"And I would take your soft fingers
And pull you down the alleys of my youth
We would sit under the electric starlight
Listen to the music of the gab
And I would show you the tiny cubby
And the back room of my dreams
Then we’d cross the street to the shell of infancy"

The new issue FourXFour is out now, with new work from Jacqueline Rock, Rachel Spence, Rowan E. Madden and Rainbow Ashwood Jamaican.

Read online and download for free. Many thanks to Jacqueline Rock for the stunning cover artwork for this issue.

Remember, submissions are currently open for future issues too, see our guidelines. Subs close 3rd Feb, 2019.

​Announcing a new special e-pamphlet from Poetry NI for Christmas, by Elizabeth McGeown.

" 'twas two weeks before Christmas
and all through Belfast
people are trying to relive their past."

McGeown's epic poem 'twas captures many stories of the Christmas season: from the parties and celebrations, to the isolation felt by many, to commerce, music, TV specials and other traditions. It is a poem born of Belfast, and the unique situation the city centre found itself in during the wake of the Primark fire; but it also explores how Christmas can make us reflect on our own personal identity, and how we choose to engage with others.

Download for free now.