Mad Poet's Disease

Deirdre Armes Smith’s seventh collection is probably her best. Her writing is finely controlled though without losing anything of colour and emotion. Easily accessible at first reading; at second, deeper meanings appear, but always beautifully planned and spaced. No Room At The Boat House heads the list, written when she was last at Laugharne. Out of the whole poem I find this verse full of humour and understanding – “But millions of other women/with a personal Dylan/came with me there/and though I fought my way/to the front of that dense crowd/you did not see me./Women like me, prim as a daisy/on a vicarage lawn,/are quite visible to you/who are as far from me/as New York was from Laugharne,”

-          New Hope International – Poetry Review

John Binns – Turrets Tremble

When I think of John Binns’ poetry certain words come to mind such as records, lager and lime, wine and more lager and lime! - Although the poet brings about a sudden change of mind in My Dampened Ardour For The Glass when he writes in one of his lines: “For my inner cravings have gone deep away” the word wine does seep in again though! (Surprise, Surprise). After reading Turrets Tremble I feel John writes about every day topics that many people would be able to relate to and yet he is still a very singular mind. It is only when I have finished reading his work that I think, ‘How unusual for someone to pick up on such a thing.’ For example: landlords becoming a dying breed, and his simplicity becomes simple to the point of distraction. In his poem titled Rigidly he sets more thinking tracks with the lines: “Leave the harlots and the bums/To shift alone as best they can/Put butter in your frying pan/And cleanse your mind of evil things.” I like the way he speaks in a direct way here. Still not sure what he means by: “Put butter in your frying pan.” This collection contains a harshness of reality, quality softened by the writer’s rhymes! In his poem titled A New Route the line which reads “But at least he left the cat intact” reminds us of the evil in society. I enjoyed reading Is It Me? And thought this poem was excellent and refreshing. There once was a time I could never understand John Binns at all until I had experienced some of life’s misfortunes. Now I feel as though he touches on sensitive areas which I can relate to. The musical quality is good with so many easy going rhymes. Although saying that I admit that on occasions I have wondered what John’s poetry would be like if it didn’t have so may rhyming words. Let’s just say that the ‘Bearded Bard’ is an appropriate name for his collection here.

- Janet McAdam - TOPS – Poetry Magazine

Gwen Jones – I Was Elvis’s Secret Woman

The title of the book sounds a bit intriguing and the poem itself, is amusing and set me thinking in such lines as: “You think he’s buried at Graceland?/but ‘twas at Solva I laid him to rest.” Perhaps she’s right! Three lines I enjoyed reading in Folksblane Lane read: “Tangled Oaks, snarl-gnarled, scar-barked,/writhe wrinkled fingers into each/disowned corner of your mind.” The first verse in Strum For The Road reminded me of something that John Binns would write. Any Old Iron is really good in its vivid and realistic sense. This would appear to be a mixed collection conjuring up different moods with some quite low key sounds such as the following lines in the poem Only Sky: “ I chose a patterned skirt/in the colours of your laughter/then toned it down with something dull/so as not to offend the other.” I’m sure you will find this collection interesting and a bit challenging at times.

- Janet McAdam - TOPS – Poetry Magazine