Burning Eye Podcast

Welcome back! We're joined by Scottish film maker, writer and poet Leyla Josephine to talk about her debut collection In Public/ In Private. 

This episode we discuss the isolating life of the poet, mentoring and the UK touring network.

We catch up with Jemima Foxtrot on the release of her second BE collection A New Game! We touch on survivorship and writing for performance and the page.

Jemima Foxtrot is a writer and performer who performs and teaches internationally. Her poetry has been published and anthologised widely and her debut collection of poetry was published by Burning Eye Books in 2016. She is the founder of Kindreds Creatives and has written numerous works for the stage.

We're back after a short mid-season break!

In May we released Bibi June's pamphlet Kinsey Scale for the Emotionally Fragile Queer and caught up with them on the day of release. In this episode we discuss queerness and poetry as activism, the importance of editing and the joy of performing.

Spring is officially here, and so is Good Listeners! The debut pamphlet from Somerset poet Pascal Vine.

We talk about writing from different perspectives, the communal rituals at DIY punk shows, and how the rural and urban collide.

This episode we chat with Spectral author Fay Roberts on everything inclusive, content warnings and the glory of slam poets.

Welcome to a brand new series of the Burning Eye podcast!

To kick off the new series, and our new poetry list for 2022 we catch up with Ibizo Lami on their debut collection Chosen Family, adapted from the spoken word show into a gorgeous pamphlet available now from our web store.

This episode we discuss performing, researching and existing with mental health disorders within black communities. 

This episode we are joined by Leeds based upcoming poet Abdullah Adekola to talk about Nigrescence, his debut collection out with us in September this year. We discuss the process, the identities that define and restrict us and what's next for this new creative.

This episode we catch up with Tina Sederholm on the release of her second BE collection - This Is Not Therapy!

We discuss a range of emotions including joy, discomfort and forgiveness as well as awkward in-person gigs and trying to capture that perfect poetry film!

--
Tina Sederholm is a poet and theatre-maker. Described as ‘Completely spellbinding’ ***** (Edfringe Review) and ’Stunning’ ***** (Three Weeks), she has created four solo spoken word theatre shows that have toured extensively, including six runs at the Edinburgh Fringe. A sought-after headliner on the festival and spoken word circuit, she has performed everywhere from allotments to the Royal Albert Hall.

Stephen Lightbown joins us to talk about his new poetic novella The Last Custodian - we discuss disability representation in sci fi, the locality of Luke's journey and what the pandemic has improved for people who can't attend IRL events.

This episode Bridget is joined by Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey to discuss his new release - Please Do Not Touch - an exploration of our colonial past, and the present effects on black communities. We dive into some of Birmingham's brimming poetry scene and some sound advice from Casey's dad.

This episode we take some time to chat to spoken word artist Desree to mark the release of her debut pamphlet I Find My Strength in Simple Things. We talk book box reveal moments, revisiting old work and the excitement of future gigs, IRL. 

This episode we catch up with Cat Hepburn on the release of her new BE collection Dating & Other Hobbies! We talk about the importance of representing different types of dating and relationship models, the process of writing as a spoken word artist and how to celebrate every step of the way.

Welcome back listeners. We are joined this episode by 'Spirograph' author Pauline Sewards, who talks to us about her latest collection, keeping up creativity and connection and the Bristol poetry scene - then and now.

Our last episode of 2020! Featuring Neon author Bethany Rose. We discuss mental health, the body, and the poems. 

Thank you so much for tuning in this year! We really appreciate your support! 

This week we catch up with Rick Dove on the release of his new BE collection Tales from the Other Box. Listen out for a particularly great iZombie analogy plus urban mythology and the importance of editing.

Bridget discusses religion, theology and trans rights with 'witness' author Jonathan Kinsman. This episode explores the nature and function of the Christain church, comparisons between the UK and US. We touch on the idea of kindess/anger as a powerful tool of protest and Jonathan treats us to two poems from the collection.

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Leanne Moden joins us to celebrate the release of her new collection Get Over Yourself! We talk editing, poetry in Nottingham and all things DIY.

This episode Mary Dickins talks us through the poems and inspiration behind her debut pamphlet Happiness FM.

Co-editor Bridget catches up with Afshan D'souza-Lodhi on the release her of debut poetry collection re:desire. We discuss garlic crushers, mangos and writing sensual poetry. 

‘This is an evocative collection of painful and beautiful multilingual poems in which silences are broken, sexuality is uncertain, and love is a bloody mess.’ - Dean Atta

Welcome back, our poem this week is from the Professor of Whimsy himself - Robert Garnham!
--
To the car full of girls who shouted 'Poof!' at me as they drove past

Of course it might have been a lucky guess.
Though I held high in the Scottish drizzle
A RAINBOW UNICORN UMBRELLA
Which even I concede was a little camp.
Or maybe my pink feather boa was
Poking out from my Tesco's bag for life.
Or maybe they were just nasty bastards.

