NHS and Health

Language Studies student Fiona Wilson wrote this analysis of Janine's poem 'p.p.e.' for her degree, scoring a distinction.

Introduction

Who knew
that new need not actually mean new?
It might mean refurbished or extended,
repurposed or pretended?
Who knew?

Who'd have thought it,
that forty need not actually mean forty?
That's rather naughty
It ought to, surely?
I'd have thought

Asylum's poetry editor Janine Booth introduces three of the poetic contributors to the new issue of the radical mental health magazine: Gail Something Else, Fred the Ninja, and Holly Bars.

Janine has recently taken over as Poetry Editor of Asylum magazine.

Asylum wants your poetry for our radical mental health magazine.

Blocking folk from getting jabs
Harassing working people 
Spouting endless bafflegab
While calling others sheeple

Sharing psychobabble memes 
Spurning free protection
This is off so many beams
This isn't insurrection

I too don't trust authority
I want to smash the system
But this is not a just minority
This is not resisting

• a guest post by Ian Hutchinson, autistic clinician – NHS children’s services, Cornwall 

Thinking about practical humanistic models for supporting autistic people in distress, time for a paradigm shift? 

Buy it here.

Janine’s poetry is a raw and powerful expression of the solidarity between working- class people (in all our diversity) throughout history but also particularly the community resistance and togetherness that we have felt during the pandemic.
Nadia Whittome MP

Janine has, through these poems, accurately described life through the pandemic for millions, the frustrations and feelings of being undervalued throughout the mismanagement of it whilst low-paid, undervalued key workers have kept the country going. Absolutely brilliant from start to finish!
Sarah Woolley, General Secretary, Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union

Unprecedented Rhymes is a clever, big-mouthed, bitesize commentary on the first year of Covid-19. Its rollercoaster mirrors these broken times perfectly, right up to wondering if your legs are gonna work when you get off.
Gail ‘Something Else’, festival organiser

Prolific, radical and always topical, Janine Booth is one of the great performance poets of our age.
Attila the Stockbroker, poet, musician, troubadour

Janine Booth brings her trademark indomitable spirit to a collection of dangerously direct and honest poems, bottling a cocktail of emotions and human stories gathered across the first year of life under COVID-19 lockdown in the UK. Janine lays out the reality of corruption, neglect, and mismanagement, and rants her way to a definitive, defiant, and hopeful chronicle of life-under-lockdown.
The Repeat Beat Poet

No poet strikes a [power] chord with the feminist punk sorority more than Janine Booth. 
Cassie Fox, Loud Women

Janine Booth is that rare creature, a political poet’s poet. In her work, fire and commitment stand clearly and fearlessly alongside creative clarity and razor-sharp warfare. She takes no hostages. These poems bluntly debunk the bullshit which we’re endless fed. Hers is no hackneyed voice. It comes to us fresh, fierce and fulsome. Embrace it. 
Nick Toczek, poet and writer

If you're locked down with books
and a partner who cooks
better than you
Then you'll probably get through

If you're locked down with a garden
it might not be so hard and
with a nice glass of wine
You'll probably be fine

If you're locked down with games
and people who play them
and plenty of space
You can probably face it