Sarah-Clare Conlon

I’ve been quizzing Alexa and apparently it’s autumn, so yay,

The other day a pair of herons flew over, one honking, goose-like, as it followed the other. “Wait for me!” The bats have been batting about again too and lots of chattering garden birds, including a curious chiffchaff, fluttering quite low to say hello, and my resident robin, enquiring after worms.

Oh goodness, I completely forgot! So sorry @victoriaspires.bsky.social and @corinnaboard.bsky.social and Tom Branfoot 😞

Wharfedale, top end. Staying in Kettlewell. Any recommendations gratefully received, although my walking is still likely to be q limited. Weather permitting, I intend to get down waterside. Mostly I’ll be writing, eating and drinking, and maybe attempting some terrible painting 😂

My next event is featured on the @mcrcityoflit.bsky.social website! www.manchestercityofliterature.com/event/sarah-...

How lovely! How long are the curlews and oystercatchers resident in the Dales for? I’m up start May so hope they’re still knocking about 🤞

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Last night I ate these v tasty leeks at Stow 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Looking forward to this tonight. First trip townwards in a while.

@marcrileydj.bsky.social So, bats in Didsbury. Also, there are bats in Didsbury.

📣UPDATE! 📣Too much poetry! Could there be such a thing? Yes!!👏To help minimise live literature clashes in this year’s 🎨Chorlton Arts Festival programme, I’ve rescheduled my ✨first-in-its-kind 📚literary salon on ⏰Friday 15 May to start 6pm sharp (doors 5.45pm). More info soon! It’s v v v exciting!

Excited for this!

📣 ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣 I’ve got myself a slot at Chorlton Arts Festival and I have fun ideas brewing!💡 Pop Friday 15 May, 7pm, in your Googalendars and watch this space for more…

Lydia Unsworth : 1B I’ve been feeling a little untethered I bought a new pan so I can touch it the non-stick so slippery the way nothing sticks to m...

newly posted at @periodicities.bsky.social : Lydia Unsworth @lydiaunsworth.bsky.social : 1B
periodicityjournal.blogspot.com/2026/02/lydi...

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3 POETS + 4 POETS = 7 POETS
Lucky poetry readings at the wonderful Saul Hay Gallery in Manchester’s Castlefield this February & March! Both free in; head on over to “Events” on the Saul Hay website for how to book your seat. 🍀 ✍️ ⏰

Interesting slot on R4 Front Row last night talking about the resurgence of cassettes, featuring the NQ’s Mars Tapes.

Ah! It’s visiting Victoria Baths near us in March! Will I need SPF?

A Poet in Every Port | Southbank Centre Join us in 2026 as we celebrate 75 years of the Southbank Centre with poetry in ten port towns and cities across the UK.

Good to hear @mccabio.bsky.social on the wireless earlier, nattering with Emma Barnett and Roger McGough about the National Poetry Library’s A Poet In Every Port project, which is part of the Southbank’s 75th celebrations; more here… www.southbankcentre.co.uk/create-learn...

Poet Sarah-Clare Conlon reading from her book Wanderland, published by Red Ceilings Press.

A couple of years ago, Didsbury Arts Festival commissioned me to create a work inspired by local resident and RSPB founder Emily Williamson, who died on 12 January 1936. My book Wanderland lifts off with the resulting sequence ‘Flight Patterns’; pop in your pocket as you follow in Emily’s footsteps.

Decades, dates, David Bowie and me There's been a lot of coverage to commemorate ten years (yesterday, 10 January) since the death of David Bowie, and the concurrent release o...

First blog post of 2026, explaining a bit about my hip and what David Bowie has to do with it. (TL;DR: arthritis diagnosed in my 30s, complications in my 40s, surgery in my 50s) wordsandfixtures.blogspot.com/2026/01/deca...

above/ground book launch featuring David Gaffney, Lydia Unsworth, Tom Jenks above/ground press present live poetry at Saul Hay Gallery with David Gaffney, Tom Jenks, and Lydia Unsworth - plus art and free wine!

Ill be launching my latest pamphlet on Thursday 26 Feb at the amazing Saul Hay gallery. expect weird surreal readings from @lydiaunsworth.bsky.social @tomjenksuk.bsky.social and me - plus free wine (you'll need it) Free tickets here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1979710024...

If you heard @ggaffa.bsky.social read from his latest book Lakes of Titan at Peter Barlow’s Cigarette recently, well, you can reel in a copy now! 🪐🛸🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟🎣

Last chance to catch Jen Orpin - The Architecture Of Connection at Manchester’s fabulous Saul Hay Gallery. Pop in today and tomorrow 10 to 5.30, finissage Sunday 10 to 5, when as well as being able to see Jen at the easel, you’ll be treated to a festive tipple and mincepie.

Last reading of 2025. Super pleased to perform some old experimental favourites alongside some fresh drought thoughts at the 50th Peter Barlow’s Cigarette a couple of weeks ago. I’m busy writing new stuff, which I can’t wait to share in 2026 – currently taking bookings, if you’ll have me!

Lovely light in Manchester yesterday. Gathered my layers and wits. Took a tram to Castlefield. Wandered and pondered the viaduct. Enjoyed the berries and teasels. Chatted to birds and folk. Took in the moss exhibition. It’s interesting, you should go. Here’s me reflecting on things.

If you’re in Manchester tomorrow (Saturday, 4pm), it would be dead good to see you at the 50th Peter Barlow’s Cigarette – 50th, blimey! Amazing readers: Frances Presley, Jeremy Over and David Gaffney. Oh, and *cough* me. Free as well and the venue is ace – bring your headtorch and your pocket money.

Thank you so much for these lovely words! 🙏 Look forward to discovering more great ideas!

Really enjoyed reading this and hearing more about your process! If I may use your poem as an example, I might set the beau présent as the next exercise for the poetry group I’m part of, meeting tomorrow evening for something like the 34th time!

✨ Hi Fidel @dragonslayerma.bsky.social I spotted @victoriaspires.bsky.social lovely beau présent (which I’ll try out) for #northstar #promptcombo – maybe my a e h i l n o r s t anagram (the 10 most common letters in the English language) fits, from the current issue of @manchesterreview.bsky.social

Misread: “Free online poetry workshop! Rewording now available!” I assume workshops often involve rewording, I thought, then noticed it actually said “recording”, and that I had inadvertently reworded it myself 😂