Issue Four: Transfigurations

Dear Reader,

Every edition of The Kindling gathers itself around a theme, and Issue Four draws its inspiration from Robert Jackson‘s poem, ‘Days of 2017’:

I started again at Cavafy […] that slight volume
slowly crushed in my bag through those
very streets it changed. Or even transfigured.

In the spirit of celebrating this journal’s first birthday, we’d asked our contributors to look back with us on the events of the past year: to take stock, and perhaps, to take courage. Reading through the brilliant pieces we received, it was Robert’s words – which gesture towards the power of even a few words to transform (‘even transfigure’!) our reality – that took us back to the heart of what we want to do here at The Kindling. 

This issue’s small but profound transfigurations are anchored by two new poems by Hannah Lowe, in which form and meaning conspire to reveal bracing truths about our world. Alongside, we feature a candid interview with Rishi Dastidar – ever-encouraging friend and mentor of young poets – who shares some of his current preoccupations and future plans.

In our other prose offerings, Jade Cuttle transports us to this year’s Ilkley Literature Festival, where she worked with poet-in-residence Daljit Nagra, while co-editor Theo reviews two new pamphlets by Alexandra Strnad (also a contributor to this issue) and Katy Evans-Bush. Of course, these all stand in good company of our new and returning Kindling poets, who seem to stop time itself with their meditations on our shifting pasts and futures.

We trust you’ll find, in their words, new seasons and dimensions.

[ POETRY ]

Hannah Lowe | Alexandra Strnad | Ashish Kumar | Freya Jackson
Mauricio Baiocco | Millie Guille | Octavia Burnett
Rachel Lewis | Renie Leng | Robert Jackson | Timothy Braddock

[ PROSE ]

Rishi Dastidar | Jade Cuttle | Theophilus Kwek

Tash & Theo

Editors, The Kindling