ‘are worthy of a start on the ladder of publication.’ It is important to bear in mind though that this is by invite only – poets and writers are not encouraged to request that Acumen publish their work.

The 25^th anniversary of Acumen in 2010 was marked with an anthology entitled ‘The First Sixty,’ a selection of poetry from the first sixty issues of the journal. Looking through the list of authors (including some very well-known names such as Ruth Padel and U.A. Fanthorpe) there appears to be a fairly even 50-50 ratio of male to female poets. Some issues might fall on one side of the gender divide or the other, but Patricia Oxley feels ‘that this averages out around 50-50 over a year. The journal is lauded by reviewers and critics for its ‘independence’ and ‘opposite of academic’ stance that can do a far more inclusive job than academe of taking quality poetry seriously.

So what else can we expect from it? Something remarkable about Acumen is that it is perfectly paced to provide a satisfying read that one can relish over the four months until the next edition, but that can also be read in one sitting. Despite online journalism and e-booking, we can still find more books, newspapers and magazines teetering in piles around our house for us to finish them off and stack them, shelve them or recycle them. Acumen contains a perfect balance of poems that are loosely grouped around a theme, punctuated by essays, reviews and interviews that engage and challenge our expectations of literature. This is a serious literary journal with a prestigious reputation for pushing poetry and short prose brilliant, sustaining art forms that can be subversive, devastating or exhilarating, but always illuminating. The insight associated with ‘acumen’ comes as much from the published writing itself as it does from the production team behind the journal, all guardians of good judgement.

Nicole simultaneously completed a Ph.D on Samuel Beckett while working as a mental health nurse and staying close to her love of poetry. She has been published in the James Joyce Centenary Collection for her work on Ulysses and has been shortlisted for the Yorkshire Open Poetry competition. Reviews are a particular favourite form of writing for Nicole, who has been commended by established poets for her insightful ability to 'read poetry deeply.' She runs a creative writing group with a Supported Living charitable organisation and works consistently on pushing the boundaries of her own poetry and fiction. Nicole is available for any kind of freelance writing, and loves the fact that the internet allows us to work professionally while sitting in pyjamas beside a portable radiator and a SAD lamp.

Website: http://www.thegutenbergpress.webs.com

Twitter: writerlackeen

Very Belated Review of the Year 2010

(Only a month late)

A few poems, two short stories, one article and one non-fiction piece published or broadcast. A good few readings (some even paid), 2 grants (to pay for the non-paid stuff and residencies) and loads of rejections.

January
Productive week in Annaghmakerrig in a cottage. Loads of poems started, short story struggle and more of the novel.
Read at Glor, International Bar

February
Taught a workshop at the Hugh Lane Gallery.
Reading at the Locke Bar, Limerick.
Reading with Poetry Divas at Glor, International Bar and CFCP

March
Travel piece in The Irish Times
Reading in O'Bheal, Cork.
Reading at Ignite, Science Gallery
Reading in Galway Over The Edge
Poem published in Revival
Great Poetry Now festival

April
Started working full time
Shortlisted to Hennessy New Irish Writers Short Story
Reading in Trim, Co Meath

May
Read with Poetry Divas at Festival of the Fires, Bealtain at Hill os Uisneach
Taught a workshop at the Hugh Lane Gallery.
Read at Glor, International Bar
Read at Caca Milis, Wexford
Short story recorded as part of Kildare Writers

June
Great time volunteering at Dublin Writers' Festival
Read with Poetry Divas at Body and Soul Solstice Festival

July
Read at The Whitehouse, Limerick

August
Read with Poetry Divas at Carlow Indie-go festival before it folded
Poem read out on Spin 103.8

September
Delicious appearances of the Poetry Diva Collective at Electric Picnic, literary stage and in the Cabaret tent
Poem published in The Moth Magazine
Read at the Winding Stair for The Moth Magazine launch
Read at the Spoken Word, Paris
Read as part of Culture Night
Poetry Workshop in Kilkenny with Dave Lordan

October
Read in Dundalk for National Poetry Day
Poem published in Magma
Poem published in Crannog
Read in Galway, for Crannog launch

November
Poem in the Poetry Bus Magazine
Read at Glor, International Bar

December
Poem published in New Leaf

Rejections
Popshot, Stingy Fly (yet again), Strokestown (yet again) Mslexia short story and poems (again) Southword (again) Kildare County Council, Poetry Ireland Review, Listowel Poetry Collection, Dromineer, Poetry Can (UK,) Patrick Kavanagh (again) Picador Poetry Prize, Gallery Press, Francis MacManus, Dope Magazine, Cuirt, inkspotters, Contrary, Cinnamon, Listowel

What I said last year in particular was Pimp for more readings which I did quite well.

Do get in touch if you have a slot at a regular event or festival. Particularly if you want The Poetry Diva Collective. We are fabulous.

This year. Um. Finish the Novel and get a Poetry Collection published. Stretch??

