Alison Brackenbury
@abrackenbury.bsky.social
Poet & broadcaster. New non-fiction prose book, 'Village', OUT!
Witches and wheelbarrows: women's history in my village, 1841-1971: cheerful survival!
To buy, search for
ALISON BRACKENBURY VILLAGE AMAZON
Witches and wheelbarrows: women's history in my village, 1841-1971: cheerful survival!
To buy, search for
ALISON BRACKENBURY VILLAGE AMAZON
It's a joy to have my lapwings- however endangered- in this choice feathered company from @candlestickpress.bsky.social! Clare,Hardy.. I particularly commend @jmatkin.bsky.social's regal chough &Lynne Wycherley's dazzling Bewick swans! Do you need a small gift for someone who loves poetry - & birds?
November 25, 2025 at 3:24 PM
It's a joy to have my lapwings- however endangered- in this choice feathered company from @candlestickpress.bsky.social! Clare,Hardy.. I particularly commend @jmatkin.bsky.social's regal chough &Lynne Wycherley's dazzling Bewick swans! Do you need a small gift for someone who loves poetry - & birds?
'Antonia vowed so frequently nevermore to think of Lorenzo that she thought of nothing else'... From a radio version of 'The Monk: A Romance', published 1796,dramatised by Allan McClelland.
If this sentence is from the original, Gothic novels are franker & funnier than I knew..
If this sentence is from the original, Gothic novels are franker & funnier than I knew..
November 25, 2025 at 1:12 PM
'Antonia vowed so frequently nevermore to think of Lorenzo that she thought of nothing else'... From a radio version of 'The Monk: A Romance', published 1796,dramatised by Allan McClelland.
If this sentence is from the original, Gothic novels are franker & funnier than I knew..
If this sentence is from the original, Gothic novels are franker & funnier than I knew..
Last night's moon says Good Morning!
November 25, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Last night's moon says Good Morning!
Good news- a 4th print of'Map', Worple Press,the anthology celebrating William Smith, pioneering geologist. Editor @michaelmckimm.bsky.social showed poets Smith's map at the Geological Society. Here's the start of my poem 'Strata', reprinted in my own book 'Skies',still with Smith's mysterious wife!
November 24, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Good news- a 4th print of'Map', Worple Press,the anthology celebrating William Smith, pioneering geologist. Editor @michaelmckimm.bsky.social showed poets Smith's map at the Geological Society. Here's the start of my poem 'Strata', reprinted in my own book 'Skies',still with Smith's mysterious wife!
Just read a post elsewhere by the excellent @dranniegray.bsky.social who is not a slave to the notion of a fixed date for 'Stir Up Sunday' for making Christmas puddings! If you agree, here's my grandmother's - and a neighbour's - recipes from a century ago. You do, of course, need SIX puddings?
November 23, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Just read a post elsewhere by the excellent @dranniegray.bsky.social who is not a slave to the notion of a fixed date for 'Stir Up Sunday' for making Christmas puddings! If you agree, here's my grandmother's - and a neighbour's - recipes from a century ago. You do, of course, need SIX puddings?
Reposted by Alison Brackenbury
Some weekend reading from me. An absolutely delightful edition of the Writer's Bookshelf with the great @abrackenbury.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
The writer's bookshelf: Alison Brackenbury
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
mathewlyons.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Some weekend reading from me. An absolutely delightful edition of the Writer's Bookshelf with the great @abrackenbury.bsky.social. mathewlyons.substack.com/p/the-writer...
Two days of frost on the grandly re-named hylotelephiums... then my newest members of the primrose family wake (startled?) to rain. Very best weekend wishes from the garden!
November 22, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Two days of frost on the grandly re-named hylotelephiums... then my newest members of the primrose family wake (startled?) to rain. Very best weekend wishes from the garden!
Listened to Lucinda Williams' gripping 'The World's Gone Wrong'. Mistaking 'signs' for 'songs', I heard 'there are bad, bad songs all around'. True, I think. Luckily there are many good ones too! As in my source, @jamesfagan.bsky.social 'Thank Goodness It's Folk', Sheffield Live Radio, Fri 10-12 am.
