FHP6

AND WE DANCED

I can feel now the flow of our steps
as our feet patterned the floor.

My soul still sings
for the music that lifted us,
had us young again, 
the whole night ahead
and us in one another’s arms.

Sue Finch (MO6)

FHP6, MO6

The White Swan and Phaon

As a child she would wander into the sea,
choose what was offered from the ferry beneath, seaweed and clam, octopus and fish, suckling her knees and spreading between, tickling and sighing in the soft Aegean sea; she knew quite well, she  travelled constantly, from Mytilene to Athens, her family royalty, her mother a priestess, her father a warrior from Lesbian aristocracy.

And she talked to the trees, listened from the eaves,
played her lyre, and plucked constantly; everywhere she turned there were white birds who lit on her hands, and when she would sing, they were whispering:

Oh Sappho, this song is your Destiny, oh Sappho, you will sing forever in Pierian Spring, oh Sappho, these roses are yours, you see, Sappho, we added a string; take this hewn plectra and press it to the eighth with your soft hand; your deep low voice will sing for the goddess you hear nightly; walk out to the sea, watch the waves rise and fall around your knees; the Swan we know is waiting; be like Helene for him, your daughter will be Kleis, blonde and free, your special love will be a daughter; gather your flowers carefully, and when you are ready, the Swan will welcome you down by the river where it empties into the sea; he will wait over the hill to teach you to sing.

So Sappho wandered one day, when she was fourteen,
and the Swan appeared erect with two white wings,
and carried her off into the green; and she sang for the doves, and she sang to the trees, and she plucked her strings on the streets of Mytilene, and soon there were three, Sappho, her daughter, and Aphrodite, who never failed to leave Sappho’s heart in misery, for she lived foolishly, one marauder after another, till she retired comfortably.

But Phaon appeared one day, magically, the prettiest young man she had ever seen; her heart was lost for the very first time, as she had never seen such beauty nor cruelty, a seducer of words, a minstrel of low company, but there poor Sappho was stricken to her knees; not war nor exile could separate her from his memory, and thus poor Sappho, now a priestess of love, fell into the sea; though her pedigree forbade her from seeing him again, she fled to Sicily, then on to the Mediterranean Sea where her brother took her in eventually.

Her scrolls of songs burned in Alexandria, and the popes picked them off, and the academy agreed, but more were found in the twenty-first modern century, and more of Sappho’s tormented tears reach my ears,
as she comes to live in my heart awash with misery.

Oh Sappho, you suffered, but Kleis is free; find your way and go out to the sea, find the wooden boat near the Styx; he will be waiting, dear Phaon, who ever never loved thee; rescue your love from the briny deep, his colorful boat pasted with words, his heart the Swan only understands, and he will set your heart free, though he may never again touch a mortal poetess as beloved as thee.

©️Elizabeth Cusack
For Wombwell Rainbow
5 April, 2026

Dave Ashley

Bubbles 
(GPH 06, MO6) 

What happened to the good times, 
The bubbles in a garden 
That blurred the lines 
Between reality 
And fantasy, 
The magic that made life seem to be 
Enchanted. 
When did the world 
Take a turn for the tragic 
Those bubbles burst, 
But no wishes were granted 
It just left soot and ash 
As a blanket 
Smothering the memories 
Of what I'm sure used to be 
Happiness 
How long did it take to forget 
Those past times that used to bring me joy.

Luke Meyers

Jane Sharp

Gph 06 pastimes

Poetry Pastimes

Pastimes of past times baked in rhyme
where poetry forged upon a reeling page
is perfect as its regaled from centre stage.

Ink emblazoned with a sardonic shine
scintillating wit which is all the rage.
Pastimes of past times baked in rhyme
where poetry forged upon a reeling page.

Up before the audience who radiate sublime
delivering poetry in hopes to assuage
bad temperaments which the word rearrange.
Pastimes of past times baked in rhyme
where poetry forged upon a reeling page
is perfect as its regaled from centre stage.

Dave Ashley

so memo gone around
 
A bigger vase so she can flourish again.
Pastimes are awaiting reopening
Folk like me who have no skin in the game.
Signs from decades gone, keep calm and shopping.
 
What games do kids play in a live warzone?
My eyes are dim, I cannot see. My specs
blasted smashed in front of me. Drones, drones, drone
bombs drop drop like nan's doodlebug wrecks.
 
It's been flipped on its head. she says It's 
harming everybody else. Pastimes 
are becoming present times and fits
even future times. Re-opening prime
 
war memories in old folk, veterans .
Those who had skin in the game, open wounds.

Paul Brookes

Artworker Bios And Artistic Statements

Molly Ovenden (MO)

Artist Statement:

In this April 2026 collection, “New Light, Returning Daily,” I wanted to explore using familiar materials with unfamiliar methods. I combined off-cuts from my “scrapings” paintings, pages from a rescued Bible that had been damaged, and a variety of mixed media materials to make something new with collage in a cohesive collection. When I consider how day-to-day life can feel mundane, the same day-after-day, or simply a repeat of dull life that offers next to no progress, I easily miss the beauty in small, secret, quiet moments. As this series of 30 pieces unfolds, I created it to capture the variety, emotions, beauty, and depth of everyday life on the daily; viewing each piece (or, each day this month) separately may reveal one thing for a viewer, but to experience each piece together may offer a new perspective, a new light, on our everyday mundane upon returning daily.

