Reviews

“Punctuated with haiku that distill the essence of Aylett’s literary vision, the poems in Goldfish counter the confusing demands and false promises of contemporary culture with a poetic voice that cuts simply and directly to their core. This is how poetry lives in the body of ordinary spoken English—as a pulse that quickens with passion or exertion, then falls into a steady rhythm in moments of reflection . . . only to come to a abrupt, full two-second stop. A skipped beat. The death-blow of a perfectly articulated turn of thought.” — Clark Strand, author of Seeds From a Birch Tree: Writing Haiku and the Spiritual Journey and Waking Up to the Dark: The Black Madonna’s Gospel for an Age of Extinction and Collapse. "Jonathan surprises. A poet whose work is at once urgent and poignant. Unsentimentally he speaks to your heart. From haiku to slam pieces, each word rings true. I always look forward to experiencing Jonathan’s work, both on the page and when performed at live events. Each time his words arrive, I feel more alive. What more could you ask of a writer?" — Ali Harwood, Liverpool City Region Artist of the Year 2023, Host of Liver Bards spoken word event, Wirral Poetry Festival planning team, Coordinator of Liverpool Literacy Cycle