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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 7h

Cup of tea and the latest TLS on a Saturday morning. I enjoyed Seamus Perry’s excellent article on Plath’s ‘Ariel’ at sixty; it’s always good to be reminded of Plath’s original intentions for the collection. In her version, the final line declares that ‘The bees are flying. They taste the spring.’

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 1d

I received not one, but two book-related gifts completely out of the blue yesterday! My husband got me this sweet little Faber tote, then I received a parcel from his parents containing a lovely stack-of-books Christmas tree decoration. Apparently they saw it and thought of me; I can’t imagine why 😂

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 2d

and it’s so great to see it out in the world at last.

@theemmapress.bsky.social @dogwithoutlegs.bsky.social

Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 2d

It’s been great to spend some time today with Mark Ward’s stunning ekphrastic pamphlet ‘Masters’, ahead of its online launch this evening. This is one of the pamphlets that I helped to select for publication as part of The Emma Press’s BERG initiative,

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Claire Walker @clairewalkerpoetry.bsky.social · 10d

What a fab list - congratulations to all (especially lovely to see brilliant @hollyannepoet.bsky.social here!) 🥳

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · 10d

Delighted✨ to announce✨ Dust’s ✨Best of the Net✨ nominations:

Paul Short, Laundry Day
Amy L. King, Fade
Laura Theis, Do You Really Think I Look Like An Old Crone?
Ryan O’Neill, LDR
Holly Magill, Cheese in a budget hotel room
Antonia Kearton, Sanico

Congratulations to the nominees! 🥳✨

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Holly Magill @hollyannepoet.bsky.social · 9d

My poem, as chosen by @dustpoetry.bsky.social as one of their Best of the Net nominees.

This one was rejected numerous times before it found a home with Dust (if at first we don't succeed, etc). Also a relative recently complained I've no 'joy' in my poems. Cheese = joy.

Cheese in a budget hotel room by Holly Magill

Cheese in a budget hotel roomWouldn’t do this at home – naked and plateless.Here is different. We set it on the bed, a decisivewedge of intent, local and organic. Reverently weundress it from waxed pa...

www.dustpoetry.co.uk

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Holly Magill @hollyannepoet.bsky.social · 9d

This has cheered me up immensely on
#NationalPoetryDay

Many thanks to Tara and Catherine at @dustpoetry.bsky.social for including my cheese poem in their Best of the Net nominations. You can read all the poems in the links attached to their post below.

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · 10d

Delighted✨ to announce✨ Dust’s ✨Best of the Net✨ nominations:

Paul Short, Laundry Day
Amy L. King, Fade
Laura Theis, Do You Really Think I Look Like An Old Crone?
Ryan O’Neill, LDR
Holly Magill, Cheese in a budget hotel room
Antonia Kearton, Sanico

Congratulations to the nominees! 🥳✨

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Atrium @atriumpoetry.bsky.social · 9d

Lovely to see our @hollyannepoet.bsky.social with a poem nominated by @dustpoetry.bsky.social in their Best of The Net selections!

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · 10d

Delighted✨ to announce✨ Dust’s ✨Best of the Net✨ nominations:

Paul Short, Laundry Day
Amy L. King, Fade
Laura Theis, Do You Really Think I Look Like An Old Crone?
Ryan O’Neill, LDR
Holly Magill, Cheese in a budget hotel room
Antonia Kearton, Sanico

Congratulations to the nominees! 🥳✨

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 8d

Absolutely delighted and honoured to be nominated for Best Of The Net for Laundry Day. Congratulations to my fellow nominees 🙏

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · 10d

Delighted✨ to announce✨ Dust’s ✨Best of the Net✨ nominations:

Paul Short, Laundry Day
Amy L. King, Fade
Laura Theis, Do You Really Think I Look Like An Old Crone?
Ryan O’Neill, LDR
Holly Magill, Cheese in a budget hotel room
Antonia Kearton, Sanico

Congratulations to the nominees! 🥳✨

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · 10d

Delighted✨ to announce✨ Dust’s ✨Best of the Net✨ nominations:

Paul Short, Laundry Day
Amy L. King, Fade
Laura Theis, Do You Really Think I Look Like An Old Crone?
Ryan O’Neill, LDR
Holly Magill, Cheese in a budget hotel room
Antonia Kearton, Sanico

Congratulations to the nominees! 🥳✨

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Reposted by Dr Catherine Redford

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · 21d

Submissions for our next issue close at midnight tonight! 🌏✨

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 21d

Our submissions window closes at midnight ⏳

Dust Poetry @dustpoetry.bsky.social · Sep 7

Just a reminder that submissions are OPEN! …And that submissions are free and Dust is free to read and volunteer run.

If you are ever able to, we have a kofi page and do so appreciate donations of any amount to cover the cost of keeping Dust running online: ko-fi.com/dustpoetryma...

Thank you 💜

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 21d

I’ve had a lovely, creative afternoon catching up on the Form and Ideas workshop led by @katrinanaomipoet.bsky.social and hosted by the Women Poets’ Network. I ended up using Hans Christian Andersen to write a golden shovel, as you do.

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 22d

I really loved ‘How to Leave a Body’, the powerful and startling debut collection from Holly Winter-Hughes. These poems confront both trauma and strength head-on; they are dark, visceral, and incredibly beautiful.
@vervepoetrypress.bsky.social

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 22d

Brilliant evening seeing Evie Hodgetts - current Worcestershire Young Poet Laureate - heading at Dear Listener. Evie’s set was fantastic; she’s definitely one to watch!

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 29d

Thanks, Emma x

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · 29d

It’s lovely to be able to share my poem ‘Her Worldly Goods’, which won 3rd place in the Kathryn Bevis Memorial Poetry Prize and has been published in issue 16 of The Alchemy Spoon.

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Sep 6

Late summer / early autumn fields. Sunshine, the last of the blackberries, and the first conkers of the season.

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Sep 4

Well, this novel was an emotional rollercoaster! ‘The Safekeep’ by Yael van der Wouden is an intimate, compelling portrait of two women whose lives become intertwined in more ways than one. It’s beautifully written and I enjoyed it immensely; I’m not surprised it won the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Aug 30

Today’s #sealeychallenge read has been the gorgeous ‘Rescue Lines’ by @elcurwen.bsky.social. I was completely drawn in by these poems of loss and rescue, which are framed by the risk and comfort of the sea 💙

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Aug 30

Thank you so much, Sarah xx

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Aug 30

The wonderful Mary Shelley was born on this day in 1797. Here’s one of my poems that was published earlier this year in Magma (issue 91), in which I imagine us bonding over our shared experience of young widowhood.

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Aug 29

Thank you!

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Aug 29

Thank you 🙏

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Dr Catherine Redford @catherineredford.bsky.social · Aug 29

Join me for an amazing event

The Launch of Issue 16 of The Alchemy Spoon
August 29, 2025 - From 7:30pm to 9pm

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-launch...

The Launch of Issue 16 of The Alchemy Spoon

Join us for the virtual celebration of the release of Issue 16 of The Alchemy Spoon - a night filled with poetry, art, and creativity!

www.eventbrite.co.uk