Day 5: The Illusionist

This is one of my favourite poems from my "Barracuda" collection

Russell Jones

Day 4: A Poem for Jordan

Okay so I missed a day. Sue me. No, go on, see just how little money you'll get.

It was Jordan Nielson's birthday yesterday so this poem, which I wrote for her when she left Scotland and headed back for Americaland, seems suitable. You can find out more about Jordan and her shenanigans in kid's lit here: http://www.therustykey.com/Welcome.html

Russell Jones

Day 3: Chromosome Medley

This is the poem which won 3rd place in the Genomics Forum Poetry Competition. Click it to enlarge and then use the magnifying glass that appears to get a good old look-see, you kinky git.

Russell Jones

Kiss my face

Could it be Christmas already? Or your birthday, perhaps? What's that? No it's nothing to do with your recent success with the alcoholic nymphomaniac at the office party or a pity gift because you're so adorably lonesome. Though you are.

For the foreseeable future (I give it a week) I'll be posting a poem a day for you to love, hate or be completely indifferent to.

The first one is inspired by a painting (above) by a rather marvelous and strange artist friend of mine, Daniel Young.

(click to  ENLARGE)

Russell Jones

Shhh Wan, it's a library

The AHRC-funded "Poetry Beyond Text" exhibition has kicked off at the Scottish Poetry Library. Berets and bongos are flying, the books are covered in vomit, blood and a little bit of wee.

Come along to the SPL on Wednesday 15th June to hear a menagerie of poets read their work for the "Chinese Whispers" event. The collection is formed by artists and poets who responded to one another's work through their various mediums.

There might be free wine! And fist fights! And me, drinking the maybe-free wine!

Starts at 6pm



Russell Jones

Manuscripts A-go-go

Since the dawn of my poetry writing "career" I've written X to the power of X poems. Most of them are rubbish.  But like a mushroom on a turd, from the crap pile emerge two decent collections of words.

I've finally put together two manuscripts of poetry which I have written (pretty much) in the past 5 years. But I've no publisher - - see where this is headed? Use yer noggin'

As a lesser form I've sent them off to a few publishing folks in the past and had some mightily fine rejections including "we love this but you're not Welsh". Never have those words hurt so much.

So if you know a publisher who's just dying for mushrooms, send them my way and you can rub my belly. A  FREE sample (the first is free, after that you pay...any way you can) is below, "Barracuda" (a kind of surreal sea-side jaunt):


Click to enlarge. Ohh yeh you like that...

Russell Jones

Shore Arches

Where have I been? Where have YOU been? You never call any more, I'm starting to think that night we had was just a joke. And to think I loved you.  I opened my heart and let you crawl in like Luke Skywalker in that ubiquitous arctic scene. You scumbag. Kiss me.

Well it's been some time since I last posted anything so here are two mind-bendingly astonishing events for you to add to your diary so your life seems a little less like natural yoghurt and a bit more like popping candy milkshake blended with cocaine and dark rum:


The Arches, Glasgow,
24 May, 7pm to infinity

Short film night Focus Left returns following its launch last year – and a highly successful youth edition at Glasgow Film Festival.

I'll be reading Edwin Morgan's science fiction poem, "In Sobieski's Shield" over Dan Warren's short film based on the poem, to live music.


Shore Poets, Lot, 4–6 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2JU

26 June, 7:45 - 10:15pm
	A night where magical poets hit you with their wands: Jane McKie The Mark Ogle Memorial Award Martin McIntyre, Russell Jones Music: Blue Flint

Russell Jones