Being in Bodies 2024

The prizewinning and commended poems of Being in Bodies 2024, selected by John L. Stanizzi, are published in this special issue of The Passionfruit Review.
1st prize: ‘Snowstorm’ by Maddy Sneep
2nd prize: ‘Retrace’ by Erika Jing
3rd prize: ‘Bauernschlau’ by Ruth Beddow

A note from John L. Stanizzi on the entries:
These poems were a joy to read, and congratulations to all of you. It is quite lovely to be assured that “good” poetry, the “real thing,” is alive and well.

What stood out for me the most obviously was the incredible number of startling, compelling, unique, and fresh imagery. It was truly unbelievable. In fact, there were times when I read images that were utterly new – brand new ways to come at the notion of an image, and I was amazed.

Compliments and praise to all of you. This stack of work was brimming with first-rate poetry.
Cover art: ‘Radha-Krishna’ by Camellia Paul
				[{"id":1316,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/here-we-go-again-phlebotomy\/","name":"here-we-go-again-phlebotomy","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"here we go again (phlebotomy) by Sarah B. Cahalan","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-22 14:26:57","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-22 14:26:57","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":27},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Another woman\nholds my hand\nto draw me out\n\nSmall talk of love\nof home of\nsnow\n\nI could go and pray\ntomorrow\nbut today here is"},{"id":1335,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/21-09-2023-dr-kazan\/","name":"21-09-2023-dr-kazan","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'21.09.2023 Dr Kazan' by Yaz Nin","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-26 20:04:50","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:49:16","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:49:16","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":49},"status":"publish","excerpt":"We were suspended between\nmother's flat earth\nfather's science\n\u00a0\nYou were the anomaly the church accepted\non Sundays\u00a0\nthe mosque however\ninsisted I fast on Thursdays"},{"id":1331,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/its-gathering-dust-but-its-there\/","name":"its-gathering-dust-but-its-there","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'It's gathering dust but it's there' by Galia Admoni","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-25 20:27:45","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:48:50","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:48:50","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":35},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Things unused or forgotten for a long time start to gather dust. \n\nExamples of things that might gather dust are: unread books \/ old sporting equipment \/ oddly specific kitchen appliances \/"},{"id":1305,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/family-business\/","name":"family-business","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Family Business' by Erika Jing","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:26:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:48:30","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:48:30","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":24},"status":"publish","excerpt":"we don\u2019t run a pizza shop, laundromat\nor corner store. the big\nboss likes to dictate as\nbig men do he chides as\nthey do he doles out\npraise as\nGod"},{"id":1297,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/snowstorm\/","name":"snowstorm","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Snowstorm' by Maddy Sneep","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:09:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:48:11","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:48:11","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":12},"status":"publish","excerpt":"It\u2019s 32\u00b0 indoors and my breath is a cloud of smoke wafting out of the chimney. We are cold and uncomfortable and the elderly could freeze to death but there\u2019s no work to do today"},{"id":1328,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/this-town\/","name":"this-town","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'This Town' by Dan Stathers","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:08:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:47:52","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:47:52","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":36},"status":"publish","excerpt":"In this town we\u2019re bred on bravado,\nsuckled on real ale and cheap cider\nour diet of ridicule and old chestnuts,\nstick a bloke on his arse and you\u2019re immortalised\nHis fault. Gobbing off. Went down like a sack o\u2019 shit."},{"id":1326,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/my-wedding-day\/","name":"my-wedding-day","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'My Wedding Day' by Farzana Nasrin","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:06:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:47:36","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:47:36","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":38},"status":"publish","excerpt":"My bridal lehenga spills across the hall\nembroidered bold with cursive curls and jewels.\nAt last, the lal dupatta drapes and falls\nover my gleaming gaze beneath the floral crewel.\nThe fragrant henna stains my hands maroon\nenriched with weaving petals, leaves, and buds"},{"id":1324,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/a-postpartum-pantoum\/","name":"a-postpartum-pantoum","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'A postpartum pantoum' by Lydia Watson","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:02:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:46:40","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:46:40","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":51},"status":"publish","excerpt":"I don\u2019t think I can do this. \n\u201cMaybe she\u2019s hungry?\u201d my husband says \nas I overflow, feeling little more than flesh: \nbloody nipples and bloodied thighs. \n\n\u201cMaybe she\u2019s hungry\u201d my husband says \nsagely, as if he\u2019s the one with \nbloody nipples and bloodied thighs, \nwondering the right way to feel."