Helen Laycock
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helenlaycock.bsky.social
Helen Laycock
@helenlaycock.bsky.social
2.2K followers 840 following 1.2K posts
Poet 3x Pushcart & Best of Net nominations.
Winner of Black Bough Poetry Chapbook contest, shortlisted for Broken Spine Arts Chapbook contest. Book of the Month at The East Ridge Review.
Children’s fiction & short stories.
https://linktr.ee/helen.laycock
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Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · Nov 20
This poem was inspired by the true story of Tahlequah, an Orca mother, who carried her dead baby for 17 days, for thousands of miles... evidence that animals do experience #grief.

Shared today for #twentyforecopoetry
Published in 'ELEMENTAL'.

#poetry #Orca

#Blueskypoets #poetsofBlueky #SkyPoets
AN OCEAN OF ORCA TEARS by Helen Laycock Tahlequah corkscrews, throwing her belly to the light, showing the sky her feat through the wobble of water; she has made flesh and fin in the time the earth has rolled around the sun. Like water from a whip, she spins out the little life – Tali – tail first, a dark fizz of celebration exploding like her silent joy. Parallel shadows, they are carbon copies, paper and ink, swimming with magnetic hearts, noses softly drilling the beginning of miles. Thirty sleek minutes of nourishment, mimic, brushing, no rush, eye to eye, knowing love before the stopped breath. The tsunami of grief. Death. The calf is limp, bent over her mother’s beak like a wilted stalk, brined, dying, tail a broken arrowhead skimming the waves. Tahlequah adorns herself with a Tali headdress, hour upon hour, straining to keep it afloat, as though it is made of flowers the water will brown. For a thousand miles, death squats on her face, replaces the horizon, the rise and fall of seventeen suns, the spill of the milky moon, night after night after night. The carcass rots as she carries it aloft, bearing it like a saved gift. She dives when it slides and sinks, scoops the corpse like a haul of silver, lifts it to the sun, maybe in prayer, maybe to warm its blood. She follows the pod, eyes pleading as though a healer will emerge, and they tip the body from whale to whale, feeling the grief, sharing the load, until she sheds the load. She does not turn as it slips away, submerges in her wake. Waves swill the blemish of death from her skin; it braids the tide of a far land, but she bears the cliff fall of its weight. Feels the density of emptiness, pressing, pressing, though she is now wholly indiscernible from the rest. From 'ELEMENTAL'
helenlaycock.bsky.social
It’s an absolute honour to have a dark #spokenword #video poem chosen by @rfredekenter.bsky.social and @vikkicwrites.bsky.social @icefloepress.bsky.social for its December New Works feature.

#poetry #skypoets #blueskypoets #poetsofbluesky #poetrycommunity

wp.me/paKJoI-7d5
SINKING BELOW THE WATERLINE – A Video Poem by Helen Laycock
SINKING BELOW THE WATERLINE The moon tugs at the hem of my dress                       …
wp.me
December 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
This is a #winter poem which was written without using any winter words! A really great challenge from @matthewmcsmith.bsky.social over on X.

#poetry #poetsofbluesky #blueskypoets #skypoets #poetrycommunity
December 10, 2025 at 9:57 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Such an honour! 🥰
blackboughpoetry.bsky.social Black Bough Poetry @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social · 6d
TONIGHT - our mystery guest feature writer on the open mic is none other than @helenlaycock.bsky.social

Book your tickets fast!

t.co/lSuoN8D5Mw
December 8, 2025 at 6:27 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Another Pushcart nomination! Such a wonderful surprise from the lovely @matthewmcsmith.bsky.social at @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social.
I can't stop smiling. This has definitely been my year. 🥰

Delighted to be in such 🌟 brilliant 🌟company.
Well done to my worthy fellow nominees.
Excellent #poetry.
December 3, 2025 at 12:07 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Feeling festive at The Candyman's Trumpet @dreich.bsky.social. 🎄

Here are my pieces, but there are so many more to enjoy for free. Just look at the line-up!

Thanks to Jack Caradoc for a wonderful curation of #Christmas and #winter #poetry
❄️❄️❄️

#skypoets #poetsofbluesky #blueskypoets
December 1, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Helen Laycock
blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
Our Christmas and winter anthology advert by dynamic creative @helenlaycock.bsky.social with cover art by Emma Bissonnet!

Book at…

www.blackboughpoetry.com/news
December 1, 2025 at 7:23 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
I have had a peek and it’s brilliant! ❄️❄️❄️

#poetry
November 29, 2025 at 10:20 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Can recommend! ❤️
lozzawriting.bsky.social Laura Cooney *Motherbunnet* on sale @lozzawriting.bsky.social · 18d
Black Friday Sale!
Get your copy of Motherbunnet for only £7 including UK postage, until 00.00 on 29th Nov

DM for details

Review by the very kind @helenlaycock.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 2:27 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
I’m over the moon to have a second Pushcart nomination, this time from Dami and Rhona @eatthestorms.com

It’s been the most wonderful poetic experience being involved in so many aspects of this wonderful #poetry journal. ❤️
eatthestorms.com Damien B Donnelly @eatthestorms.com · 20d
The Storms issue V
Pushcart Prize nominees

@helenlaycock.bsky.social
@seanmcnicholl.bsky.social
💙💙🎉🎉
November 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Thanks, Paul, for the #promptcombo #OnRoofs
@thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social

Here's my contribution.

