Meme of Samuel Beckett using the photo of him taken by Jane Bown, just his b/w face top left against a black background. He says “I can’t go on”. Then, on the right, Mrs Doyle from Father Ted says “Ah, go on”. Then, below left, Beckett says “I’ll go on”
So, happy 120th anniversary of Samuel Beckett’s birth to all who celebrate
do I dare to skeet "impeach"?
Happy Easter to those who celebrate, from The Moth HQ! 🪺
This is utterly jaw-dropping.
A school that bans Atwood, Zadie Smith, Terry effing Pratchett and *literal George Orwell* is actively harming its pupils.
www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/03/scho...
A blue square with text along the top reading 'Happy World Poetry Day! 21st March 2026'. Beneath the text is a white star with lots of points, surrounded by a circle of yellow dashes. In the middle of this is a photo of a hand holding up a microphone. Along the bottom of the square is text which reads 'Celebrating the power of poetry to transform, connect, and inspire'.
A dark purple square with an extract from a poem in white text. The extract reads: i think just now you must be walking perhaps down chapel turning briefly right perhaps on crown sharpening when the song you love spills generous from a passing car unspools into the night you might be walking now. Beneath the text is an illustration of a series of musical notes. The text at the bottom of the image reads 'from 'Night' by Safia Elhillo, The Poetry Review, Autumn 2018.
A green square with the following poem in black text: 'An empress tree grew in Yukyang, enduring years of frigid shade. Fortunately, it met a master craftsman who cut it for a black harp. When the harp was played, few understood the songs. Finally, the old music wisped away in smoke.' In the bottom right hand corner is a drawing of a harp in a tree. Next to this is text which reads ‘Remnants, Part I’ by Nansŏrhŏn, translated by Ian Haight and T’ae-yong Hŏ, The Poetry Review, Autumn 2017'.
![A read square with white text along the top reading 'from ‘[’You’re still alive. You’re the very bottom...’]’ by Vasyl Stus translated by Alan Zhukovski'. Beneath this is an extract from the poem: Your soul’s about to rush away - a horse who tore his tether. Please tell me: are you still alive? Oh, really? Another flash of fire? The view around has gotten clearer, so much clearer now. You’re dazzled by the light. Beneath this is a simple illustration of a horse leaping, followed by the text 'The Poetry Review, Winter 2022'.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:qoei5p7vuielfishfihhccbk/bafkreigebfd5tyqqpqssjidgq725gdu4j2jvuqyr3pbvg6iqqigee3iwiq)
A read square with white text along the top reading 'from ‘[’You’re still alive. You’re the very bottom...’]’ by Vasyl Stus translated by Alan Zhukovski'. Beneath this is an extract from the poem: Your soul’s about to rush away - a horse who tore his tether. Please tell me: are you still alive? Oh, really? Another flash of fire? The view around has gotten clearer, so much clearer now. You’re dazzled by the light. Beneath this is a simple illustration of a horse leaping, followed by the text 'The Poetry Review, Winter 2022'.
Happy World Poetry Day 🌍 To celebrate, we're giving away FREE access to our digital archive of The Poetry Review, so everyone can read some of the finest in modern poetry from round the globe. Until noon (GMT) on Thursday 26th March, you can access the archive at the link in our bio.
NEW: Two senior MOD whistleblowers with inside knowledge of Palantir's systems have come forward to @thenerve.news to say government ministers are ignorant of the grave national security risks the technology poses.
Hugely important by @charlienotold.bsky.social
www.thenerve.news/p/palantir-t...
🚨 It looks like the UK government is gearing up to upend copyright law in favour of AI companies, legalising the theft of their work.
This is despite creatives' huge protests, and despite previous proposals being roundly rejected by the public.
Please spread the word.
🧵 1/4
Oops. Turns out Persona, Discord’s age-verification service, was secretly screening selfies against government watchlists AND accessible by the feds. It's backed by Peter Thiel.
