Author: samjbartle

NEW BOOK: ‘The Planetary Ennead’ Nine Poems of the Planets

May 27, 2023 — 5 Comments

(The Planetary Ennead’ is available to buy now in the Lulu Online Bookstore)

I have had a fascination with all things Space-related since I was a boy, and so when I began writing poems I knew that it would only be a matter of time before my poetic gaze turned to the stars. That time came in October 2022, when I began to draft out a poem about the planet, Jupiter. I may have seen something on television, in the news, or perhaps came across a picture of it, I can’t fully remember what prompted me, but as soon as I began I was hooked and wanted to write about another planet. For my second planet, I chose Neptune and it quickly became clear that a poetic representation of all the planets in the solar system was calling, but could I be bothered to complete a full set of planetary poems? I decided not to pressure myself and just write about a different planet whenever it took my fancy, in amongst my everyday writing.

“In a poetic sense, we could be regarded as a solar family of worlds…”

It was early on in this process that I also took the decision to include a technically ‘non-planet’ in my series; the dwarf planet Pluto. Throughout my childhood, Pluto had been asserted as the ninth planet in the solar system and so I had developed the same affinity to it as the the other eight worlds (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). However, it was de-classified as a planet in 2006, which left me with the problem of how to justify its inclusion in my collection of planets poems. I won’t go into the scientific rationale for its de-classification here, as I write about poetry, not science, but I retained the tiny ice world of Pluto in this collection for that same reason: In a poetic sense, we could be regarded as a solar family of worlds and, as many families tend to have their so-called misfits, then perhaps Pluto plays that part in our solar system.

(I chose to add Pluto to the collection, with the eight official ‘planets’ in the solar system).

I continued to write a poem about a different planet every few weeks. A key source of inspiration for me in all matters ‘Space‘ are the BBC Studios Science Unit documentaries with Brian Cox, on whom I depend to learn and understand about the Cosmos! The NASA website is also a valuable source of information and learning. This helped me to merge factual content with poetic interpretation in each of the poems, and by the New Year of 2023 I was in full swing, writing planetary poems in succession.

I ensured that the final planet I wrote about was Earth itself, because I wanted to be able to emphasise its value and importance within the broader context of the solar system, and the Cosmos. So, I needed to see how the other poems read before turning to Earth, so that I knew what tone to apply to it. I think that many of us know intuitively that our home planet is fragile and precious beyond measure, owing to it being a source of abundant life (including us of course!), and these qualities were reinforced to me when writing and contemplating the other planets. There is undoubted and spectacular beauty amongst the stars, but there is something particularly awe-inspiring about the phenomena of life itself, irrespective of the physical scale of the Cosmos.

(‘Earth’ poem from The Planetary Ennead by Sam Bartle.)

While I was in the process of creating my nine-poem collection, a submissions callout was advertised by Green Ink Poetry, asking for poems relating to ‘Cosmos‘. I duly submitted three poems for consideration, and my poem ‘Jupiter’ was accepted and published in their edition in February 2023. This was really pleasing to see as I felt that it gave me confirmation that the style and approach I was using for the poems was effective and that others would find it enjoyable to read. It was a real thrill to get an acceptance from a respected online publication like Green Ink Poetry.

(‘Jupiter’ poem from The Planetary Ennead by Sam Bartle. You can also find the poem in Green Ink Poetry Collection 15 ‘Cosmos’)

With the collection completed in the same month, I needed a title. I couldn’t simply name it ‘The Planets‘ as that was both unoriginal and inaccurate due to Pluto’s inclusion, so I wanted a word to describe a set of nine things, in the same way that a quartet describes four, and an octet describes eight. I found the word ‘Nonet‘ in the dictionary and provisionally called the collection ‘The Planetary Nonet‘, but at the last minute discovered a nonet is in fact a specific type of poem itself, making it a misnomer for this work. Further searching of the dictionaries revealed another word for a group of nine; an ‘Ennead‘ (pronounced ‘enn-e-ad‘). This was great, as I felt that ‘The Planetary Ennead‘ gave the collection a suitably epic feel.

” ‘Ennead’ [enn-e-ad] – a group of nine.”

merriam-webster.com

The question of how to share these poems was actually more difficult than writing them as I felt that independent printing presses were unlikely to accept a collection of nine works, it being too small. I was also enthusiastic about putting these poems out there as soon as possible and didn’t want to wait months for a response from publishers, only to find that no-one was interested because the collection was too short, so a colleague suggested I try Lulu Online Publishing. I had always shied away from going down the self-publishing route because I desperately wanted the validation of an independent publisher to qualify my work, but the situation with ‘The Planetary Ennead‘ seemed right, and I was excited to get the work out into the world! It took some persistence and an elevation of my Microsoft Word abilities to a new level, in terms of formatting, but I eventually was able to design a 30-page publication for paperback, hardcover, and ebook, using Lulu’s bespoke templates. I was very pleased with the result and, after ordering proof copies and producing promotional materials, all that remained was to organise my launch event.

(‘The Planetary Ennead‘ is available in the Lulu online bookstore).