It wasn't like I was gawping at a fit bloke,
Or wearing my I Like Cock tshirt,
Or logging into Grindr and shouting,
Where are you, FunkyLoveMuffin,
Cooooooeeeeee!
I was on the way to buy a steak and Kidney pie
And you can't get any straighter than that.

As the car sped away
I felt the loving embrace of the generations who couldn't.
But did anyway.
Souls whose crime was to love
But loved fiercely and with passion.
This thought, and my RAINBOW UNICORN UMBRELLA
Added some glitz to a drizzly Tuesday morning.

What was it that gave the game away?
Did I flounce did I strut did I sashay
Did I mince,
Does it matter?
No glitter in the drizzle no secret street sequins
I've been out and proud
Since before you were born,
Gayer than the gayest gay that ever did gay,
Though I do occasionally wear an anorak.

Like phantoms they come, Alan Turing,
Oscar Wilde, Freddie Mercury, Frank O'Hara,
Marcel Proust, Noel Cowerd, Quentin Crisp,
Their ghosts swirling along the Edinburgh cobbles,
Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street,
And the anonymous lovers of old
Proudly flying the flag before it even existed,
Beating down the fear and marching brave,
Stonewall freedom fighters, Harvey Milk, a fist raised
Triumphant in the oneness of a gay new world
That those for whom biology had different ideas
Might walk unmolested in the conscience
Of public acceptance.

And I, oh,
I might rise before you!
You will cower and tremble,
I, mighty gay overlord,
Will crush thy Fiat Panda betwixt my
Powerful thighs
For it is I, prince of rainbows,
Puncher of preconceptions,
The Pink Avenger,
Exacting my just and fearful revenge
In the name of blessed queerdom!

But then,
I just sigh,
And I say to myself,
Some people
Are just tossers.
--

Our poem this week is 'Vegetable Special at the Gate Hangs High' by Tina Sederholm! 

----

They spelt it Le Sagne

on the pub specials board.

That’s L,E, space, Sagne.

I shouldn’t laugh,

after all, people in Britain

pronounce it that way.

But I can’t help myself,

I keep saying Le Sagne,

Laying the stress

on different syllables,

pompous arse that I am

after a couple glasses of red,

and a Salena Godden gig,

which is permission enough

to say anything.

And it doesn’t get boring

to repeat Le Sagne, Le Sagne,

Le Le Le Sagne!

These tiny errors happen so easily.

Imagine in the Bible,

if T’shuvah had been better translated.

Instead of ‘repent’,

the scribe had found a word

closer to the original Aramaic ’return’.

Then we would not need to repent our sins,

only return from them.

Like reversing out of a cul-de-sac

when the sat nav gets confused.

Maybe it was a bad day.

Maybe the scribe’s bowels ached

after a confrontation

with his brother,

and carrying

certain judgments

on how some people should behave,

felt his brother could do more

to earn forgiveness.

Thought, Sod it.

Repent will do.

Maybe the scribe at the chalkboard in the pub

was having a similar moment.

Remembered being ridiculed in French class

as they dithered between Le or La

and having never studied Italian

thought Well… It sounds like a Le.

I ordered Le Sagne anyway.

The point is; it was delicious.

Tomatoes from the pub garden,

homemade Bechamel,

a sprig of parsley cut not ten minutes before.

What I would have missed

if I’d let a misplaced letter

cause me to dismiss this meal.

Perhaps it is a universal truth,

whether considering lasagne, or a bible,

one should seek a little deeper

and always check out the source.

---

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'Borders' by Leanne Moden, a poem from the upcoming collection Get Over Yourself (July, 2020)

We are joined by Maria Ferguson for this episode of the BE Podcast, after recently releasing her debut collection Alright, Girl?, we talk about imposter syndrome, Maria’s future plans for her writing and finding ways to keep motivated in the current time. Mentions of pandas.

Maria also reads a poem from the new collection.

This episode we talk to author of Cosmocartography, Ciarán Hodgers. We discuss the unlikely debut, Liverpool's poetry scene and the ultimate question: do you put your easter egg in the fridge or leave it out?

Ciarán also reads 'Abscission' from his book.

This episode lands on Mother's  Day (uk) so here is a poem by co-editor Bridget Hart, plus some exciting even updates and an recorded extract from Carmina Masoliver and her debut collection Circles (https://burningeye.bigcartel.com/product/circles-by-carmina-masoliver).

Learn more:

Self proclaimed 'Crone Poet' Crysse Morrison talks about her new book 'Crumbs from a Spinning World', the seemingly sleepy town of Frome and what inspires her to write.

After the summer break, the Burning Eye podcast is back with some short interviews with Carmina Masoliver (She Grrrowls founder) at the Ed Fringe, and Shagufta K Iqbal (Jam is for Girls) at Shambala Festival.

Around the kitchen table with Jeremy Toombs to talk about his new book Who Knows? and what lead him to poetry and to travel around the world.