},{"id":1300,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/retrace\/","name":"retrace","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Retrace' by Erika Jing","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:44:46","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:44:46","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":22},"status":"publish","excerpt":"When death comes by our window, I will first repeat all my words: Burn, bush, bird, breaking, breadth, have, had, has, lived, lift, lick, dark, hearth, heat, heap, leap, season."},{"id":1303,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/bauernschlau\/","name":"bauernschlau","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Bauernschlau' by Ruth Beddow","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:44:29","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:44:29","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":32},"status":"publish","excerpt":"bauernschlau (adj.):\u00a0literally, \u201cfarm-smart\u201d, the German equivalent of \u201cstreet-wise\u201d\n\nWhen I\u2019m watering the lettuce, I\u2019m not thinking about that text I sent\nor the whereabouts of my IUD. Just how to make the roots as wet as possible in the least possible time, without burning the leaves."},{"id":1307,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/walking-stick\/","name":"walking-stick","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Walking Stick' by Caroline Smith","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:44:13","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:44:13","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":55},"status":"publish","excerpt":"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve polished up your stick.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt was your dad\u2019s \u2013 remember?\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2026. that first date with mum?\nwhen you were just back from National Service?\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2026. and grandad followed you to the Troxy?\u201d"},{"id":1309,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/mortification-of-the-flesh\/","name":"mortification-of-the-flesh","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Mortification of the Flesh' by JP Seabright","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:43:56","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:43:56","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":14},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Behold the body as a dartboard \/ prick-marked \/ sans bullseye \/ no triple word score \/ do not pass go \/ do not collect \u00a3200 \/"},{"id":1312,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/mri\/","name":"mri","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'MRI' by Scarlett Ward","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:43:32","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:43:32","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":11},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Multiple Sclerosis is a disease whereby the immune system attacks the brain, mistaking it for an intruder, and thus scarring the brain stem and resulting in disability."},{"id":1314,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/witness\/","name":"witness","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Witness' by Bex Hainsworth","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:43:12","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:43:12","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":59},"status":"publish","excerpt":"The problem with doom-scrolling\nis that I can\u2019t stop thinking about walking\nby the Wear, my second year at university.\n\nThe path was skinned with mud\nand as I skirted the boathouse,\nI slipped and landed, hard, on one hip.\n\u00a0"},{"id":1318,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/courtship\/","name":"courtship","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'Courtship' by Alison Binney","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:42:46","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:42:46","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":1,"sec":6},"status":"publish","excerpt":"Football fizzled out, but you emailed to say\nyou missed running round chasing a ball -\nwould I like to play tennis? I\u2019m useless at tennis,\n\nbut missed running round chasing balls,\nor rather, chasing the same ball as you,\nwhich was what I hoped you meant."},{"id":1322,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/girl-in-a-garden\/","name":"girl-in-a-garden","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'girl in a garden' by Danielle McMahon","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 12:00:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:42:12","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:42:12","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":17},"status":"publish","excerpt":"I want to sluice\nthrough satin\nribbons of sunlight\n\nI want to race beneath\nthe jointed stilts, the stares\nof sunflowers\n\nI want to eat black soil\nand yellow starbursts\nlike cake"},{"id":1320,"link":"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/the-philosophers-axe\/","name":"the-philosophers-axe","thumbnail":{"url":false,"alt":false},"title":"'The Philosopher's Axe' by Alison Binney","author":{"name":"Archive","link":false},"date":false,"dateGMT":"2024-03-22 11:58:00","modifiedDate":"2024-04-11 13:41:43","modifiedDateGMT":"2024-04-11 13:41:43","commentCount":"0","commentStatus":"closed","categories":{"coma":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>","space":"<a href=\"https:\/\/passionfruitreview.com\/category\/being-in-bodies\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Being in Bodies<\/a>"},"taxonomies":{"post_tag":""},"readTime":{"min":0,"sec":37},"status":"publish","excerpt":"In a pub somewhere someone is telling\nsomebody else they\u2019re literally not the same\n\nperson they were seven years ago, citing\nthat thing about cells regenerating every few\n\nyears, while, in another pub, somebody claims\nthat\u2019s a myth based on the average of, say,\n\nthe five-day lives of intestinal epithelial cells,\nthe growth of toenails by one millimetre per month,"}]