From time-to-time, I attend the Wotlarx poetry and spoken word open mic event at Wrecking Ball Arts Centre in Hull, England, and it was here that the poet, Richard Harries, once announced that he was launching his new book at The Brain Jar cocktail bar on Trinity House Lane, also in Hull. This happened while I was in the middle of writing The Planetary Ennead and so, when it came to choosing a venue, I immediately thought of The Brain Jar. One Tuesday morning, I popped down to Trinity House Lane to make my enquiries. I found that they were closed to customers, the mesh gate over the door indicating as such. However, perhaps due to fire regulations, both gate and door were unlocked, so I crept through and entered. I introduced myself to the manager, Matt, and once he knew my plans he couldn’t have been more helpful. I was offered one of the lounges on the first floor, and use of their public announcement system for music and readings. After discussing my plans, the date was set for Sunday 21st May, from 1-2pm. I chose this time because The Brain Jar regularly hosts its Big Brain Sunday Quiz from 2-5pm and thought I might be able to attract some of their regular punters to arrive early by hosting a special ‘Planet Puzzler Quiz‘ of my own.

(With the date and venue fixed for my launch event, I began distributing flyers & posters across the city.)

The next three weeks were spent marketing and promoting my event – very exciting! I trekked all over Hull, handing out posters and flyers on the street and in bars and cafes, and even got a couple of slots on BBC Radio Humberside, firstly with David Burns (‘Burnsy’) on his morning programme, and then Phil White on his Saturday morning show. Being on Burnsy’s show was particularly interesting, and horrifying, because in the minutes before I was due to receive the phone call to come on the air I heard them announce that they would be speaking to another poet before me; none other than Dr John Cooper Clarke himself! This, coupled with the fact that they were billing me as a ‘poet‘ ‘alongside the man responsible for the “most famous poem in British History” (‘I Wanna Be Yours’) just sounded ‘insane’ to my ear, and I immediately turned off my radio in fright! The interview actually seemed to go well in the end, and all credit to my local radio station for offering fledgling poets like myself a platform, and treating us with such deference and respect alongside established and renowned performers.

(The ‘Burnsy Show placed me on their roster as a local poet. It was only while waiting for the interview that I learned I was going to be sharing the ‘Culture Hour’ slot with Dr John Cooper Clarke!)

I was happy with the promotional push I gave to the launch, and finally the moment of truth came on Sunday 21st May at The Brain Jar. The turnout was lower than expected, but building a general interest in your work can be a slow-burning process and I didn’t view the launch as a ‘make-or-break’ event, but one of a series of promotional activities for The Planetary Ennead. Whilst I have never jumped at the opportunity to perform in public, I’m always prepared to do so in order to get my work out there. I actually write for the printed page, but in this mass media world, I think it is a necessity to ensure that you also perform content either in person or on social media, in order to generate awareness of your work.

(Getting things ready at The Brain Jar cocktail bar in Hull).

I must give particular thanks for the support shown to me by Dave and Polly Pattison (the hosts of Wotlarx), and Isobel, who arrived having received one of my flyers, and swept the board with my prize quiz; a NASA mug and solar system-themed bedside lamp. I feel like I may have gained a new fan! The team at The Brain Jar were also fantastic; their manager, Matt, in sorting out the logistics, and then on the day Rob, Alex, and Yasmine, were all brilliant in helping me get set up. It’s a really supportive and welcoming space for creatives to showcase their work and I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to launch their material.

So, my poems of the planets are finally out here in the world (or, rather, outer space!) and I am delighted. I hope to do more promotions of this collection in the future, which is available to buy online at the Lulu Bookstore. I do hope you will read it, whether that be the paperback booklet, hardcover, or ebook. The latter is also on global distribution, so you can find it on most online ebook retailers.

The Planetary Ennead is here. We have ‘Lift Off’!

Sam Bartle

REVIEW: Charlotte Oliver’s ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’

Feb 19, 2023 — 11 Comments

A Poetry Review by Sam Bartle

I began writing poems in earnest at the tail-end of the pandemic restrictions in the UK, around April 2021, admittedly without having previously taken much of an interest in poetry nor really engaged with the genre, other than what I had absorbed through a limited exposure in my school education; which led to vague memories of First World War poets and familiarity with names such as Ted Hughes, George Bernard Shaw, Phillip Larkin, and Alfred Lord Tennyson (though to my shame, without much recollection of their work).

The line, “Dulce est decorum est, pro patria mori” (roughly translated as “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country”) has always stuck in my mind from school English lessons in poetry, as a piece of poignant First World War literature, but even then I mistakenly attributed it to Edward Thomas, when in fact it was by Wilfred Owen (my thanks to the mighty ‘Google’, and sincere apologies to both poets!).

‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ is the debut chapbook by Charlotte Oliver.

So, with my new-found interest in writing poetry, coupled with an embarrassingly scant knowledge of poetic works, I wanted to learn more about the genre and actually read the work of some actual poets.

My first foray into this endeavour has been to purchase ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ , the debut chapbook by Charlotte Oliver (published by Dreich Chapbooks).

Given that this is the first book of poetry that I have read cover-to-cover, you may consider me under-qualified to review the work, however, I believe that anyone has the right to be moved or engaged by a poem, whether they’re a connoisseur who can recite Homer’s ‘Odyssey’, or have never read a poem before in their life. So, I approached Charlotte’s debut work from my fresh-eyed perspective, hungry to absorb her creative statements and learn more about poetry.

I chose ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ because I had been researching poets in my region of Yorkshire, and Charlotte Oliver’s name was prolific as being a well-reputed local poet, both in print and as a performer, in particular at South Cliff Gardens in Scarborough, and as a ‘Saturday Poet Laureate’ for BBC Radio York on Harry Whitaker’s show.

