THE FIRING SQUAD
SEND YOUR POEMS
OF A COMPLAINT OR PROTEST NATURE TO:
e-mail:
firingsquad@purplepatchpoetry.co.uk
or snail mail:
Geoff Stevens, 25 Griffiths Road, West Bromwich, B71 2EH, England.
We aim to
publish not only views that we agree with but those that we are totally opposed
to, but they must be put to us as poetry and have at least some small literary
merit as well as a protest one.
Please send your poems by e-mail or by mail. In the latter instance, please type
and enclose a S.A.E. or I.R.C. if you require a reply. In both cases give us
your address.
WHY THE
FIRING SQUAD?
I've often had
poems of a complaint or protest nature submitted for Purple Patch and a few were
included in the magazine, but some, which had controversial views and/or
hard-hitting phrases, were not of a poetical standard that I wanted for my main
publication. Others were well written but the subject matter had an ephemeral
impact value. So, I decided to issue a broadsheet
called The Firing Squad, which would be issued when the themes included were
topical. In addition poems venting bile at problems of an ongoing nature could
be included.
The first issue
came out in 1989 and included a drawing of a firing squad to accompany
the title. This drew an angry response from one Douglas Forward who said the
members of the squad were holding their rifles incorrectly!
Issues were
irregular and often not enough suitable material was available to enable
frequent publication. Some 30 issues have ensued but the internet is a more
ideal medium for this kind of poem, being more immediate and providing a wider
audience. So, we would like future issues to be more frequent and here on this
site.
WE AIM TO
RE-PUBLISH SOME OF OUR PAST ISSUES HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
Geoff Stevens
Menu Series 4
Series 3
To Issue No.4
To Purple Patch Poetry Home Page
REMEMBER NOT
ALWAYS OUR VIEWS BUT ONES THAT SOMEONE FEELS STRONGLY ABOUT.
WE GET SOME POWERFUL OPINIONS BUT WOULD LIKE THE POETRY TO BE WELL CRAFTED TOO.
NB © All poems remain copyright of authors.