November 21, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Listened to Lucinda Williams' gripping 'The World's Gone Wrong'. Mistaking 'signs' for 'songs', I heard 'there are bad, bad songs all around'. True, I think. Luckily there are many good ones too! As in my source, @jamesfagan.bsky.social 'Thank Goodness It's Folk', Sheffield Live Radio, Fri 10-12 am.
From the new Prinknash Bird & Deer Park! How many donkeys? Have you ever seen a bigger chicken? Or a formidable swan with better footwear for an English autumn?
November 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
From the new Prinknash Bird & Deer Park! How many donkeys? Have you ever seen a bigger chicken? Or a formidable swan with better footwear for an English autumn?
Coming back over Cheltenham tonight 18.01! The International Space Station...
November 20, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Coming back over Cheltenham tonight 18.01! The International Space Station...
The International Space Station passed over our darkened suburb last night, amongst the flashing planes, bright, steady and purposefully. I caught it by accident just before the clouds took it...
November 20, 2025 at 11:12 AM
The International Space Station passed over our darkened suburb last night, amongst the flashing planes, bright, steady and purposefully. I caught it by accident just before the clouds took it...
Frost's rosy skies... and frozen roses! Warm best wishes from an icy Gloucestershire!
November 20, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Frost's rosy skies... and frozen roses! Warm best wishes from an icy Gloucestershire!
As the November sun breaks through, this is what we all need...a diptych dial, from the Whipple Museum, Cambridge: our own portable sundial! Brightest wishes!
November 19, 2025 at 1:10 PM
As the November sun breaks through, this is what we all need...a diptych dial, from the Whipple Museum, Cambridge: our own portable sundial! Brightest wishes!
A great year for nerines! At last...I planted most of these bulbs in 2002. Slugs & snails happily devoured them each autumn until 2024, when I fended them off with grit & nets. This year, early drought saved their glory! Do you grow them?
November 18, 2025 at 2:25 PM
A great year for nerines! At last...I planted most of these bulbs in 2002. Slugs & snails happily devoured them each autumn until 2024, when I fended them off with grit & nets. This year, early drought saved their glory! Do you grow them?
Sorry! A fine R4TheVerb expires 4.54 pm Tues-Quick! Ian McMillan hosts Sinead Morrissey, with a luminous R.S.Thomas poem, @profdavidmorley.bsky.social with his perfect ear for insects, Daniel Sluman & new anthology 'Versus Versus',Arthur Sze, US Laureate, with wise & spacious poems.LINK IN COMMENTS
November 18, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Sorry! A fine R4TheVerb expires 4.54 pm Tues-Quick! Ian McMillan hosts Sinead Morrissey, with a luminous R.S.Thomas poem, @profdavidmorley.bsky.social with his perfect ear for insects, Daniel Sluman & new anthology 'Versus Versus',Arthur Sze, US Laureate, with wise & spacious poems.LINK IN COMMENTS
It was a delight to answer the skilfully-chosen literary questions of @mathewlyons.bsky.social! Would you like to discover (or rediscover) 'National Velvet'? Deplore my taste for ridiculous 1940s detective drama (with a cool unlikely heroine called Steve)? Find new poetry recommendations? Read on...
New on the Writer’s Bookshelf this morning: eight questions about writers, books, and reading with the wonderful @abrackenbury.bsky.social.
The writer's bookshelf: Alison Brackenbury
Eight questions about writers, books, and reading…
open.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:52 PM
It was a delight to answer the skilfully-chosen literary questions of @mathewlyons.bsky.social! Would you like to discover (or rediscover) 'National Velvet'? Deplore my taste for ridiculous 1940s detective drama (with a cool unlikely heroine called Steve)? Find new poetry recommendations? Read on...
