Moon Daisies by Alison Jones
The dark matter of dragonflies by Christian Ward
Sunken Lane by Rachel Jeffcoat
Pilgrimage by Aidan Coyle
Two out of three by Lisabelle Tay
Response by Devjani Bodepudi
Daughter by Claire Walker
Adjustments by Stephen Boyce
Wild makeover by Niall Machin
I golden-shovel my self by Paul atten Ash
Nature’s way by Emily Freeborn
Park Street Station, Preoccupied by Adam Grabowski
Love in a spell of summer rain by Louise Longson
Stalagmite by Hannah Linden
Drink by Katie Beswick
Like butter, puddling by Sian Meades-Williams
How to Watch a Stranger Die by Lindsay Lark
Revival by Saraswati Nagpal
The King of Calm by Sarah Wallis
Summer 1992 by Yaz Nin
Elephant by Suzanna Fitzpatrick
What I learnt from the elephant by Nora Nadjarian
Red Geraniums by Matthew M. C. Smith
Leur Vol Est Impossible* by Gerry Stewart
Abecedarian For The Sacred Roux by Shome Dasgupta
I am the Wrong Fruit by Susan Barry-Schulz
To write without fear by Elizabeth Gibson
The BIG SHOCK by Michelle Diaz
Praise for Woman Whose Eye Shields the Land by Jo Dixon
Birthday by Alicia Rebecca Myers
Naming myself as a poet by Madeleine Heyworth
Snow White by Anna Maughan
Minimalism by Benedicta Norell
In the garden where we sit together by Kerry Darbishire
Early at the head of the lake by Daniel Nixon
Welcome to Issue 12 of Dust Poetry Magazine! This truly feels like a summer issue, not least because of the gorgeously vibrant cover art, ‘Cowslips and Red Campion’ by Sarah Gillard, which invites the reader to step into an array of cheerful blooms. The poetry within feels similarly meadow-like, frequently speaking of growth, happiness, and contentment. Even the poems that are sadder in tone often feature great kindness as a backdrop; the way in which complete strangers step forward to help in times of trauma, for example, is explored in extraordinarily touching work by Claire Walker and Suzanna Fitzpatrick.
The issue is brimming with writing that celebrates authenticity and the calm certainty that the right choices have been made. Aidan Coyle’s ‘Pilgrimage’ depicts a speaker who is ‘anchored and at ease’ with the path his life has taken, while Stephen Boyce’s ‘Adjustments’ takes us by the hand and reassures us that ‘It will be alright’. Both Benedicta Norell and Susan Barry-Schulz shed the expectations heaped upon us by others with confidence and gentle humour, with Maddie Goode and Anna Maughan embracing revivals and second chances. Turning to Alison Jones’s ‘Moon Daisies’ and Niall Machin’s ‘Wild Makeover’, we discover the comforting abundance of a nature that brings ‘the sun up through pavement cracks’ and encourages us to ‘sleep on a bed of cushioned moss’. This is the perfect sort of poetry to envelop yourself in.
As we write this editorial, the sun is finally shining and we have blue skies at long last. We hope that you can take some time to pause and enjoy the writing featured, which is – as ever – a privilege to publish.
The Editors,
Tara Wheeler, Catherine Redford, Bhavya Bhagtani
Sarah Gillard
‘Cowslips and Red Campion’ by Sarah Gillard
Award winning artist Sarah Gillard was born into a family of artists in rural Kent, and studied Art and Design at Banbury College before going on to graduate in Fashion Textiles at Middlesex University. This achievement resulted in a commission for rugs from the Conran Shop in London and since then Sarah has never looked back. Throughout her career, she has been inspired by colour and one look at her
astonishingly vibrant paintings is enough to see where her influence lies. Her love of colour helped her to become a colourist at the acclaimed Liberty Design Studio in 1989 and it was during her time here that Sarah discovered the wonders of gouache and first began to be inspired by the flowers in her mother’s garden; a theme that would go
on to shape her entire career as an artist. Her first solo exhibition was at the Lyric Theatre in London in 1993.
Since then her beautiful flower paintings have been exhibited at many galleries both private and public including the RWA in Bristol, the Bath Society of Artists and the Thelma Hubert Gallery in Devon. From 2000 Sarah spent five years living in the Netherlands surrounded by tulips, an extraordinary inspiration for such a creative person. Back in England and more recently in 2016, Sarah was delighted to win first prize for one of her flower paintings at the Strand Gallery in London, an event
sponsored by the Greenfingers Charity.
In November 2018, Sarah was commissioned to do a painting of a Vanilla Planifolia for LittlePod, the vanilla company based in Devon. She obtained special permission from Kew Gardens to paint in the Pal House, not ideal conditions for gouache! In contrast to the rainforest environment, she set off to the Pyrenees on a painting trip in early March 2019 when lockdown was announced. This proved to be an opportunity to explore new sources of subject matter, from a bunch of asparagus bought at the local supermarket to wild daffodils by a rampaging river.
In February 2023, Sarah received an order from Kew Gardens and Wakehurst for her greeting cards, which are now on sale. It is easy to see where Sarah draws her inspiration. Her paintings exude the beauty and exuberance of an English summer meadow. The sunshine in her work is almost tangible and her application of paint to achieve the essence of each flower is breath-taking. Her method of painting is energetic and spontaneous, qualities that mirror her personality. She has a passion for nature that has taken her from the herbaceous borders of an English cottage garden to the dramatic landscapes and flora in France, Italy and Greece.
Website: sarahgillard.com
IG: sarahrosalindgillard
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