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THE OASIS
in this place we know each other
there’s nae escapin everybody here
remembers ye knows yer family friends
worries greatest achievements mortal sins
they remind ye ae thum it breaks the ice
bein horrible is the easiest way tae be nice
it’s always the same when ye come here
that’s why we come we fall back
talk tae people the first time in ages
since the last time we wur here
catch up oan wit we’ve been daein
the same as usual ye know yerself
it’s always the same it’s warm
a wee blast a cold the smokers
go oot come back in again baltic
so it is rub their hands thegither
the lights the trees the tinsel necklaces
pound coins in the jukebox we share
the music I love this wan it gets ye goin
get yer arse up come oan
From The Oasis by Charles Lang, published by Skein Press
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PBS SPRING RECOMMENDATION
THE OASIS BY CHARLES LANG
Pulsing with the energy of urban life, these poems traverse the gritty, playful and tender moments that shape our lives. From the thrill of evading the police in ‘The Chase’ to the nostalgia of ‘New Shoes’ and the sheer abandon of ‘The Amusements’, we are pulled deep into a world where chaos and community intersect. With a clarion and uncompromising voice, Charles Lang maps a labyrinth of memories, blending sharp wit with darker undercurrents as he explores identity, masculinity, class and ecology. Whether reflecting on family, friendships or fleeting moments of euphoria, Lang offers an authentic snapshot of working-class lives, where beauty is found in both the mundane and the extraordinary; in the human and the more-than-human. A sonorous celebration of language and place, The Oasis is a vivid ode to the city’s streets and stories, a testament to resilience and belonging.
Charles Lang is from Glasgow. His poems have appeared in numerous publications including Poetry Ireland Review, Poetry London, The Poetry Review and The Stinging Fly. He was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions series in 2022. In 2024, he was Ciaran Carson Writing and the City Fellow at the Seamus Heaney Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, and was shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award.
Order here with 25% off using your PBS Member discount code at checkout
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NEW PODCAST WITH RICHARD SCOTT
Arji's Poetry Pickle Jar is back for a PBS Special with Spring Choice Richard Scott into the virtual studio to chat about That Broke into Shining Crystals. His poems have appeared in Poetry Review, Poetry London, PN Review, The Poetry of Sex (Penguin) and his pamphlet Wound (Rialto) won the Michael Marks Poetry Award 2016. His second collection That Broke into Shining Crystals is heading out to members in the next few weeks. Have a listen here for first-hand insights and thought-provoking discussions.
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NCLA & PBS SPRING SHOWCASE
Thanks so much to everyone who came along to our PBS Spring Showcase last night, hosted by Preti Taneja at the Culture Lab with our wonderful partners NCLA at Newcastle University. We loved hearing readings from our new co-Book Selector Yomi Ṣode's T.S. Eliot shortlisted collection Manorism and Oluwaseun Olayiwola's new collection Strange Beach, our Spring Special Commendation, and the very first book in Fitzcarraldo Editions' brand new poetry imprint. The event concluded with such a fascinating discussion, chaired by the poet Sinéad Morrissey, ranging through themes of race and masculinity, queer bodies, love, choreography, poetic craft, white space on the page and form. A recording of the event will be available on the NCLA Youtube Archive soon for all to view.
Both books are available here with 25% off for PBS Members using your discount code at checkout.
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"Leaping up into an aria. A little changeling boy..." - Richard Scott
Our Spring Bulletin is here - hot off the press - featuring this beautiful cover artwork called Rainbow Cannonball by the US based artist Marie Cameron which captures the prism of LGBT experiences, childhood, innocence and loss at play in our Spring Choice Richard Scott's That Broke Into Shining Crystals. We can't wait to hear your thoughts on the Spring Book Box next week - happy reading!
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