Guest Post from Maeve O'Sullivan - Poetry Now (Part II)

After the exhilaration of the Strong Award and Reading, it was time for a spot of lunch and a stroll down the pier to bolster ourselves for more poetic inputs. The afternoon’s offering was a three-way reading featuring poets from Scotland, the Czech Republic and Ireland, in that order. Pat Boran of Dedalus Press did the honours on the introductions this time, and described the first reader’s poems as having “an opening into otherness”.

John Burnside then proceeded to open up the world of hunting for us in the form of a long poem “The Fair Chase” from his most recent collection “The Hunt in the Forest”. I have to say it’s not a world that I’m familiar with, nor have a particular interest in, so I did find my attention waning. I preferred the two that he read at the end, “Orpheus” and “Loved and Lost”, both quite poignant and with killer closing lines.

Silva Fischerová was born in Prague and is young enough to remember enjoying mustard sandwiches during the Communist era. She read from her recent collection of poetry in English, “Language is a Foreign Word” which has recurring images of falling. Her voice is rich and expressive, but I found it hard to catch some of the words and lines, unfortunately. The work ranged from social commentary through poems about poetry to a more personal lyric, especially one in which she recounts her mother dying while she was eight months pregnant.

The third and final reader was Achill-born John F. Deane, founder of both Poetry Ireland and the Dedalus Press. Boran described Deane as a Christian and Catholic poet and praised his “consistency of vision and intent” since the publication of his 1977 debut. The work that Deane shared included an elegy to Samuel Beckett, a description of a cobbler on Achill Island, and a poem that linked different colours to the various seasons of life (ending with black, not surprisingly!). My favourites were “A Poem of the Goldfinch” which referenced an incident in GM Hopkins’ life, and the final poem, “Canticle”, which aimed to describe the music of the spheres using beautiful imagery.

After all that it was time to board the DART and get back to regular city life after a few glorious days of all things poetic.

Guest Post from Maeve O'Sullivan - Poetry Now

It’s the end of March, it must be Dun Laoghaire. How do I love thee, Poetry Now? Let me count the ways: Your lovely location which happens to be my home town (not only does that give me a warm fuzz of pride at being a former Burger, but it also means that my B & B’s sorted); the eclectic programme which usually pairs Irish poets with their overseas colleagues; the talks, the workshops, the awards, the chance to meet other poets (emerging and established) and indulge in gossip…

I was asked to write about PN10’s Sunday events. The first of these was the Strong Reading and Award for Best First Collection which took place at noon. There were four short-listed collections for this award: Tolstoy in Love by Ray Givans (Dedalus Press), The Owl and the Pussycat and other poems by Tom Mathews (Dedalus Press), Laughter Heard from the Road by Maggie O’Dwyer (Templar Poetry) and Tír Tairngire by Peadar Ó hUallaigh (Coiscéim). The event was pretty well attended, given the day and the time of day, and it was ably introduced by Liam Carson, who I gather was the judge of the event, or one of them. He paid tribute to the festival organisers, and to independent booksellers such as Books Upstairs, who he urged us all to support.

All four poets read their work well to a responsive audience. Three things struck me about all of them: 1. They were all fifty or over (something Carson remarked on too) which gives us emerging writers some hope! 2. They had all established professions outside of poetry, three in other artforms: one is a former teacher, one a cartoonist, one an artist and the other a musician. 3. There was a relative lack of confessional poetry in the work that was read, which was quite refreshing in one way.

Tyrone-born Ray Givens read a number of poems inspired by the lives of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Akhmatova and others, some written from the point of view of others in their lives. I half-expected Paul Muldoon’s heckler from Thursday night (see Kate’s blog post) to reappear and hassle him as well, along the lines of “You’re a poet from NORTHERN IRELAND, why are you writing poems about dead RUSSIAN writers?” My favourite poem was the one in which the poet gets a haircut from a former student. The metaphors were handled beautifully.

Tom Mathews read work from his book, also a new poem about Humpty Dumpty (after Auden). Nothing and no-one is sacred here: he tackles Byron, Dylan Thomas, Gogarty, Yeats and Joyce, applying the wit that we’re used to seeing in visual form. While I welcome humour in Irish poetry – we need much more of it – I found many of these poems to be too gimmicky for my taste.

The third poet to read was artist Maggie O’Dwyer. Her work was more personal, but subtly so. “Good Driver” invoked her father, and the love of driving that she inherited from him. “Wallflowers” described the possible temptation by a snake, and had echoes of Carole Ann Duffy for me (and Paula Meehan for my companion). In her final poem, “House”, she uses the title as a metaphor for the body, a brave act.

The fourth and final poet was Peadar Ó hUallaigh, who hails from Clonmel but is now living in Dingle. He helpfully gave what he called a “detailed sketch” of each poem in English before reading it in Irish, but some of them sounded like polished poems in English to me. The work, in as much as I understood it, was lovely: the flow, the rhythms, the imagery and the beautiful vowel sounds. The main theme was one of heritage: the fossil footprints on Valentia Island, the Swiss Alps, the Water Course and the White Cow nature goddess, who is said to have created the Milky Way. The delivery was clear and melodic, as one would expect from a musician. It didn’t come as a great surprise after the readings to hear that Peadar had won the 2010 Strong Prize, or that Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill was the first to congratulate him.