donna.jones mbe

 

'These are real, carefully wrought and unafraid poems that often tear away the poetic veil to reflect feelings and lives from troubled landscapes.  From Skeg Vegas to Blackberries, Donna Jones sings the dark of tough times, and harrowing journeys, to find moments of sweet relief, tenderness and hope.'

 

'Fabulous and personal work. Read it.'  Matt Black, Derbyshire Poet Laureate.

'Donna Jones takes us where many writers fear to tread.'  Professor Liz Cashden.

'Donna Jones describes her writing as her 'comforter, diary, friend and punch bag' and this first collection of poems packs all of these into a smack to the senses that leaves its mark long after bruises heal.  Donna writes without shame of her own pain and isolation and also her joy, alongside that of the broken, judged and overlooked.  Brave, tough, funny and touching, within these pages we glimpse slices of the thick and thin of life, the agony, brutality and sheer wonder of what it is to be human.'  Vicky Morris.

 

 

 

RED RAW - 47 poems special handpicked poems and edited by VICKY MORRIS.  They cover Donna's themes of interest as an observational poet, a confessional poet, and humour/pathos.  

 

'I want to say a special thanks to ROWAN BLAIR COLVER, JOAN ELLIS and BARBARA JANE MACKIE for their professional reviews.'  Donna Jones MBE.

'Donna Jones creates splendid emotive lines of dark sensations and flickering images of hope.  A brave writer who plunges ever deeper into the dimensions of the lesser spoken side of humanity, always providing a haunting journey into another's story.'  Rowan Blair Colver. 

 

'Donna Jones is a powerhouse of talent. Her work is at once funny, yet poignant, reaching deep inside hearts and minds. Each word is chosen with pinpoint accuracy to convey its razor sharp meaning.  Unforgettable.'  Joan Ellis. 

'Donna Jones writes from the heart with gut wrenching honesty and bravery that seizes you by the throat and doesn't let you go.  There is no let up in what donna makes you face.  Her poems are raw, visceral, profound, condensing the tragi-comedy of her life and all our lives into a deeply moving shared experience.  A Poet Laureate in the making.'  Barbara Jane Mackie. 

 

 

Poetry means different things to different people- I love the quote by EZRA POUND- poetry should 'Make it new again'; as though we are seeing, feeling and experiencing things for the first time. Philip Mahony states that poetry should be 'relevant, important and readable', that it 'aspires to matter, to confront and shine new light on the significant events and issues of our time.'  1998.

Since January 2017 Donna has written over 345 poems poems and getting ready to publish a new collection.