An anthology of intimate and personal poetry includes two poems by Gabriel Jones, a multi-disciplinary artist who grew up near Tre-Taliesin.

Articulations for Keeping the Light In has been written by 23 new and alumni members of its Barbican Young Poets programme, published by not-for-profit indie press flipped eye publishing.

It explores themes of dreams and memory, as well as of bliss, connection, sex and desire. There are also pieces that hold a mirror up to trauma, brutality, isolation, and the violent realities affecting us and the world now.

It is edited by the programme’s artistic director and lead facilitator, Jacob Sam-La Rose, and poet and programme co-tutor, Rachel Long.

The Barbican’s Young Poets are a cohort of 16-30 year olds, both new members as well as poets who have been part of the diverse group for a number of years.

Now in its 12th year, the programme’s ambition is to create space for poets to connect and build a community, while supporting the development of their craft and alumni from the programme include Eleanor Penny, Kareem Parkins Brown, Amina Jama and Laurie Ogden.

Jacob said: “Barbican Young Poets is a programme that values a wide-ranging body of poetics, celebrating poetry both on the page and in performance with the intention of sidestepping that age-old dichotomy.

“The connection between flipped eye and Barbican Young Poets feels like a perfect fit, bearing in mind the principles the programme upholds in nurturing its participants and the strong track record of developmental work flipped eye has. This is a milestone in the programme’s history.”

Rachel said: “What a joy to witness the coming together of Barbican Young Poets and flipped eye – two powerhouses of poetry, both bedrocks of supporting and publishing exceptional writing talent. How exciting for the future of poetry in this country, and wider. The poems collected here are alive; electric, urgent, and capacious. They go beyond having their ‘finger on the pulse’ of now, they are it. These poets, and poems, wrestle with what now is, our current moment, and state, and they render it, carefully onto the page in such new and exciting ways.”

Lauren Brown, creative learning producer, Barbican, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with flipped eye publishing on the Barbican Young Poets 2022 anthology. This new partnership brings exciting potential for the extraordinary work of our young artists to reach even more widely and be rightfully platformed alongside other exceptional poets in the sector.”

Gabriel said: “The Barbican Young Poets programme has been a dear part of my life; it has placed me in a community of some of the most intelligent, engaged, playful, powerful people that I know and I am often overcome with how grateful I am to be a part of it.

“I can’t thank Jacob, Lauren and Rachel enough for forging a space that is such a continual catalyst for growth and inspiration.

“I have recently been watching how often my mind runs towards imagining the scariest outcome in a given situation and I think that both of my poems in this anthology came about through questioning these narratives with possible alternatives, I am attempting to write my way into a reality that has the potential to wither and flower in complete peace; a reality which seems equally comforting and thrilling.”

An exclusive edition of the anthology was published by the Barbican on 8 May, launched at a free poetry showcase in the Barbican Conservatory. The main edition will be published on 14 July.