Killed in action... 28 April, 1915... somewhere in France.' That was all that was known of my Great-Uncle's death by his family, in 1919, or by me when I wrote my prose book, 'Village'. Now I know more! I've written a Word document about Arthur's story,including moving local newspaper articles.
November 17, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Killed in action... 28 April, 1915... somewhere in France.' That was all that was known of my Great-Uncle's death by his family, in 1919, or by me when I wrote my prose book, 'Village'. Now I know more! I've written a Word document about Arthur's story,including moving local newspaper articles.
We all hope your Sunday has gone swimmingly... and left you on an even keel...
November 16, 2025 at 7:09 PM
We all hope your Sunday has gone swimmingly... and left you on an even keel...
Good night! (I am tempted to add, like my Buckinghamshire Great-Aunts, 'my duck'... More birds soon!)
November 15, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Good night! (I am tempted to add, like my Buckinghamshire Great-Aunts, 'my duck'... More birds soon!)
'No Home Without a Stereoscope!' declared an optimistic advert in @whipplemuseum.bsky.social Cambridge. Does your home have one? I would like to have seen the cutting-edge show given by Mr Weatherhogg, our village saddler, in the early 1900s.Magic lantern slides!
Here they are, still glowing...
Here they are, still glowing...
November 14, 2025 at 12:08 PM
'No Home Without a Stereoscope!' declared an optimistic advert in @whipplemuseum.bsky.social Cambridge. Does your home have one? I would like to have seen the cutting-edge show given by Mr Weatherhogg, our village saddler, in the early 1900s.Magic lantern slides!
Here they are, still glowing...
Here they are, still glowing...
The Aldeburgh gulls politely but firmly requested their own post. How could I refuse? Have you met an Aldeburgh gull?!! Veterans of Poetry in Aldeburgh will recognise the pale brown youngster, now full-sized but hopefully & plaintively still pursuing a parent!
November 14, 2025 at 11:52 AM
The Aldeburgh gulls politely but firmly requested their own post. How could I refuse? Have you met an Aldeburgh gull?!! Veterans of Poetry in Aldeburgh will recognise the pale brown youngster, now full-sized but hopefully & plaintively still pursuing a parent!
With Storm Claudia doing its worst inland, I thought I'd return - in pictures and memory! - to brighter days last week at Poetry inAldeburgh. First, the sea itself...
November 14, 2025 at 11:47 AM
With Storm Claudia doing its worst inland, I thought I'd return - in pictures and memory! - to brighter days last week at Poetry inAldeburgh. First, the sea itself...
Aldeburgh old & new! A finial by Poetry in Aldeburgh's venue, the Jubilee Hall. And a North Sea windfarm! I see these as successors to Lincolnshire's old windpower. Mrs Rudkin,the archaeologist in my new non-fiction prose book 'Village' had her own bold storage solution. Rent a disused windmill!
November 14, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Aldeburgh old & new! A finial by Poetry in Aldeburgh's venue, the Jubilee Hall. And a North Sea windfarm! I see these as successors to Lincolnshire's old windpower. Mrs Rudkin,the archaeologist in my new non-fiction prose book 'Village' had her own bold storage solution. Rent a disused windmill!
A really admirable survivor. I think the Snake was 2 when we met! George Simmers is a most encouraging editor. Do send work for this issue!
snakeskinpoetry.co.uk is celebrating its 30-year anniversary in Dec. Submit a poem. George (Editor) wants to celebrate poets he's published and new ones. @matthewepaul.bsky.social @thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social @roguestrands.bsky.social @lauramckee.bsky.social @matriches.bsky.social
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snakeskinpoetry.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 8:49 PM
A really admirable survivor. I think the Snake was 2 when we met! George Simmers is a most encouraging editor. Do send work for this issue!
Back home from Poetry in Aldeburgh, in what I hope is fruitful semi-chaos, I realise why Aldeburgh's productive fishing clutter seemed instantly familiar!
November 13, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Back home from Poetry in Aldeburgh, in what I hope is fruitful semi-chaos, I realise why Aldeburgh's productive fishing clutter seemed instantly familiar!