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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Sep 7

I'll be reading from my @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social book, The Point Is You Are Alive, alongside @marymulholland.bsky.social Wendy Allen and @alicehiller.bsky.social, at The Poetry Cafe, Tuesday 28th October, 7pm-9pm!

Free tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/outrageous...

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Jun 14

The earliest poem in this collection was written in 2012, the most recent in 2024... twelve years and two pamphlets later this book is in the world - The Point Is You Are Alive! @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Jun 10

Great to hear 😀. That's one of @kovesi.bsky.social 's favourites too 💙

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Jun 10

Which poem was it?

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Reposted by Natalie Whittaker

European Writers Salon @saloneurope.bsky.social · Jun 8

We read and responded to prose poems by Anne Boyer, Margaret Atwood and @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social

❤️ 💙 💜

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Jun 10

Lovely to hear that you're teaching my poems @julieirigaray.bsky.social !

European Writers Salon @saloneurope.bsky.social · Jun 8

We had such a fantastic evening learning about writing the Prose Poem with @julieirigaray.bsky.social!

If you missed it don't despair, we will definitely run it again.

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Apr 8

The online launch of my new book 'The Point Is You Are Alive' is on Wednesday 30th April at 8pm.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/broken-sle...

Broken Sleep Books April 2025 Launch

With readings from Rishi Dastidar, Natalie Whittaker, Adam Panichi, Kayleigh Campbell, and Jeremy Dixon

www.eventbrite.co.uk

Reposted by Natalie Whittaker

Rishi Dastidar @betarish.bsky.social · Apr 8

It'd be lovely if you could join me online to celebrate the publication of my latest @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social publication, 'A hobby of mine'. 30 April from 8pm, and I'll be in some fine poetic company as you can see from the below. Link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/broken-sle...

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Mar 7

Thanks Mariah 💕

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Natalie Whittaker @natalie-whittaker.bsky.social · Mar 6

My first full collection, 'The Point Is You Are Alive' is now available to pre order from Broken Sleep Books @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social . Publication date is 30th April.

www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page...

Natalie Whittaker - The Point Is You Are Alive | Broken Sleep Books

Natalie Whittaker’s The Point Is You Are Alive is an intricate and unflinching meditation on loss, memory, and survival. Moving between intimate recollection and sharp social observation, Whittaker’s ...

www.brokensleepbooks.com

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Reposted by Natalie Whittaker

Simon Kövesi @kovesi.bsky.social · Mar 5

My favourite SE London poet (a brilliant working-class writer too) Natalie Whittaker, formerly published by Oxford Brookes Poetry Centre's #ignitionpress, publishes her first full collection with Broken Sleep Books soon, and we should all be excited:
www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page...

Natalie Whittaker - The Point Is You Are Alive | Broken Sleep Books

Natalie Whittaker’s The Point Is You Are Alive is an intricate and unflinching meditation on loss, memory, and survival. Moving between intimate recollection and sharp social observation, Whittaker’s ...

www.brokensleepbooks.com

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Reposted by Natalie Whittaker

Broken Sleep Books @brokensleepbooks.bsky.social · Mar 4

PREORDER (30.04.2025):

The Point Is You Are Alive moves between intimate recollection and sharp social observation. Whittaker’s poetry inhabits the raw spaces between grief and persistence, presence and absence.

www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page...

A book cover with a light blue background. The title, The Point Is You Are Alive, is displayed at the top in bold, dark green serif font, with the author's name, Natalie Whittaker, in a smaller green serif font beneath it. In the centre, there is an aerial view of moss. At the bottom, the publisher's name, Broken Sleep Books, appears in dark green serif text. The design is minimalistic, with a natural and serene aesthetic.

some new flats look like Jenga blocks against the sky a man walks past looking at his phone not looking at his phone the bus to Bellingham rounds the corner a sign says This is a Public Space Protection Order Area Pick up after your dog Put your dog on a lead when instructed to do so by an authorised officer Max 6 dogs Do not walk more than 6 dogs dogs have been causing problems around here problems beyond imagining a woman I know stops and chats with me I tell her how busy I am so busy so tired she says I’m not surprised I don’t know how you do it all by which I think she means all the time I spend telling people how busy and tired I am a fun-size Snickers wrapper skids through full-size leaves a girl is sat outside a café in an orange faux fur jacket orange faux fur jacket leopard print skirt black DMs she looks so confident and real I envy people their south-facing balconies I wish my life contained more south-facing balconies where are the pigeons walking with such purpose

Not Again

When I came home that night you were raving
to the shipping forecast in the kitchen,
moving with the grace of a broken puppet
and wearing the hair of the dog; his brown fur.
I said you bring me peace like an earthquake.
You turned on the smashed-up tiles and said watch
what happens when one person screams at night
then screamed at the night. The whole city screamed
back; echoes smacking around cars and lampposts.
Only the shaved dog stayed silent. I knew
in the morning the sparrows would drop eggshells
like our thoughts all snappish and empty,
and somewhere a fox was gargling acid
and fishponds reflected the obvious stars.

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