I had also found her to be very gracious in sharing some of my own work on social media when I nonchalantly (and perhaps, arrogantly) tagged her in some of my tweets! This spoke to me that here was not only a very talented and gifted writer, but a warm and kind person, very open to encouraging the creativity of others as well as her own. I think this warmth and kindness radiates through her book, and in part forms the essence of the collection. Adding to this was the receipt of a personalised handwritten note from the author herself, thanking me for my purchase. When a reader receives such a gesture, it is immediately clear that the work has been crafted with love and sincerity.

The book arrived, signed and with a personalised note from the author!

For me, ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ feels like an invitation into the writer’s family home, to be given a window into her thoughts and an intimation of the warmth and love that surrounds her in that place. As a result, the poems are interwoven with references to everyday objects or occurrences, maintaining that connection with the ‘household’ and associating the mundane with something deeper and more symbolic. The title itself is an indication of this, tugging at the reader’s curiosity and begging the query of what is meant by a ‘Dressing Gown’ in this context, and inviting us to find out.

With its first poem, ‘My People’, the book makes the important assertion of where Charlotte is coming from as a writer, her proud and traditional family upbringing, where perhaps her poetic creativity could be seen as breaking the mould:

“I come from people who

do not say,

who assume you know,

who are afraid of words.”

‘My People’ by Charlotte Oliver

As a reader, this helped set the context for me of the various references to family that follow throughout the rest of the collection, and gave me an idea of the kind of ‘home’ I was being invited into. Charlotte’s warm and endearing homage to her grandmother, ‘Song Of My Granny’ is perhaps one of the best examples of her reflections on family life in the book and it exudes warmth and affection for all the happy times spent in her company. It draws heavily on references to furniture and food to skilfully create a vivid image of being at home with granny, re-living those moments and seeing it all again through a child’s eyes, such as the remark about her false teeth as:

“…your dazzling set of pink-gummed fish

freed to swim each night.”

‘Song Of My Granny’ by Charlotte Oliver

This presents a wonderful image of a child’s view of her grandmother, and one that many of us can relate to. We all generally have fond recollections of our grandparents, and the writer appeals to that sentimentality with her own unique and almost playful interpretation:

“Oh granny, your lap was paradise!

You small and wrinkled angel haloed by delightful tales…”

‘Song Of My Granny’ by Charlotte Oliver

The poems ‘Yorkshire Puddings’ and ‘Mum Gets Ready’ also exploit that technique to great effect, but it would be categorically wrong of me, however, to suggest that this book is simply a charming reflection about family; it is more than that. There is much depth to this collection, and some of the poems appear to contain a vague wistfulness, even sorrow, of the kind that might invade ones thoughts while sitting in an empty house, or during the solitude of an afternoon walk. The poem, ‘Her Secret’, which I feel could be self-referential, hints at a buried sadness and anxiety:

“…she stared hard and let the tears dry up

before they began their hot trickle…

…It took a while to realise that the tooth-grinding

was probably part of all this…”

‘Her Secret’ by Charlotte Oliver

This melancholy is resolved beautifully at the end by alluding to the discovery of writing and poetry as the catharsis to those feelings. It could be said that this is true of all those poems in the collection that deal with difficult or emotional subjects, with the writer tempering any wistfulness by adding notes of hope.

Indeed, this is exactly what the collection itself tends towards with one of the final poems being entitled ‘Hope’. In this work Charlotte articulates the loss of ‘hope’ itself but, by animating and illustrating its quality she also demonstrates that it is not altogether gone:

“I don’t remember what it used to be like,

just the clatter of freedom like waves on a pebbled shore,

and eternity’s breath on my bare neck…”

‘Hope’ by Charlotte Oliver
The chapbook is recommended by a number of well-respected poets, as indicated here on its back cover.

I should say that, in my own work, I write in rhyming verse, perhaps as a result of that early exposure at school to First World War poetry (which someone once suggested I may have absorbed by osmosis!). Whatever the reason, this seems to be my current tendency as a writer, so I found reading ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ doubly fascinating because it gave me an introduction to imagistic poetry and the way that writers can use words to conjure beautiful images in the mind. I would even go a step further and suggest that Charlotte’s work succeeds in transcending this by articulating other senses; I could almost smell those Yorkshire Puddings in her poem of the same name, and taste the comfort of a sponge pudding and many other foods that she refers to throughout the book!

There can be no doubt of this collection’s intimacy and the author’s invitation with open arms for the reader to delve into her mind and world. This is perhaps most evident in the poem ‘Afterwards’, which is written so deftly that it was not until halfway through that I suddenly felt quite abashed on realising that, as a reader, I had been transported to the bed chambers of the writer’s home where, if I have interpreted correctly, I was now in the aftermath of some intimate moments having been shared between the writer and her husband! By spacing the words far apart on the page, Charlotte adds emphasis to the quiet and stillness of the moment, a brief time of breathless reflection that followed the intimacy:

“free_______empty________blank

________________in that moment

feet warm at last.”

‘Afterwards’ by Charlotte Oliver

The poem is a beautiful articulation of the writer’s thoughts and feelings immediately after being intimate with her partner and again reinforces the theme of warmth, love and contentment in the family home that runs through the book. I think this may be why the collection adopts ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ as its title, because which household item holds better synergy with that sentiment of homely warmth and comfort than a ‘dressing gown’?! It is fair to say that in the poem of the same name, Charlotte creates some really vivid description of how it feels to be in your dressing gown, equating it to a ‘hug’, and you can almost feel yourself reaching out for your own dressing gown and wanting to wrap it around you!

