The Lodestone Poets bring three brilliant voices to MK Lit Fest's Online Programme!

Expect writing that engages with climate emergency from the perspective of a mythical god dismayed by homo sapiens' death wish, poems that explore the power of physical contact and the impact of intimacy, and urgent tales from a visceral ride into underworld life in eighties and nineties London.

What do you do when you are a god – but powerless and unable to prevent one of your favourite species from their insatiable, accelerating death wish?

Do you try to shout louder and more insistently, or instead reinvent yourself as a troubadour of romantic ruin, a barkeep, even a football manager?

Such are the dilemmas posed by Rishi Dastidar in his third poetry collection, Neptune’s Projects, a reshaping of mythology for the climate crisis era which gives bold consideration to the stark choices we face.

​Jessica Mookherjee’s Desire Lines is a deeply thrilling joyride into a glamorous/anti-glamorous world of sex, drugs and stolen books.

She crafts, largely through prose-poetry, a love letter to her golden years in eighties and nineties London. The poetry erupts into choppy river-washed rhythm with tales so urgent and visceral, life simply sings from the pages, wrapped up in gin, leather jackets and cheap nail polish.

The power of physical contact is a constant theme in a startling new collection by Anna Saunders. Her latest publication, The Prohibition of Touch, is populated with vivid characters from myth, legend and real life, all of whom understand the impact of intimacy or its lack.

Hear all three poets read as The Lodestone Poets return to MK Lit Fest's Online Programme, along with readings from the Lodestone founders, Sarala Estruch, Lesley Sharpe and Dave Wakely.

Bookings are open now (tickets free/optional donation) at www.mklitfest.org/lodestone-poets-8.