Made the mistake of falling in love with a fountain pen I can't afford. Maybe at some point. www.jetpens.com/Pilot-E95S-F...

Easter Sunday in East Scotland: we've had ALL the weather today.

The toddler and I coloured some eggs. For those of you celebrating: I hope your Easter will be filled with much light and hope.

One of the precious heirlooms from my parents: a mother of millions. Its mother (the 'Goethepflanze' mum bought many years ago) lives with my sister, now & mine already has children of its own, too. I adore much about this plant, in particular the way it unfolds its new leaves. Just glorious.

It’s time for my favorite cartoon of the year.

Ich habe hier v.a. auf männlicher Familienseite zumindest einen Großvater und Urgroßvater gefunden (kaum überrascht) – bei anderen Familienmitgliedern muss ich erst noch nach Daten suchen, um sie mit der Kartei hier abzugleichen. 1/2 www.zeit.de/wissen/2026-...

!

Ich hatte mir Peter Bichsels "Eigentlich möchte Frau Blum den Milchmann kennenlernen" als Reiselektüre in meiner alten Dresdner Lieblingsbuchhandlung geleistet. Ein Leichtgewicht, was den Umfang angeht, ein absolutes Schwergewicht, was den Inhalt betrifft. Für alle, die großartige Kurzprosa lieben.

Pray, tell me, what exactly is a 'rising poet'?

I don't envy news writers who have to come up with an April Fool's joke recognisable as one in the face of the common absurdities that serve as headlines these days.

Lesenswert. www.nzz.ch/gesellschaft...

Our poetry can help heal us, can keep us going, can inspire us, can push us to act. #AlaskaSky #Alaska

‘Sub-able’ 2026 #26 ‘You muPpet’ #subable #rejectionblackoutpoetry #erasurepoetry #blackoutpoetry

Forget carpe diem. Just enjoy every day as best as you can.

For too long, I thought that experiencing big life changes/crises, e.g. cancer, motherhood, grief, ageing, etc., leaves one somehow diminished as a person, or at the very least a fragmented individual, but the truth is: all of it contributes to one's growth: you expand, you become more, not less.

Recent adventures in editing my own poetry: I realised that a poem I had submitted several times unsuccessfully did not only want a major trim but also contained the word 'catskins' instead of 'catkins'. Only today, another, older poem revealed to me that it wants to be a sonnet. 1/2

For too long, I thought that experiencing big life changes/crises, e.g. cancer, motherhood, grief, ageing, etc., leaves one somehow diminished as a person, or at the very least a fragmented individual, but the truth is: all of it contributes to one's growth: you expand, you become more, not less.

Intriguing poetry pairing on my never-ending TBR pile atm.

Blast from my past.

Back in Scotland, slightly country lagged.

Still rather exhausted now.

After four days of clearing, cleaning, sorting, chucking, keeping, washing, talking to a bank manager, a plumber, an insurance person, my sister & brother-in-law, & visiting my dead parents & grandparents at the cemetery, I have made only the tiniest dent in this large mountain of stuff, grief, joy.

Another year of open letters and uphill struggles. Never known it as bad as this. Solidarity to everyone affected

Wie der Vampir in Nosferatu seinen eigenen Sarg einmal komplett durch die Stadt schleppen muss. So wie die Leute, die man in der Ringbahn vom IKEA Tempelhof sieht.

Find ich ja gut, dass die Welt dank AI für Menschen ohne Gewissen immer besser wird.

This!!!

When at a loss, read Emily Dickinson: "Death leaves Us homesick, who behind, Except that it is gone Are ignorant of its Concern As if it were not born. Through all their former Places, we Like Individuals go Who something lost, the seeking for Is all that’s left them, now" For World Poetry Day.

I did, however, find the dollhouse my granddad built for me when I was wee in the basement. It's much bigger and heavier than I thought. Getting it up the stairs to the first floor will be an interesting task. But I promised the toddler that she could play with my old dollhouse on her next visit ...

Faced with the task of beginning to 'sort out' my old home, which has been gathering memories and stuff from several generations of the family, small things, large things, things things things, I didn't know what I felt until I realised it was pure overwhelm. Pottering about in various corners now.

WTF? One of many little telling details in this frankly horrifying report: 'the categorisations of the books were written using AI'.

First trip back to my old home town after dad's funeral back in October.

I'd like to reiterate that: if you ever get a chance to hear Terrance Hayes read – go or book a livestream ticket if you can. Thanks to the StAnza organising team for making such an event accessible online for those who, for whatever reason, can't travel to St Andrews.

What a fantastic reader poet Terrance Hayes is! byretheatre.com/shows/stanza...

Verleser heute: Schreiwerkstatt.

Heute per Livestream einem Gespräch zwischen Durs Grünbein & seiner Übersetzerin @karenleeder.bsky.social beim internationalen Lyrikfestival in St. Andrews gelauscht (tolle Übersetzungen!), & mich dann ermahnt, doch (wieder) mehr von ihm zu lesen.

Life drawing in pastel and Conté stick on off-white paper #lifedrawing #pastel

Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate it today!

unexpected magic

"Beitrag zum Bürokratieabbau" – was für ein Unsinn.

This is an only slightly edited draft of a poem I wrote this morning during a Marjorie's Table workshop on Carl Phillips, led by @marjorielotfi.bsky.social. This online session was free and took place at StAnza Poetry Festival in St Andrews. 1/2 www.patreon.com/posts/habit-...

poor approximation

Am Sonntag ist hier in Großbritannien Muttertag, und sozusagen passend dazu habe ich gerade angefangen, das heute erschienene Buch von Lena Gorelik, 'Alle meine Mütter', zu hören. Bisher bin ich sehr begeistert – nicht zuletzt davon, wie gut diese Prosa 'gemacht' ist.

Am Sonntag ist hier in Großbritannien Muttertag, und sozusagen passend dazu habe ich gerade angefangen, das heute erschienene Buch von Lena Gorelik, 'Alle meine Mütter', zu hören. Bisher bin ich sehr begeistert – nicht zuletzt davon, wie gut diese Prosa 'gemacht' ist.

Another reason to hate certain kinds of AI (as if I, or anybody else in their right mind) needed one.

believe in spring

nothing complicated

Wir sollten vielleicht doch mal wieder schöne Konzepte wie Lesen, Lernen, Forschen und Wissensakkumulation zurückbringen. Besonders für die Bereiche, die nicht sofort ökonomisch verwertbar sind.

Warum sagt man heutzutage nicht mehr "Potz Mord und Mansfeld!", "Potz Teufel und Tilly!" und "Losament"?? 😢