“You have the power of an unexpected sponge pudding

with custard…”

‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ by Charlotte Oliver
Charlotte Oliver is based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and has worked on poetry and arts events and activities for the South Cliff Gardens Restoration Project (photo by Sam Bartle).

It is as though the poem is a set of instructions to the dressing gown itself, elevating and personifying it as a sentient member of the home, with its own part to play in permitting some downtime for the wearer, and if this is the meaning of the poem, then perhaps the collection as a whole could be interpreted as a form of self-help guide, or perhaps it is simply the signature poem that defines the essence of the collection. I suppose it is for the reader to make up their own mind but, either way, Charlotte Oliver has boldly announced herself to the poetry community by writing with an openness and affection for those close to her, that should be the envy of many a poet.

Charlotte Oliver’s debut chapbook, ‘How To Be A Dressing Gown’ is published by Dreich Chapbooks and available to buy at: https://hybriddreich.co.uk/product/charlotte-oliver-how-to-be-a-dressing-gown .

More information about the poet can be found at www.charlotteoliver.com and she tweets @CharlotteOlivr.

By Sam Bartle

Away With Words

Nov 23, 2022 — 17 Comments

Poetry and Spoken Word Night at Union Mash-Up, Hull

When first embarking on my poetic adventures, it used to feel as though the opportunities to actually perform my work were few and far between, but in 2022 I discovered ‘Away With Words‘, a poetry and spoken word open mic night organised and hosted by legendary Hull poet, Jim Higo. This free event has been running since 2012, so is over a decade old and, whilst it’s had different venues across the city of Hull during its lifespan, it now occupies the ambient rooms of Union Mash-Up on Princes Avenue. The event is renowned in Hull as a forum for celebrating and supporting local creatives. As soon as you enter the doors of the building, you instantly get a welcoming and intimate feel from the place, and that’s in no small part thanks to Jim Higo and the passion and commitment he has invested in the event, right from its very beginning.

Having learned of this event from some other poets, I decided to give it a go myself and see if I could muster the courage to read a few verses. So, one evening in the early Spring of 2022, I went along to Princes Avenue, Hull, to share a few lines with an unsuspecting public.

Reading from my poem, ‘The Omega: Dark’ at the ‘Away With Words’ poetry and spoken word night, Union Mash-Up, Hull (Image: Jim Higo)

The Union Mash-Up is a bar and restaurant that plays host to arts and cultural events on its first floor. The venue is converted from former residential premises and there are charmingly nuanced traces throughout the building, that reveal its former use as a home; perhaps none more revealing than the old fireplace directly behind the stage! Once you ascend the old staircase you’re greeted by a wall of warmth, generated by the gathering crowd and the relatively small space. It actually feels rather cosy, and everyone is there to have a good time and listen appreciatively to what all the poets and spoken word artists have to offer.

The friendly atmosphere of the venue helped to put me at ease as I took my seat, pint of pale ale in hand, wondering if my drink would help add to the sense of relaxation, or render me slightly too tipsy to read properly! Jim was working his way down the rows of seats, taking down the names of people who wanted to go up on the stage, and allocating the running order. When he came to me, I elected to do my stint in the first half of the evening, deciding that it would be better to get it out of the way as early as possible and save my nerves. After registering as one of the poets for the night, I sat back and waited to see what happened next, the dim light of the room adding to the anticipation.

“It’s about celebrating the range of works, performances, and creativity that the city has to offer, and so it really doesn’t matter whether you have a finely tuned stand-up routine, or are just reading from your mobile phone.”

About three or four performances in and a sudden wave of fear came over me as I watched in awe at the polished professionalism of the people taking to the stage. It was clear that a number of the performers were accomplished entertainers, generating huge laughs from the audience through their spoken word acts. As a fledgling poet, who would consider it a success just to read a few poems from his tablet, I wondered for a moment if I’d made the right decision, but this is the beauty of the ‘Away With Words‘ event; all are welcome. It’s about celebrating the range of works, performances, and creativity that the city has to offer, and so it really doesn’t matter whether you have a finely tuned stand-up routine, or are just reading from your mobile phone. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged. As the night wore on, I could clearly see this was the case and so as my turn approached I was much more reassured.

“I got on the stage with my tablet and began to read to the audience my rhyming verse about the harsh reality of alcoholism as they supped their pints of real ale and sipped at their cocktails!”

I like to write all kinds of rhyming poetry, both light and dark, and I’d recently shared a particularly contemplative poem on social media , called ‘The Omega: Dark’, about the experience I had living with an alcoholic landlord, who tragically died. After doing this, Lucy Clark (formerly of BBC Radio Humberside) commented on my post and said I should do ‘Away With Words’ at Union Mash Up. I took this to mean that I should read my dark, brooding poem at this event, so I now had it lined up on my tablet, ready to go on the night. After soaking up the atmosphere though, I could see that most people seemed to have come here for a night out, to be entertained, and I began to doubt Lucy’s advice about reading my sinister little poem! With hindsight, I think she just meant that I should go along to the event and do a reading, but it was my plan now to read this particular poem and I was sticking to it.