#poetry #poetsofbluesky #blueskypoets #skypoets #winter
November 24, 2025 at 12:06 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Delighted to be part of this! 💖
November 13, 2025 at 1:56 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Delighted to share the three poems in the spotlight today at SHINE, with enormous thanks to the lovely Samantha Terrell.

✨✨✨

#poetry #poetrycommunity #skypoets #blueskypoets #poetsofbluesky

samanthaterrell.weebly.com/shine-poetry...
Nov. 13~ HELEN LAYCOCK
Today it's a pleasure to shine the spotlight on the evocative work of Helen Laycock. Helen shares three poems:  Watercolour in the Rain, Mindquake, and Going Deep. Thank you, Helen, for sharing your.....
samanthaterrell.weebly.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:55 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
‘They call her Winter’

My chilling interpretation of the coldest season of them all…

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

#poetry #blueskypoets #poetsofbluesky #skypoets #poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #winter
November 12, 2025 at 10:39 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Still buzzing from a wonderful weekend in Dublin where I was invited to read at Rathfarnham Castle for the launch of Issue V of the beautiful #poetry journal ‘The Storms’.
Huge thanks and big love to Damien @eatthestorms.com and @rhonagreene.bsky.social who made it happen. 💙💙💙
November 6, 2025 at 10:21 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Thank you, @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social! 🖤
November 2, 2025 at 9:21 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
The #spokenword version of a poem written on the theme #paranormal/#supernatural

🖤🖤🖤

#poetry #poetsofbluesky #skypoets #blueskypoets #poetrylovers
October 28, 2025 at 2:24 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
What a beautiful journal to be part of. ❤️

I am delighted to be one of the poets sheltering inside this stunning cover, and the wonderful artwork continues within.

Launch at the ready… ⚡️⚡️⚡️
eatthestorms.com Damien B Donnelly @eatthestorms.com · Oct 27
The 5th Storm has landed, the printed journal of poetry, prose & visual art featuring 89 star Stormers & cover art by Brian Malachy Quinn is supported by @dublincityoflit.bsky.social @fingal.ie

Now available to buy at our online shop eatthestorms.com/the-storm-sh...
October 27, 2025 at 4:28 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Delighted to be in the eye of The Storms for a second time.

Huge thanks to Dami @eatthestorms.com and @rhonagreene.bsky.social 💙
eatthestorms.com Damien B Donnelly @eatthestorms.com · Oct 23
⚡️Meet the Stormers of Issue V ⚡️

@helenlaycock.bsky.social is a Pushcart-nominated poet, winner of Black Bough Poetry’s Chapbook contest. Her collection‘FRAME’ was chosen as Book of the Month at the East Ridge Review.

The Storms is supported by @fingal.ie @dublincityoflit.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 7:14 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Here's a recent poem which I have shared on Instagram (under @poetnell).

Thought I would share it here as well.

Sound on.

#poetry #spokenword #poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #blueskypoets #skypoets #poetsofbluesky
October 23, 2025 at 3:23 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
A second piece which explores the act of creating a #poem.

‘I AM NIGHT-FISHING’

#poetry #poetsofbluesky #skypoets #poetrycommunity
October 21, 2025 at 9:17 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
A poem about the act of writing a poem...

This is 'BLACK LINE ARCHITECTURE'.

#poetry #poetrycommunity #poetrylovers #writing #skypoets #blueskypoets #poetsofbluesky
BLACK LINE ARCHITECTURE Poets’ mouths bleed from cracking open rocks with broken teeth, seeking white lines of metaphor in the fissure, not fossils of cliché. They see skylarks and name them freedom. Call their song riverlight. Quill their bones. Settle on ‘blue’ for ‘blue’. Like ginger footsteps poem-hunting, a poet’s tongue pitter-patters while hand on shoulder, a shadowed Muse threads silver sibilance into the voice of dusk. That creak is from contorting skulls, brains muscular eels writhing into the darkest holes, never afraid of drowning. Helen Laycock
October 14, 2025 at 9:26 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Had time today to compose something for #poemsabout #ImperfectMe...

A fascinating subject, inspiring so much #poetry, plus introspection, I'm sure.

(Apologies, @alanparrywriter.co.uk Posting a little early - 4 hours before midnight - as tomorrow is busy)

@thebrokenspine.co.uk
FORGERY Outside, too soft like a berry, easily bruised or pulped underfoot, ultimately misshapen and unrecognisable as fruit. Inside, too much water, rising like a tide, eyes holding surface tension inside a quiver-rim of skin. The wash recedes, leaving hollows as it long-trawls dregs in the comb of emotion, and deposits them thick at every shore, clogging words to soggy syllables. Waterlogged tissue falls apart. Becomes throat-mulch. And when he says you look sad, and asks why, you feel sadder, fumbling for the frayed thread, while feeling a wet whip flailing you, whittling you to the imperfect figure you have made of yourself. Helen Laycock
October 9, 2025 at 5:11 PM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
A poem on the theme #mystical.

This is ‘RECOVERY’. 💚

#poetry #poetrycommunity #poetsofbluesky #skypoets #forest #grief
October 7, 2025 at 9:16 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Submissions are now open for @afterpoetry.com
@markantonyowen.com, a lovely opportunity to showcase #ekphrastic or ‘after’ #poetry.
Here’s one of mine that was featured earlier this year.
October 6, 2025 at 10:22 AM
helenlaycock.bsky.social
Such a wonderful surprise! 🥰

@blackboughpoetry.bsky.social is the best!!
October 3, 2025 at 8:01 PM