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Paul

@paulwritespoems.bsky.social

740 followers 630 following 1.5K posts

Poet, Husband, Northumbrian, Sax novice. Pushcart/BOTN nominated Work on BBC & in Dust Poetry, Black Bough, Broken Spine Arts, Starbeck Orion, Eat The Storms Pod, A Thousand Shades Of Green and more #PromoteIndieLit https://paulwritespoems.com

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · Sep 3

If you’re working on #WednesdayWIPs this is a potential opportunity for you…

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 10h

Excellent @leiabutler.bsky.social 👏👏👏

Atrium @atriumpoetry.bsky.social · 23h

All you need to know is – Leia Butler @leiabutler.bsky.social

atriumpoetry.com/2025/10/10/a...

All you need to know is – Leia Butler

All you need to know is . . Leia is a tea-lover, procrastinator, and creator. Her most recent poetry can be found in Streetcake Magazine, Acropolis Journal and Roi Fainéant Press. She has poetry co…

atriumpoetry.com

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 12h

Thanks Merril. Wanted the reader to leave with a sense of unease 🙏

Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 12h

Thank you- the words tumbled onto the page on this one 🙏

Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 13h

This has so many great elements. The open is startling. The end is light. A journey. A rediscovery 👏

Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 13h

Thanks Karen. Knew the structure, form and subject immediately as soon as prompt was released 🙏

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 16h

Ooooffffttt! Powerful and those last few lines! 👏

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

Boom! The repetition of tick tock adds so many layers to this too Karen. A really clever piece!

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

A sharp incisive piece 👏

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

Love the form and language here Dean 👏

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Reposted by Paul

stace.bot @stacebot.bsky.social · 1d

For this week's #PoemsAbout #ImperfectMe, I'm thinking about a small devotion to the unhinged and unhealed parts of ourselves.

Thank you to the host @alanparrywriter.co.uk
and @thebrokenspine.co.uk and to all of the other writers.

#poetry #poem #writing #PoetryCommunity #BlueSkyPoets

a small devotion

sometimes i wonder
what it feels like to be you--

i search the pockets of my mouth,
the hard palate,
the ache that arches me empty.

you aren’t there
in any sheet fold.
when i roll the bed to blindness,
and when i wake--
only a stung tongue,
nightmare dreams of liquid cake,
bird attacks,
red-lacquered fingertips.

all night my eyes pluck out
their own orbit--
broken bulb of you.

every medicine-cabinet morning
needs to catch
the mirror’s mocking gape.

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

This is striking. Some expert imagery. That last stanza really drives home the piece 👏👏👏

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

A smart piece Carolyn. Pluperfect 👏👏👏

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Reposted by Paul

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 1d

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

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Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

Excellent- love quiver-rim of skin 🤩👏👏👏

Paul @paulwritespoems.bsky.social · 17h

This is outstanding. Unsettling a bit. Bravo 👏