My poem, ‘The Omega: Dark’ looks at the tragedy of alcohol abuse. (Image: Segev Vision, Pexels)

I got on the stage with my tablet and began to read to the audience my rhyming verse about the harsh reality of alcoholism as they supped their pints of real ale and sipped at their cocktails! I felt like I was going to be heckled as some sort of Puritan preacher, but despite feeling like I’d misjudged the whole thing, the audience were brilliant and so appreciative, which I think signals what a great and welcoming event ‘Away With Words‘ is for anyone who just wants to come and try out their work on a public audience. After reading ‘The Omega: Dark‘, I rattled off a couple more poems that were less stark, but still fairly traditional works. For me, it was ‘mission accomplished’ and actually a great feeling to have played a small part in the evening.

Sadly, the shift pattern of my day job has since clashed with every ‘Away With Words‘ night this year so I’ve been unable to get back again. If it comes to it though I’ll try and get some time off and return to have another go. Hopefully, next time I’ll be able to try out some of my lighter material!

By Sam Bartle

For details of the next ‘Away With Words’ poetry and spoken word night, visit the Union Mash Up Events page

The Passing Year

Sep 27, 2022 — 11 Comments

Poem, published in Pomona Valley Review

Earlier this year, my poem, ‘The Passing Year’ was published in issue 16 of Pomona Valley Review. It was both gratifying and reassuring for me that editors Clem and Whitney chose to use the poem, as I’m particularly fond of it and had already been rejected by eight other publications. Had I not been so attached to it, then I may have decided to abandon the pursuit to publish and leave it on the proverbial backburner, while I concentrated on submitting other works. However, my persistence paid off on this occasion, and I’m so glad that I continued to enter submissions!

Even without the upheaval and turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic in the past few years I still think it’s fair to say that, when we all look back on our lives over any given year, we experience and bear witness to an incredible range of highs and lows during that short timespan. It’s this bittersweet sense that I’ve tried to encapsulate with ‘The Passing Year’.

“I can’t fail to wonder at all these things, to be amazed by what the passing year brings.” from ‘The Passing Year’ by Sam Bartle. (Image: Bogdan Dirica. Pexels)

It observes the struggle and hardship caused by adversity and how we try to keep going until we encounter better times ahead, but for me it’s also a reminder that when those good times arrive they must be enjoyed and savoured. The places we go to in our lives can play host both to experiences of love and happiness, or hatred and sadness, so our memories of those places can become bittersweet as well, which is something I’ve tried to reflect with the lines:

 "These different worlds all in the same space, 
In transience, come and go from your sight."

Read Issue 16 of ‘Pomona Valley Review’ here, where you’ll find ‘The Passing Year’ at page 228.

By Sam Bartle

Adventures In Upload

Jul 31, 2022 — 5 Comments

Poems on BBC local radio

Road To Upload

When I first started out on my poetic adventures amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I didn’t consider that drifting into the airwaves with my poems would be one of the consequences, but it seems that writing breeds an unending quest for an audience, especially in this genre, where most of the platforms for publication aren’t immediately obvious, nor particularly mainstream. So, it was a refreshing surprise when I discovered BBC Upload.

I’d often enjoyed listening to Lucy Clark’s Sunday Afternoon Show on BBC Radio Humberside, especially during the pandemic, and so when she announced that she’d be covering Martha Mangan’s ‘No Filter’ programme, showcasing local creatives, one Monday evening in May 2021, I made a point of tuning in. I already knew, from listening to her shows, that Lucy was a poet herself and had a keen interest in poetry, so it piqued my interest when she put a callout for people to send in their poems via the BBC’s ‘Upload’ feature online. I was enjoying the programme, which was playing the work of local musicians and writers in the region, and thought to myself that I would give it a ‘bash’ and send something in, as it seemed like a good vehicle for reaching more mainstream audiences.

I began my Adventures In Upload on hearing Lucy Clark’s callout for poems on BBC Radio Humberside

The topic for my entry was climate change. I was in the middle of writing a poem reflecting on the climate emergency, and given this is one of the most talked-about issues, I felt it might stand a better chance of being selected. I think the poem was also experimental in the sense that I tried to use rhyming ‘sextets’ as opposed to couplets, which had the effect of laying on the rhymes quite thickly. After hovering over the ‘Send’ button for a while on the Upload site, stood on the proverbial precipice, I found the courage to click it and my work shot into the BBC Upload ether, possibly never to be heard of again.

However, incredibly, I heard back in under 24 hours and on Monday 21st June 2021 at 7pm, I was on the ‘No Filter’ programme, talking to Martha Mangan about my climate change poem! I’d literally just started writing full poems so didn’t feel at all qualified to answer Martha’s very respectful questions about my ‘creative process’, but gave it my best shot anyway.

‘On Beautiful Sky’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

Feeling More At Ease

I don’t know how other writers feel but, for me, the prospect of being ridiculed or laughed at is probably the biggest source of anxiety in showcasing my poems. I think this is what makes ‘Upload’ such a great initiative, because it encourages and celebrates people who come forward with their creative forms of expression, giving everyone a safe space to air their work.

So, it was lovely to chat with Martha, I felt very welcomed and encouraged about what I was writing, to the extent that I decided I would have a go at sending in some more poems. At this point, I think various shows and schedules were being re-jigged in local radio, as it took a bit longer this time before I heard back, but as we emerged into Spring 2022 I was contacted by the Upload Show for BBC Radio York to see if I wanted my poem, ‘Everyone’ , to be featured on their programme. At the time, they were also broadcasting to the BBC Radio Humberside catchment as well, so I guess this was broadening my reach, so to speak. I appeared on George Smith‘s programme in the evening on Wednesday 9th March 2022 and had a great time talking to him about how I started writing poems during the pandemic, and was working on a website called ‘Poet In Verse’!

