Three years of work on this — my new translation of the poetry and selected prose of sixteen-century Spanish mystic St John of the Cross for Penguin Classics. • You can preorder it via all the usual bookshops or links here. www.penguin.co.uk/books/462137...

Little piece on darkness by Sprackland mère, ahead of the publication of her new book, Night Vision. www.penguin.co.uk/books/453167... @theobserveruk.bsky.social

Birkbeck, University of London, is seeking an Editorial Assistant (paid) to support the development of a new anthology on the influential British photographer and activist, Jo Spence. cis7.bbk.ac.uk/vacancy/edit...

A new partnership with BBC Writers to deliver a six-month mentorship scheme for emerging Muslim writers. Four mentees will benefit from tailored guidance, industry insight, and one-to-one support from experienced writers. ukmuslimfilm.org/bbc-writers-...

If you are tall enough to see over the paywall, my story 'Bee Box' is up on the @irishtimes.com now, after coming second in @themothmagazine.bsky.social The Moth Short Story Prize. www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

Barely an hour ago, Palestinian journalist Anas Al-Sharif warned us all: “If this madness doesn’t end, Gaza will be reduced to ruins, its people’s voices silenced, their faces erased — and history will remember you as silent witnesses to a genocide you chose not to stop.” Israel just killed him.

Anas Al Sharif had these words to publish if he was martyred which he was tonight as Israel starts the invasion of Gaza City

The five brave Palestinian journalists whom Israel targeted and killed today (left-right): -Anas al-Sharif (correspondent) -Mohammed Qreiqeh (correspondent) -Ibrahim Zaher (camera operator) -Muhammad Al-Khalidi (photojournalist) -Mohammed Noufal (camera operator) -Moamen Aliwa (camera operator)

You only kill journalists when you want to hide what you're doing.

Little baby Hala needs a better world

Again, if you're suspicious that Palestinian accounts are spam, ignore/mute/block/don't donate. By reporting, you are risking hindering real people undergoing an active genocide from surviving, escaping, keeping their families alive. You are doing evil work, as y/our governments starve/kill them.

Please share in your networks. Goldsmiths, UoL are offering 5 scholarships in Undergrad & MA courses for Palestinian students. The scholarships include: tuition fee waiver, £19,550 allowance, return trip to & from the UK. Eligibility details & further info at link👇🏽 www.gold.ac.uk/fees-funding...

Think of this child—she has endured unimaginable pain. She lost her home, her toys, and her entire childhood. The least we can do is give her a chance at life, save her family, and bring back her smile. She is counting on you www.gofundme.com/f/npjax3-hel...

Quorabouros

Painfully on the nose moment. In the train station shop getting my morning coffee. On the radio I'm hearing about benefits cuts, one of the newspapers headlines is about Trump's tariffs hitting us in the UK... and the Sun's headline is about how "dinghy refugees" are "taking us for fools".

Please support Farah and Mohanad, if you can.

Eid mubark to you my friends and we are just 350£ away, donate if u can or repost help me rebuild our life All your donations and reposts are appreciated gofund.me/a625d5ba

Wow. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum officially recognizes Palestine as a state. Here she welcomes Palestinian ambassador Nadya Rasheed. Sheinbaum is Jewish, supports Palestinian self-determination, & unapologetically condemns Netanyahu's attacks on Gaza. Historic & inspiring leadership. ❤️✊🏽

A big cathartic yell: I've sent my translation of St John of the Cross to the publisher, after two years of immersion in his strange bright darkness. Going to climb back out for a gin and tonic.

Nature is not a blocker to growth. The UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has claimed that 'The balance has gone too far in the direction of always protecting every bat and every newt.' But how can this statement be true when the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world?🌍

Ceasefire does not bring suffering to an end. There is so much to do, so much to rebuild, so many to feed and shelter and comfort.

‘It was due to the Little Flower that I quite seriously considered joining the Carmelites in my teens. Hence I do want to see a nun on the ground, and to read the firsthand accounts of God’s various worm-wives.’ @TriciaLockwood on the mystics: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

AI instead of UBI, wild, extremely dumb

next election, test of this govt will be if voters can answer ‘yes’ to the question ’are you better off than you were 5 years ago?’ opening the door to automation of millions of jobs, lining pockets of tech bosses whilst cutting welfare is not the way to do that www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Please support Diana and her children, if you can spare something, however small.

Emoji request: ring-pull

Really missing a trick not having a default ‘Every 28 days’, Google Calendar

Have had a long think about what one thing would improve my own one life and in case anyone is in the business of granting wishes I have decided it’s a sleeper train between Bristol and Madrid.

Not staying up until midnight because I’m sick but at the crossing of the year I’ll be thinking of all the Palestinians living in tents, currently struggling through rain and floods, everything having been taken from them. May this year see change. #freepalestine #ceasefirenow

If you haven’t donated to a Palestinian fundraiser, maybe do so today - Gaza is experiencing heavy rains which are destroying tents and leaving already suffering people in the cold. Molly has a good thread of accounts below but there’s many more out there you can donate to! ⬇️

Does anyone have any recommendations for brilliant (living, working, contactable) poetry translators from English to Chinese? Thank you!

An end-of-year list of novels, nonfic, board books and poetry collections I have liked and not liked in 2024 🐊 open.substack.com/pub/parallel...

An end-of-year list of novels, nonfic, board books and poetry collections I have liked and not liked in 2024 🐊 open.substack.com/pub/parallel...

I spoke to brilliant Ruth Batham about new and old work, beer, babies, etc. Read the interview at open.substack.com/pub/parallel... or in Good on Paper 114 @goodonpaper.bsky.social

The second poem in PERVERSE 8B is ‘Agnus Dei’ by Martha Sprackland. Read all five poems from this section here: perverse.substack.com/p/perverse-8...

New post up on Substack, about St John of the Cross, my toddler’s penchant for purple, and half-remembered A Level Psychology studies. open.substack.com/pub/parallel...

Alright this has slowed down a lot but please keep sharing! We are trying to get 100 blankets for ppl in Gaza. There are over a million people in the south alone.

This is an extrrrremely long shot but does anyone have a copy of Peter Godman's Poetry of the Carolingian Renaissance I can borrow?

New post up on Substack, about St John of the Cross, my toddler’s penchant for purple, and half-remembered A Level Psychology studies. open.substack.com/pub/parallel...