Bio:

Molly Ovenden is a contemplative poet and painter based in Leeds, England. She writes poems for people on the spot with her vintage typewriter and moments of emotion through expressive abstract paintings. For Molly, inspiration comes from running and wandering through nature, seeking God in everyday small moments, and holding spaces for people to be present with emotions. Molly believes that everyone is made to create: whether they paint or write poetry, or build literal bridges as a civil engineer or relational bridges as a great neighbour, it all takes creativity. The concept “Beauty is an arrow of Hope that points to Peace” drives Molly to capture, create, and share beauty with others–especially through poems and paintings.

Contact for Availability and Purchasing:

To view full collection, visit: https://mollyovenden.com/art/

To contact for availability and Purchasing – UK only shipping – visit: https://mollyovenden.com/contact/Facebook | Instagram – @mollyovendencreativity For Blog About Artwork, visit: 

https://mollyovenden.substack.com/

Phil Hyde

GP Hyde was born on the Wirral and now lives in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, UK. He studied fine art and photography at Goldsmith’s College and at the Royal Academy Schools. He worked in theatre, art centres and community arts as a photographer, writer and production manager for 14 years and as a lecturer and senior manager in creative arts for 25 years.

His photography has been featured in Underbelly Press in issues 5 and 6. His influences include Tony Ray Jones, Martin Parr and Tom Wood.

socials: @gphydeauthor

Francis H Powell

Francis H. Powell studied both painting and printmaking at art schools in Britain, obtaining a Master of Arts degree. Since leaving art school, he has participated in exhibitions in both the UK and France, including group exhibitions and solo shows. His work ranges across paintings, drawings, mixed media, sculptures, and installations, sometimes incorporating political themes, such as plastic waste in the sea. His installations also include soundscapes and video. In addition to his visual art, his illustrations have been included in books.  

Below is a list of exhibitions…

Exhibitions 20252024//2023 Salon d’art de Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne

2022 show Studio 58, Brittany 2015 One man show Style Pixie Gallery 2008 one man show gallerie L’Usine Paris 2007 one man show Theatre du Poche. Chartres. 2006 l’église de L’hôpital de la Salpêtrière 2006 Carrousel du Louvre 2005 Group Exhibition IVY Gallery Bastille 2005 Vente Art Contemporain, Paris and Marseille. (for Aides charity) 2001 Live Art Show le Divan du Monde Paris. 1987 Final Post graduate show, Wimbledon School of Art. 1987 Royal Society of Painter, Etchers and Engravers, Bankside Gallery 1986 “In and out of print”, Swiss College Library Exhibition Hall 1985 Studies in composition (the Professor studio) the Royal College of Art 1983 Leicestershire Collection for schools and Colleges Baumanor Hall 1983 Stowells Trophy Royal Academy 1983 Windsor and Newton Finalist Royal Institute of Painters Mall Gallery Studied at 1985-87 Wimbledon School of Art MA printmaking. 1979-80 Eastbourne College of Art 1980-83 Glos College of Art and Technology BA (Hons) painting  

Author Bios:

Jen Thorne

C. Oulens 

is an emerging poet and former academic from India. Winner of the 3rd Annual Poe-It Like Poe 2025 poetry contest, her work has been published or is forthcoming in The Broken Spine, Lothlorien Poetry Journal, The Candyman’s Trumpet, Eunoia Review, Spillwords Press, The Starbeck Orion, Temple in a City, Sixty Odd Poets, SHINE International, The Book Bag, FromOneLine, SciFanSat, Verseve and in haiku journals including Pan Haiku Review, 575 Haiku Journal, Poetry Pea, The Wee Sparrows, Haiku Pause, The Solitary Daisy, Folk Ku, Failed Haiku, and Heterodox Haiku. Explore her works on Bluesky @owlnsquirrels1111.bsky.social.

Jane Sharp

Donna Faulkner

lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. Free spirited and unconventional, she came to the business of writing later in life. She’s published in The Madrid Review , Alchemy Spoon,  The Bayou Review, 300 Days of Sun, Windward Review, Havik, New Myths, and many others. Her poetry book In Silver Majesty was published by the UK based erbacce press in 2024.https://www.erbacce-press.co.uk/donna-faulkner

Instagram: @lady_lilith_poet  X@nee_miller  

Website: https://linktr.ee/donnafaulkner

Lin Hart

Lin describes herself as a poet, satirist, and zinester from West Virginia. A married, mother of two who eats numbers for work and is definitely a neurospicy cryptid in disguise. Find out more on Bluesky.

Luke Meyers

Luke is a Welsh performer and poet who discovered a love of writing during the lockdown. Luke mainly writes on Bluesky @sonnetsmith.bsky.social but has also been published in a couple of publications, including the British Fantasy Journal, Icebrakers Lit. Muse Pie Press, From One Line, and Oatleaf Poetry Journal.

Sue Finch

Sue Finch is the author of Magnifying Glass, Welcome to the Museum of a Life, and Vortex Over Wave. She loves the coast, peculiar things, and the scent of ice-cream freezers. 

Mick Jenkinson

Jenni Thorne

is a writer from the Black Country in the UK, and winner of the New2theScene poetry prize for 2025, and has had her work published in various poetry collections and on-line jornals including Starbeck Orion, Ink, Sweat and Tears, April Showers, Dark Poets, Broken Spine and the Sixty Odd Poets Heresy collection. 

Her work explores the weight of the ordinary, the need for belonging, and the way the lessons of the past and the pressures of modern life shape us.

She shares her writing on Bluesky @jenthorne.bsky.social.