If you enjoy Weblines, you could look out for some of the many other poets, such as Linton Kwesi Johnson, James Berry and Faustin Charles, whose writing is grounded in the Caribbean’s oral tradition. Grace Nichols, David Dabydeen and Fred D’Aguiar are other writers with Guyanese roots whose poetry engages with Creole, moving between Caribbean and standard English.

More Bloodaxe poets reviewed by our readers…..

The Nowhere Birds by Catriona O’Reilly

‘This book has a quiet excellence which gets louder and louder each time you read it. Take a flight with the nowhere birds – it’ll lead you to many great somewheres.’

‘On the hottest of July days I read Blueness and was immediately transported to the Swiss glaciers where ‘There was blue in the mountain’s throat’, and felt that icy air in my lungs.’

‘I am not sure what the tingle factor is, but I think these poems have got it.’

Glimpses by Brendan Kennelly

‘Clever writing that makes compulsive reading. A mixture of the real and the bizarre.’

This Great Unknowing by Denise Levertov

‘If I were to recommend this to a friend I would tell them that this is Levertov’s unconscious goodbye; they are her last poems before her death and are what she calls the ‘prints in my dust.’

‘Dived into this one and landed on my feet or, more correctly, landed on the poem Feet and what a treat that was. Here is a poet who knows the true value of the fairytale. Every so often one comes across a poem which transcends and here, among some fine verse, is such a poem.’

The Book of Love by Roddy Lumsden

‘Fabulous at the first reading, even better at the third. Each poem says just enough; never too much, never too little.’

An Awful Racket by Rita Ann Higgins

‘I know many people who will love these poems; they will write them on placards and parade them down the streets.’

‘You’ll love this, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. The language is strong and direct, she doesn’t hold her punches. Her narrative style is beguiling and will carry you back through your Irish childhood, even if you didn’t have one. It’s like reading a clip from Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes – and if that doesn’t tempt you to read this book nothing will!’

 Destination: Further…..

Reading groups: Many of the reactions to the poetry in this leaflet were written by members of reading groups. Reading groups are a way of sharing the pleasure you get from reading. They offer you the chance to meet with other readers who also enjoy talking about the book they’ve read. Most groups are free, meet monthly, and have up to fifteen members. Group members decide what they want to read and talk about – meetings are informal and everyone’s opinion counts.

If you are interested in joining or starting a reading group, ask at your local library or bookshop. They may already run a reading group. If they don’t they should be able to give you information on your nearest group, or advice on starting one yourself. The West Midlands Readers’ Network supports readers and readers’ group in the region – check out your local library, lit-net's writers and readers page or e-mail handinhand@cwcom.net for details of your nearest group.

Lit-Net (http://www.lit-net.org) is the West Midlands’ own books and reading website. A lively, constantly changing site including book reviews, discussions, and details of events for readers and writers.(I should cocoa, Lit-Net Ed)

Poetry On Loan West Midlands is a network of 20 libraries in the region which specialise in the promotion of contemporary poetry. The six libraries participating in Poetry Book of the Month are Poetry On Loan members. All have a special Poetry Place within their libraries, with information, collections of poetry, etc. Click here for details of other Poetry On Loan libraries.

The Poetry Society helps poetry thrive by promoting it through a range of work including publications, competitions, education work, and a website (www. poetrysoc.com).  It is a membership organisation open to all and offers benefits to members. Contact: Membership, The Poetry Society, 22 Betterton Street, London WC2H 9BX.

The Orange Reading Groups Guide (free, Book Trust, 1997) contains everything you need to know about setting up a reading group. Phone 0973 150 720 to order a copy.