The Poetry Bus Magazine

description

The Poetry Bus Magazine is a new magazine of contemporary poetry and illustration in Ireland, an alternative to the current crop of poetry magazines, and different in its design , artwork,and thinking.

For example a free audio CD of the poets performing their poems will be issued with every copy of the magazine; this adds a totally new dimension and brings the real voice of the poet, and the poem, to life.  An extra bonus is a song - 'The Tune' by brilliant singer/songwriter Martin Egan.

Poetry Bus features the very best of the new wave of emerging voices in Irish poetry and across the world.  But like any bus its passengers will be an eclectic mix of ages, ideas and styles.  Poetry is a broad church and the bus has seats and poetry for all.  It is a magazine which is serious about poetry and art, but won't take itself too seriously.  It will offer a quality outlet for talented people, and those showing great promise. Some passengers may be published over and over ,who knows, some may never be published again, but if this is their moment, I want it to be special.

The artwork will be a vital and vibrant feature of the magazine. We are fortunate to have three brilliant Irish artists featuring in PB2: Kevin McSherry, Una Gildea and Padhraig Nolan (AKA Scalder) doing artwork specially for the magazine.  We are also delighted to have three images (including the amazing front cover) by gifted British painter Adam Neate who is regarded as one of the world's best conceptual and street artists.

The poetry will always be the backbone of the magazine and PB2 (just to give you a brief taste) will feature all Ireland poetry slam champion Colm Keegan and other performance poets like the explosive Dave Lordan, Karl Parkinson (who recently got a standing ovation in The Bowery in New York) Stephen James Smith from The Glòr sessions (complete with Polish translation), Sarah Mariah Griffin who at only 23 is making big waves, Kerrie O'Brien, Kit Fryatt, Kevin Higgins, Richard W Halperin, Michéle Vassal and Kate Dempsey.

It will feature the glorious poetry of St James Harris Woods written in his prison cell in California.  There's Korean war remembrances from Octogenarian Tom Sheehan. There are first timers, old timers , poems about picnics (Electric ones!), sunsets, bicycles, hats, knees, pornography, breakfast, hills, back-alleys, parallel universes, trousers, prayers, bus journeys and going home.

If you don't love these poems and this magazine, then you just don't LOVE full stop!

I have a bus load of talent raring to go, all I need is the money for the diesel.

The whole magazine is really a group collaboration of so many poets and artists individually willing to give their work and time to make something special. And that is why I think crowd funding through Fund it is such a perfect way for this project to be financed - with everyone joining in with us giving what they can to create something special for everyone. I hope you can help us.

Best wishes,
Peadar.