In this issue

1-Shuck Charlotte Runcie 2-The Chain Isabel Keating 3-Leyli o Majnoon Florinda Philisides 4-On Kuniyoshi’s ‘Woman Struggling Against… Joseph Persad 5-Whitley Bay Donald Futers 6-‘to seeke for moysture in th'arabien san… Corinne Barber 7-Perspectives Sophie Seita

A poem by Charlotte Runcie

Shuck

October rose a fine red dark,
a spider-ripened midnight dark
as porter, and we heard
the beasties’ tappling,
their pointed knuckles on the shout
that blew across the fen:

a ghost-thing of the murking East
had slouched the marsh along of us
its lips athirst for freshening,
from cloud-soaked well in moonless lake
to teeth into a last amen.

I’m sound as robins, walking woods
and shutting bones up tight.
And I forget, and late at night
see candle gore, see canines.