“The state wants to see everything. The corporations want to see everything. And they've learned to work together.”
A UK student in the US went to a protest for five minutes. ICE subpoenaed Google for his private details. Google complied.
theintercept.com/2026/02/10/g...
"Switzerland’s military has terminated its contract with Palantir… following a security audit… concluded that U.S. intelligence agencies could potentially access sensitive Swiss defense data… significant reputational warning for the data analytics firm"
www.newscase.com/palantirs-sw...
#R4Today
A manual for ICE's immigrant-targeting computer system, Palantir ELITE, was leaked today.
Let's look at it, then step back to evaluate how far we've come along a dangerous road and where that road might take us. 🧵
The early results from the one question we ask Primary School teachers here are absolutely fascinating. Comparing KS2 and KS3 teachers' responses is going to be such a BRILLIANT addition to our report! Please share the link below with Primary colleagues!
We urgently need a parliamentary debate on Palantir. Please sign this & share with your network. Via @the-citizens.bsky.social & @change.org.
www.change.org/p/hold-a-par...
Hayden Kennedy, a Top 15 winner of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2025, reads winning poem 'They say peace came'.
Read this year's winning poems and find out more about the Award: bit.ly/FoyleYoungPoets
"Key to all of this is understanding that US companies are explicitly going to be used to enforce US national security interests. And that includes the US technology companies that are at the heart of our national infrastructure and embedded into our everyday lives."
My favourite new year James Tate poem:
The Immortals
None of us have felt good this year:
pus around the eyes,
sores that come and go with no explanation.
But we still believe we will come through it!
I signal this news
by lifting a little finger.
All words containing 'z' in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, in order of occurrence. All mentions of 'Ebenezer' picked out in black.
Uk to rejoin Erasmus scheme - set to be confirmed formally tomorrow
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Colorful glass bowl with thin, vertical, multicolored bands curving around the interior and exterior, creating a marbled, striped pattern in greens, blues, purples, browns, yellows, and white, shown on a plain gray background with a soft shadow underneath.
Colorful glass bowl with thin, vertical, multicolored bands curving around the interior and exterior, creating a marbled, striped pattern in greens, blues, purples, browns, yellows, and white, shown on a plain gray background with a soft shadow underneath.
Fascinating world of ancient glass: The skill of ancient glassmakers never ceases to amaze me.
This a magnificent #Roman striped mosaic bowl was made of preformed rods and canes fused on or in a mold.
Dating late 1st c. BC/early 1st c AD.
Timeless beauty!
📷 Corning Museums of Glass
🏺
Picture of anti-Digital ID protestors and the caption: "If Keir Starmer's Digital ID is the Question, then Tony Blair is the answer" Carole Cadwalladr on Labour's worst idea
A "techno-authoritarian's wet dream": @carolecadwalla.bsky.social for the Nerve on digital ID
www.thenerve.news/p/digital-id...
Brexit has caused almost twice as much damage to the UK economy than estimated by official forecasts, according to new paper from a group of experts including a senior Bank of England economist
This one by Helen Mort!
At @engmediacentre.bsky.social
we've been doing a survey of teachers' views on the current state of English teaching. We've had a great response but we'd love more, incl more from out of London. If you're an English teacher please do it. It doesn't take long! www.surveymonkey.com/r/EngTeach2025
CALLING ALL YOUNG POETS
The deadline for entries to the Eric Gregory Awards is 31 October.
It is awarded for a collection by poets under the age of 30.
Winners of the Eric Gregory Awards are invited to a free solo week residency at Thomas Cottage.
Funeral programme for Chris Holifield, with a photo of Chris smiling.
Happy National Poetry Day! Started the day by saying goodbye to the incredible Chris Holifield, a tremendous force for good in the poetry world and a mentor to many. She'll be much missed.
Now on to games, workshops and performances in the Poetry Cafe, which feels fitting.