‘Everyone’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

After this latest feature on Upload, I had to do a little double-take on myself as I realised I was starting to feel oddly at ease with the idea of sending in poems for them to be played on local radio – because this sort of thing is counter-intuitive to my nature! Whilst I still do feel a little daunted and nervous about doing it, I’m not overwhelmed by those feelings to the point where it prevents me from taking the plunge and submitting my work.

On reflection, I may have found the reason why this is the case: As part of my day job, I occasionally need to promote local history and heritage projects through local media, which sometimes involves giving interviews for local radio, including BBC Radio Humberside. For me, I think this has gradually had the side-effect of normalising the idea of speaking on the radio. In particular though, this is due to having had the opportunity to meet brilliant reporters such as Caroline Brockelbank, whom I feel ultimately have really helped to give me the confidence to approach BBC Upload, by making the organisation as a whole seem more warm, friendly, and less intimidating to me.

Meeting brilliant reporters like Caroline Brockelbank in my day job has helped give me the confidence to approach BBC Upload with my work.

The opportunity to chat with Caroline, with her charismatic, yet down-to-earth and approachable manner, has meant that any mystique, or nervous preconceptions I may have had about the BBC have been eroded and this, combined with the positive and encouraging nature of the Upload platform itself, has left me feeling much more inclined to share what I create.

Springing Forth

‘Springtide Bright’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

For my next Upload submission, I chose to send in the latest poem in a quartet I was working on about the seasons. I’d decided to write about each season as it began during the year, so that I could draw a little inspiration to begin the poems, although they’re mostly based on our stereotypical imagery of the seasons in the UK, in order to create a vivid scene. I was invited to take part in George Smith’s Upload Show on BBC Radio York on Wednesday 21st April 2022 to talk about the Spring edition of this quartet; ‘Springtide Bright’. The show is a section of George’s main four-hour programme from 6-10pm on Wednesday evenings when, between 7 and 8pm, he showcases one or two submissions, which can include the full range of creative works such as songs, poems, short stories, comedy sketches; basically, anything creative.

George Smith is on BBC Radio York, Wednesdays 6-10pm, where he presents the Upload Show 7-8pm (Image: BBC Sounds)

I’m always pleased when I’m selected for an Upload Show as it’s one of the main ways in which I can try out my poems on a mainstream audience. George has a great ability to maintain light and humour in his on-air conversations, and I guess that’s fortunate because I weighed in with a really heavy poem for my latest one, all about war and conquest through the ages, called ‘Heart Of Power‘ , which had just been translated into Chinese by Poetry Lab Shanghai!

‘Heart Of Power’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

Branching Out

Having by now had three of my poems featured on BBC Radio York’s Upload Show, I was definitely feeling in the groove with things. I began to look through my work for other upload-worthy material and realised that I’d written some about specific places other than where I live, so wondered if these might be of interest to the relevant Upload Show for that region. Ever since first visiting Northumberland around ten years ago I’ve loved the place, and in between COVID-19 lockdown restrictions it became a peaceful retreat for me. Following a week’s holiday there in 2021, I wrote a poem in homage to Bamburgh, one of the many beautiful places that I visited on Northumberland’s spectacular coastline. The nearest local radio station on the Upload website was BBC Radio Newcastle, so I submitted it there and, sure enough, was invited by the show’s presenter, Tamsin Robson, to chat about the poem.

Tamsin Robson is on BBC Radio Newcastle, Wednesdays 8-10pm, where Upload submissions are featured 9-10pm (Image: BBC Sounds)

Entitled ‘Atop The Dunes o’ Bamburgh‘, it’s a kind of postcard poem drawing out all of the key features that stand out for me when visiting there. On Wednesday 3rd August 2022, Tamsin pre-recorded a chat with me that aired later in the evening, in which we both reminisced about the area; Tamsin on her childhood visits, and myself talking about recent holidays. I also declared my affection for the North East in general, having been a student at University of Sunderland!

‘Atop The Dunes o’ Bamburgh’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

Tamsin had previously asked if I’d written any other poems about the North East, and it so happened that I had a similar sort of poem for the town of Seahouses, about 3.5 miles south along the coast from Bamburgh, written during a visit earlier in June 2022. It’s called ‘Around Seahouses’ and Tamsin very kindly played this as well.

‘Around Seahouses’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

To be included on the Upload Show for BBC Radio Newcastle was great for me as it was a way of getting my poems out to even more people in the mainstream via a different local radio catchment, and I also loved chatting about the North East, which has played a big part in my life (perhaps at some point I’ll do a ‘Days Of Sunderland’ poem!).

At time of writing, the show is still available on BBC Sounds and you can listen to our chat (at 1:11:38 in the recording) here.

Looking back, all the poems I’ve sent to BBC Upload have been contemplative, reflective works, which isn’t actually representative of everything that I write, as I also cover silly, trivial subjects as well. My chats with George on his show have revealed that the latter is where his own preferences may lie, as my poem ‘Bin Day’ has stood out for him here on the ‘Poet In Verse’ website.

So, I guess that my mission now is to mix things up a bit with a light poem for my next submission! My thanks to BBC Upload for this platform, which I recommend to anyone out there who is creating something and wants a positive and encouraging environment in which to share their work. Long may the initiative continue.

Onwards and Upload!

