iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Chris Sewart @chriswriting.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Reposted by Di Slaney

Here's my final commissioned poem for the @stage4beverley.bsky.social Festival. First event this Sunday. Thanks to @dislaney.bsky.social and her lovely book, 'Reward for Winter', for inspiration for this poem. And to the @plsoc.bsky.social for their support as Stage 4 Beverley Festival Poet.

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Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Delighted to have a poem ‘Groundtruthing’ with The Phare - you can read it here www.thephare.com/winter25flip... and listen to it here www.thephare.com/letslisten Big thanks to @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social on X in 2017 for the epigraph

thephare.com

Let's Listen | Phare

Our published writers and poets read us their work.

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Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Very happy to have made this Australian longlist with three witchy poems - congratulations to Sue Burge also! Fingers crossed for the shortlist now. www.writingtheheroine.com/longlist

Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Looking forward to this live reading at Waterstones Market Harborough on Thursday with Jonathan Taylor, Tim Relf and Maria Taylor – come join us if you can! I’ll be reading some playful poems for #nationalpoetryday Starts 6.30pm - details here: www.waterstones.com/events/poetr...

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Reposted by Di Slaney

Alison Brackenbury @abrackenbury.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

One piece of chocolate was absent-mindedly consumed before I even took the picture... But these delectable poems will not disappear! Thank you, @dislaney.bsky.social & @candlestickpress.bsky.social Candlestick Press, for including mine in the assorted 'Ten Poems about Chocolate'!

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Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

On National Poetry Day 2nd October, I’ll be at Waterstones Market Harborough for a reading alongside Tim Relf, Maria Taylor and Andrew Taylor with poems of place, of animals and of play - come along! #nationalpoetryday It starts at 6.30pm - details here: www.waterstones.com/events/poetr...

waterstones.com

Poetry Evening at Waterstones Market Harborough | Events at Waterstones Bookshops | Waterstones

Events at Waterstones get you closer to the books and authors you admire most. Find information and tickets about Poetry Evening at Waterstones Market Harborough today.

The Poetry Society @poetrysociety.org.uk · 30/08/2025

Reposted by Di Slaney

Today's recommendation comes from @dislaney.bsky.social, the representative of the North Nottinghamshire Stanza. To find out more about our Stanza groups, visit the link in our bio. Di's pick is Mary Mulholland's 'the elimination game' (Broken Sleep Books). Thank you, Di!

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Thank you so much, dear Elly! 😘

Edited by Paul with translations by Siena Crossley, The Power of Place: Poetry of the Côte d’Azur can be bought on Amazon or from Paul directly: strategol@orange.fr

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The inspiration for my own poem came from an altogether different place, although Paul was kind enough to keep it in the anthology, perhaps as a point of contrast. In warm, bright and opulent places there are often small, scared patches of darkness that should be brought to the light.

Inspired by making his home in Cannes and “walking in the sandy footsteps of many great writers who found inspiration in the topography, climate and culture of this marvellous land”, Paul has assembled a small collection of beautiful poems which perfectly demonstrate the inspiration of place.

There are many tales to be told from that short, intense time living at sea with complete strangers, but I’d never considered it material for poetry until lovely Paul Christopher Walton asked if I had anything to contribute to his forthcoming anthology Côte d’Azur.

Living on the boat in dry dock while we made it seaworthy meant walking 500m to find toilets and showers in the marina. No running water. No home comforts. No comfort at all, in fact.

Recruited for my language skills and not my ability to cook, clean, do laundry and anti-foul the underneath of a boat in dry dock, these were all things I had to learn very quickly to do. Character-building, I think it’s called! It was hotter than I’d ever known.

The Poetry Society @poetrysociety.org.uk · 27/06/2025

Almost 41 years ago this weekend, I had a big adventure. Pre-university me spent the summer of 1984 working as single crew on board a small yacht on the Côte d’Azur, helping the owner of a kit car company promote his latest vehicle. It was time for me to grow up.

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Reposted by Di Slaney

We're pleased to announce two new Stanza groups: one in North Nottinghamshire, and one in Newcastle. Stanza groups are groups run voluntarily by Poetry Society members, and take a variety of forms, including workshops and reading groups. Take a look! poetrysociety.org.uk/membership/p...

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Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

The conversations with dogs is the sequel 😉🐾

Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Thank you so much, dear Elly 😘

Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 27/06/2025

Thank you so much! Looking forward to reading your poem 😊

Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 24/05/2025

Thank you so much, Elly! 😘

Alison Brackenbury @abrackenbury.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Reposted by Di Slaney

Delighted to have my mushrooms in @dislaney.bsky.social 's new poetry gem from @candlestickpress.bsky.social ! I have brooded on 'veg' as I finished my prose book, 'Village'. It has 2 chapters set in the echoing Victorian farmhouse to which my father brought his find. Do you have local mushrooms?

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Reposted by Di Slaney

Alison Brackenbury @abrackenbury.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Do you ever wish someone would make an anthology about a certain subject? @dislaney.bsky.social @candlestickpress.bsky.social has done 'Veg' as I disrespectfully call them. Fantastic choices including Jen Hadfield , @mimdarling.bsky.social & Ted Kooser's stunning potato poem.One for every palate!

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Di Slaney @dislaney.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Thank you again, Jo - so touched by this lovely review 😘