Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Helen Laycock

@helenlaycock.bsky.social

2.1K followers 820 following 1K posts

Poet nominated for Pushcart & Best of Net. 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

linktr.ee

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

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'

21 33 120

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 16h

Fantastic, Paul! 👏👏👏

1 2

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 1d

A poem on the theme #mystical.

This is ‘RECOVERY’. 💚

#poetry #poetrycommunity #poetsofbluesky #skypoets #forest #grief

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 2d

Thank you, Carmella.
Delighted you enjoyed it. ❤️

1 1

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 2d

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.

1 6 8

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 2d

Fantastic poets!
Congratulations, all. 👏👏👏

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 4d

🥳🥳🥳

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 4d

Thanks so much, Rosanna. ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 4d

Thank you, Paul. ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 5d

Thanks, Rachel! ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 5d

Such a wonderful surprise! 🥰

@blackboughpoetry.bsky.social is the best!!

Black Bough Poetry @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social · 5d

Our Black Bough #bestofthenet nominations for this year! Congratulations to

@gphydeauthor.bsky.social
Laurie Koensgen
@helenlaycock.bsky.social
@lenaozge.bsky.social
@ajpati.bsky.social
@merrildsmith.bsky.social

🍾🥂

#poetry #writing #poetsofbluesky

5 3 14

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 6d

It’s #NationalPoetryDay!

The Arts are so special, a lovely escape both for those who create and those who enjoy.

Today, let’s immerse ourselves in #poetry ❤️

You may like to start by exploring the tabs on my website. 🥰

helenlaycock.wixsite.com/marbleintocl...

Conjuring Marble into Cloud|Poetry by Helen Laycock

Conjuring Marble into Cloud showcases a selection of published poetry, and features poetry collections by Helen Laycock.

helenlaycock.wixsite.com

2 6

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 7d

😂😂😂

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 7d

Life’s too short to have a colour-coordinated sock drawer!

*whispers* Like me.

1 1

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 7d

Mark, as well as being a superb poet and astute editor, is an absolute perfectionist when it comes to producing @iambapoet.com

It's beautiful to behold... or you could just close your eyes and listen. 🤍

#spokenword #poetry

𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕜 𝔸𝕟𝕥𝕠𝕟𝕪 𝕆𝕨𝕖𝕟 @markantonyowen.com · 24d

Was an absolute pleasure working with this cohort of consummate professionals to bring wave twenty-three of @iambapoet.com to birth. I'm glad to have had the chance to publish their poems – many of which are first-publication exclusives.

Visit, read, listen, share. Because iamb is what you make it.

𝒊𝒂𝒎𝒃 ~ 𝒑𝒐𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 @iambapoet.com · 24d

Autumn again. Trees put on their prettiest frocks, then get more naked day by day. Everything now is poetry – and it comes in waves. Leave the chilly air outside. Light a fire, make hot chocolate. Let senses and soul dive beneath @iambapoet.com's newest wave.

www.iambapoet.com/wave/23

1 3 13

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

You’re very welcome, Jane.

Yes. Ta da! 🐸🐸🐸

1 1

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

‘Juicy’

Love that! Thanks so much, Sarah. ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Gosh! Thank you, Dawn. ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Thank you so much, Jan. 🤍

1 1

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Thank you! ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

😂😂😂

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Thank you, Vic! 😁

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Well, that makes me feel better, but you must own 'clever'! xx

1 2

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Most welcome, Francesca. ❤️

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

The promise of a ‘wicca wedding’ is fully delivered with all the dark trimmings.
You not only give us silhouettes with ‘Quasar eyes’, but a ‘handfasted/bride & groom; black voltage/of cut thumb-roots, pressed/in union.’

How did you come up with that?!!

Brilliant imagery! 🖤

1 1

Helen Laycock @helenlaycock.bsky.social · 8d

Completely!