‘Bin Day’ (poem by Sam Bartle)

By Sam Bartle

Springtide Bright

Jul 21, 2022 — 4 Comments

Blue River Review publishes poem from my ‘Seasons Quartet’

Back in October 2021, I decided to write a poem that tried to paint an image of a stereotypical English Autumn (known of course as the ‘Fall’ in the United States). Since then, at the turn of each season, I’ve attempted to do the same for the others, drawing partly on actual observation but largely based on the widely accepted characteristics of the seasons, which I tried to animate as much as possible. I’m delighted to announce that the third poem in that quartet, ‘Springtide Bright’, has been published by the Blue River Review Journal, and my sincere thanks to editors Whitney and Clem for giving this poem a space in their publication.

The poem uses natural features such as daffodils and snowdrops to try and draw a picture of an idyllic Spring. Image: Pexels (Suzy Hazelwood)

It attempts to convey the gentle warmth of Spring, and uses natural features such as daffodils, snowdrops, cherry blossom, primrose and birdsong to help draw the picture of an idyllic Spring day. Hopefully it works! At some stage I hope to publish all four poems collectively as a ‘Seasons Quartet’ so they can be read together, but for now I hope you enjoy reading ‘Springtide Bright‘ and other people’s poems on Blue River Review!

By Sam Bartle

‘Heart Of Power’

Jul 11, 2022 — 4 Comments

Chinese language translation by Poetry Lab Shanghai

It is nothing short of a thrill to have my anti-war poem, ‘Heart Of Power‘, translated into the Chinese Language by the Poetry Lab Shanghai. I’m very excited by the idea that my work could be read in a different language, opening it up to new audiences. The poem is a very simple one, written in a wistfully ironic and reflective tone about the historic narrative of war and conquest, and contrasting this with the stark and tragic cost of conflict. In spite of such cost, there always seems to be someone in the world who will persist with that narrative and claim that warfare, to conquer and subjugate, is a glorious thing. You can read the poem (in both Chinese and English!) in the Summer ’22 Issue of Poetry Lab Shanghai.

‘Heart of Power’ (Chinese Translation, copyright Poetry Lab Shanghai 2022):

嗜权之心

翻译：诗验室


啊！我们怎么就造了如此之帝国！


那些被我们

夷为平地的村镇，

有嗜权者们

放荡不羁的狂热。


啊！我们怎么就燃起了如此一把火！


熊熊烈火中

愈烧愈旺的野心，

而灰烬之中

无人知晓的姓名。


啊！如此之帝国怎么就被我们造出来了呢！


无辜儿女

血溅四方，

反倒痛快，

清清白白。


天！他们竟然还贪得无厌，

甚至昭告天下，

督促人们，


必须永远缔造这样的帝国。


Sam Bartle 的作品曾被收入
‘Heart Of Power’ received a Chinese translation by Poetry Lab Shanghai (Image: Henry and Co. Pexels)

By Sam Bartle

Mortal Shades

Jul 8, 2022 — 1 Comment

‘The Mortal Ash’ and ‘The Shadow Of Mortality’ poems

By strange coincidence, two of my very first poems to receive publication have both been on the subject of mortality. It’s perhaps not the most comfortable subject to deal with, but I think the impetus to write about this came at a time of greater exposure to loss and grief than I’d experienced before, and made me feel more tuned-in to our own mortality and compelled to write about it. It may even partly explain why I began writing poetry in the first place.

‘The Mortal Ash’ is a poem that was prompted by news of the death of an ex-girlfriend (Image: Anna-Louise. Pexels)

‘The Mortal Ash’

The poem is filled with sadness for me, as it reflects on the death of an ex-girlfriend. In 2021 I stumbled on the news, via social media, that her ashes were to be strewn at a remembrance ceremony, and it transpired that she had died 6 months previously. Shocked, and stunned by this chance discovery of her untimely death, I decided to locate the cemetery and went there the next day to pay my respects in private.

It was heart-breaking to see the ashes of the lovely person that I knew, who had so much life ahead of her, scattered on a patch of grass in front of me. So, when I returned home I wrote the poem in her memory.

The poem can be read in Duck Duck Mongoose magazine (Issue 1, poem no.16) My thanks to the editors for giving this a chance to be read in their wonderful new publication.

It seems as though we grow more aware and sensitive to our own mortality with age and experience (Image: Thorn Yang. Pexels)

The Shadow Of Mortality

This poem reflects more generally on the fragility of the human experience and how we seem to grow more aware and sensitive to our own mortality with age. I suppose the ‘shadow’ is always with us, but looms larger, and in clearer focus, with time and experience. However, the poem also makes the point of how we can use that to help us try to live our best lives.

The poem can be read in The Writer’s Club edition of 9th April 2022.

By Sam Bartle

Road To First Acceptance

Jun 14, 2022 — 2 Comments

Submitting my poems

As anyone who writes and seeks publication of their poetry will tell you; the process of submitting your work to various journals and online ezines can be a test of resolve and commitment. Most people have to endure far more rejections than acceptances and, although a relative newbie to this game, I’d already read about the exploits of others on social media and was, to some extent, prepared for rejection.

I tried to prepare myself for the inevitable “no thanks” or “sorry but we don’t think this is the right fit for us at this time.”, and when those rejections eventually came in, I found that the editors were, thankfully, very sensitive and polite in their approach. However, when you’ve yet to break your duck it’s hard to resist self doubt and I was anxious to get off the mark.  It’s all good and well writing poems, but as far as I was concerned, I needed that affirmation from other people in the poetry world that my writing was acceptable, bona fide poetry, to get the nod from an editor that ‘yes, this is ok, and we’re going to publish it‘.

