Map Reading by @philvernon.bsky.social philvernon.net/2026/02/02/m...

This is an important but frequently neglected point. « Transparency » is important for all sorts of reasons, but it is not, and never will be, a remedy against conspiracism. In fact, it is fuel for conspiracism.

I enjoyed this short poem – atmospheric, teasing. And it sounds good too (try to pretend that you don’t object to poetry that rhymes).

'Map reading', a poem philvernon.net/2026/02/02/m...

The results of the #WolvesLitFest poetry competition are now out! Thanks to our judges @martinfigura.bsky.social & @helenivory.bsky.social Congratulations to our winners, and best wishes for future success to everyone else who entered. 😊 pandemonialists.co.uk/wolves-lit-f...

Now open! Submit!

"that a loved and loving land is always moving tirelessly from sun and sound to quiet shade, from quiet shade to sun and sound." #TodaysPoem #poetry Dereliction by @philvernon.bsky.social (2023 @iamb.uk) www.iamb.uk/wave/16-phil...

We are now hosting 21 readers for the iamb poetry 6th anniversary special on #LastSaturday 31 January with @markantonyowen.com @iamb.uk - I can't fit all their handles on this, so they are in the pic! Free and online tix here: tinyurl.com/2d3h46d3

Iran…. philvernon.net/2025/10/12/t...

TODAY IS THE DAY: audience spaces remain available to hear 10 Open Mic Poets and my lovely mate @ninaparmenter.bsky.social do a headline set. I've read the #poems and honestly, I am immensely pleased and proud to be hosting all of these #poets. Come listen to #poetry! forms.gle/FJEzVXjaUcGR...

Always clueless. Suella Braverman "I don't know what that was all about." Finally realises 30 seconds later. "It was a spoof, that's going to go viral now." Make it viral.

Colonel Lockjaw to leave Minneapolis www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Colonel Lockjaw to leave Minneapolis www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Thrilled beyond measure that we will be joined in the Zoom room for the iamb birthday special by the amazing Penelope Shuttle - it's a real honour to be with all of the poets (see link for details) - I am squeaky with excitement already! tinyurl.com/2d3h46d3

Please share. 💔

Don't believe your lying eyes:

First delivery from @flyonthewallpress.bsky.social ! Looking forward to digging in 💙📚

New from @flyonthewallpress.bsky.social 'These are the Things we Have Lost' by Janice Warman A debut poetry collection chronicling the journey from to motherhood. available from @waterstones.bsky.social 📖 online book sample to peek inside and share www.jellybooks.com/cloud_reader...

✅George Szirtes ✅Christopher Reid ✅Jemma Borg ✅Katharine Towers I can't quite believe we've brought this stunning line-up together for our forthcoming Rogue Strands event. It would grace any of the top literary festivals in the country. And on top of that, it's free!

Poetry from Kenya by refugee poet Peter Kidi “Ink stains his fingers like wounds that never heal” www.thenewhumanitarian.org/poem/2025/1/...

Poetry from Kenya by refugee poet Peter Kidi “Ink stains his fingers like wounds that never heal” www.thenewhumanitarian.org/poem/2025/1/...

A poem: 'Perhaps' philvernon.net/2026/01/20/p...

Trump, who is not mad, has made 30 Truth Social posts in the last 30 minutes, topics including Muslims in the UK, Biden stealing the election, how right he is on Greenland, and other topics.

A poem: 'Perhaps' philvernon.net/2026/01/20/p...

And wow again! 😄 Big thank you to @afterpoetry.com and @markantonyowen.com again! 🙏🏼 And congratulations to @hareontherun.bsky.social and @philvernon.bsky.social 👏🏼💐

I see that King Lear is on the Royal Exchange this year. "Lear is a searing portrait of a king unable to distinguish truth from lies. As the storm rises and night falls, language, identity and meaning break down completely." www.royalexchange.co.uk/event/king-l...

A source confirms to me that this disturbing letter from Trump to the Norwegian PM is real.

We are excited to open applications for a UK-based Translator in Residence working with/in Endangered Languages. Find full details, including fee and residency requirements, below. Application deadline: 15 February, 2026 buff.ly/yibsATf

It will be necessary for the govt + Ofcom to monitor how far X's statement it will make changes to the Grok App happen or work. But they need to join the dots + investigate the systemic failure of X to uphold the law: its broken complaints system defends unlawful racist hatred 95% of the time

Here's a taster from Guerrilla Country (Flight of the Dragonfly Press, 2024) philvernon.net/2024/10/21/s...

Some poems don’t whisper, they warn. The 2nd person address is confrontational but the poet deliberately avoids naming the guilty, meaning 76 years later there is still terrible truth and relevance in this poem. “Do not feel safe. The poet remembers.” #poetry #poemoftheday

Greenland PM Jens-Frederik Nielsen: "If we have to choose between the US & Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark. We choose NATO. We choose the Kingdom of Denmark. We choose the EU." "Greenland does not want to be owned by the US. Greenland does not want to be governed by the US" he later added.

This is really helpful. Yes, please do keep on with it if you can. Thank you

Great assessment of the growing irrelevance of conflict studies from @yguichaoua.bsky.social & @wlacher.bsky.social. I remember during Trump 1 getting halfway through a lecture in my human rights class in R2P when I realized it was no longer relevant. It’s gotten steadily worse since.

Really, really happy to have a new poem in one of the first literary journals I ever read as a teen trying to find poems in the world. Here’s “After A Few Beers, My Uncle Asks Me How” in The Southern Review.

Morten Morland’s Times cartoon: January 13, 2026 www.thetimes.com/article/a835...

Snowdrops are starting to emerge, so I thought I'd dust this poem off. 'Spring terror'. philvernon.net/2026/01/12/s...

Snowdrops are starting to emerge, so I thought I'd dust this poem off. 'Spring terror'. philvernon.net/2026/01/12/s...

Readings, raffle, and revelry for only a fiver, this Thursday at the John Harvey Tavern in Lewes! needlewriters.co.uk/2025/12/02/a...

A statement from me 👇

Something lovely for the weekend! Minoan cups made by Bronze Age potters some 3,800 years ago! Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Crete 📷 by me #Archaeology

Our first shortlisted poet is Leanne Moden, reading part of her fascinating work, The Vernal Equinox, which is an anagram poem - it only uses letters from the title! It comes from Leanne's collection, Ophelia of the Bathtub. Four more videos to go - let us know what you think! www.ditheringchaps.com

This is an important and sobering read about a 1943 American pamphlet warning citizens what fascism in America would look like. Every bit of it is happening now open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...

Child, a poem. philvernon.net/2026/01/02/c...

Child, a poem. philvernon.net/2026/01/02/c...

I'll be updating the poetry magazines spreadsheet this coming week, so if you're not on my mailing list, join now (it's free) and you'll never be short of places to send your poems... robinhoughtonpoetry.co.uk/poetry-magaz...