Submitting poems can be a frustrating business! (Image: Suzy Hazelwood. Pexels)

I can’t remember exactly how many “No’s” I had before my first “Yes”, I think it was about 30, but I dealt with it by not dwelling on any of them at all. I just focused on the enjoyment of writing my poems and tried to dismiss each rejection with a shrug of the shoulders. I told myself that perhaps it was something to do with the volume of submissions received; or that the editor was reading mine at a bad time; maybe it was the wrong type of poem for that journal. I was happy to tell myself anything that would allow me to dismiss the rejection in my mind and continue writing – I dread the creativity shackles that would inevitably follow if I thought too carefully about why I get rejections! 

When you look at it, it’s a brutal process, but on reading about others going through exactly the same thing, you realise it’s just a part of it, and that you need to hang in there and keep rolling the dice.

(Image: Anna Shvets. Pexels)

My own moment of first acceptance came in March 2022, with the Wildfire Words online ezine run by Howard and Marilyn Timms of Frosted Fire Press. Until 2021, Howard and Marilyn were heavily involved in the organisation of the Cheltenham Poetry Festival , so it was real thrill to have one of my poems accepted and published in their ‘Open Submissions’ section of Wildfire Words.

The poem is called ‘Everyone‘ and I wrote it the previous October after feeling inspired by Brian Cox’s Universe documentary on the BBC. The explanation of how space and time are connected as ‘spacetime’ (in Einstein’s theory of relativity) provided me with the opening motivation and first lines:

“Everywhere is a moment, Every time is a space“.

The inspirational kickstart for the poem came from Brian Cox’s ‘Universe’ documentary for the BBC (Image: Pixabay)

From there it developed as a simple reflection about everything and everyone. I’m so pleased, and indeed grateful, that Howard and Marilyn accepted this poem for their ezine, and I’ve since continued to receive other acceptances elsewhere (as well as rejections of course!), news of which will follow on this blog, so hit the ‘Subscribe’ button below for updates.

The poem ‘Everyone‘ can be read on Wildfire Words here: https://wildfire-words.com/open-submissions-2/#Sam-Bartle

By Sam Bartle

The High Wolds Poetry Festival

Apr 30, 2022 — 2 Comments

Last year, on Saturday 2nd October 2021, I recited some of my poetry for the first time in front of a live audience. It was a daunting experience for me; not just because it involved being on a stage, projecting my voice into a microphone in front of people, but because the words being said were my own creative works and I was nervous about whether they’d be accepted by the audience as bona fide poems! I’d only been writing for a few months so I was very much ‘testing the water’.

The High Wolds Poetry Festival, North Dalton, 2021

The occasion was the High Wolds Poetry Festival, held at North Dalton Village Hall, East Yorkshire, and having entered a poem into the Festival, based on its theme of the ‘Poetry Kitchen‘, I felt it would’ve been remiss not to have accepted the customary invitation from Festival Director Julian Woodford, for me to read my culinary piece on the day (even though the thought of doing so was far from a ‘piece of cake’!). Of course, this invitation was extended to all poets entering work into the Festival, as this is the essence of the event: It’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone who writes poems to get together and share their work with each other and the wider community. Everyone is welcomed and given the chance to have a platform, irrespective of how long they’ve been writing, or whether they’ve been published. For me, this was my first chance to share with an audience and gauge their reaction!

Poets take turns to read their work.

It was an all-day event, and my slot was in the last hour between 6-7pm. There were some excellent poems being read, among which were some from seasoned poets with several collections to their name, so as my turn became imminent, I tried very hard to block out the terrifying thought that I was about to read my poems to these people! Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was a foolish terror, as the audience were very supportive; the whole point of the event being to encourage and promote all kinds of poetry, though I imagine my apprehension was probably shared by many others taking to the stage for the first time.

As the venue was North Dalton, on the Yorkshire Wolds, I decided to read the poem I wrote about nearby Millington Dale, called ‘Blue-Sky Refuge‘ and I also threw in my climate change poem ‘On Beautiful Sky‘ for good measure. My main recital however was ‘Lemon Biscuits‘ reflecting the food-related theme of the Festival, and based on an old recipe from the East Yorkshire area, dating back to 1754. I naturally tend to write according to inspiration rather than prescription, so I had to challenge myself to come up with something especially for the event itself. I resolved to base it on my attempts to bake the said ‘lemon biscuits’ during lockdown; a baking adventure with mixed results! To my great relief, all three poems seemed to be well-received and I left the stage thinking: a) “What on earth possessed me to do that in the first place?” and b) “I might just be able to do that again!“.

One of the best aspects of the Festival though, is that all entrants receive publication (in print!) in The High Wolds Poetry Collection. This means that you immediately become a ‘published poet’ in the anthology, and I think it’s a brilliant way of encouraging people (such as myself) to continue writing. My copy now sits proudly on my bookshelf!

The ‘High Wolds Poetry Collection 2021
‘Lemon Biscuits’
‘Lemon Biscuits’ (illustration by Robin Dermond Horspool).

I would highly recommend The High Wolds Poetry Festival to anyone who writes or enjoys reading or hearing poetry, but particularly to budding poets who have just started writing. It’s such a supportive and encouraging community, and a vital cultural outlet for a quiet rural area such as the Yorkshire Wolds.

by Sam Bartle

See the Festival’s instagram for related images: