Martha Sprackland (@marrrtha.bsky.social) will be at the Bookshop next month to discuss her new translation of the works of John of the Cross, the sixteenth-century Spanish mystic, with James Butler (@piercepenniless.bsky.social). Tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/martha-spr...

There I stayed, and there forgot, my cheek laid on my Beloved fair. And all things ceased, and I was lost and all my worldly doubt and care were sunk among the lilies there. ‘Dark Night’, a poem by John of the Cross, translated by Martha Sprackland. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

Martha Sprackland · Poem: ‘Dark Night’

lrb.co.uk

virgin mary punching the devil, england, 13th century

"The Palm House is a funny book. Part of me wants to write blackly funny; darkly funny — but in truth, it’s the humour that operates the levers of complexity." @marrrtha.bsky.social on Gwendoline Riley's The Palm House review31.co.uk/article/view...

Night Vision by Jean Sprackland: An essay collection filled with light and shade

Night Vision by Jean Sprackland: An essay collection filled with light and shade

An evocative and ambitious study of a state that makes up half of human experience

irishtimes.com

Can anyone add to my reading pile – specifically, poems about beer, *not* written by men? 🍻

Some of my editorial work comes via Reedsy. Over the past year it's become completely overrun by people (I can't call them authors) who are asking for editorial help on manuscripts that have been generated by #AI. Often, what they want is for someone to make the text sound more human.

A rare Sprackland double-header – Jean and I will be co-tutoring a course at Hawkwood @hawkwoodcft.bsky.social in March, on drawing poetry out of personal raw material. Open for booking now. www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk/our-programm...

Three years of work on this — my new translation of the poetry and selected prose of sixteen-century Spanish mystic St John of the Cross for Penguin Classics. • You can preorder it via all the usual bookshops or links here. www.penguin.co.uk/books/462137...

Little piece on darkness by Sprackland mère, ahead of the publication of her new book, Night Vision. www.penguin.co.uk/books/453167... @theobserveruk.bsky.social

Birkbeck, University of London, is seeking an Editorial Assistant (paid) to support the development of a new anthology on the influential British photographer and activist, Jo Spence. cis7.bbk.ac.uk/vacancy/edit...

A new partnership with BBC Writers to deliver a six-month mentorship scheme for emerging Muslim writers. Four mentees will benefit from tailored guidance, industry insight, and one-to-one support from experienced writers. ukmuslimfilm.org/bbc-writers-...

If you are tall enough to see over the paywall, my story 'Bee Box' is up on the @irishtimes.com now, after coming second in @themothmagazine.bsky.social The Moth Short Story Prize. www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

Bee Box by Martha Sprackland

The runner-up in this year’s Moth Short Story Prize, chosen by judge Evie Wyld

irishtimes.com

Barely an hour ago, Palestinian journalist Anas Al-Sharif warned us all: “If this madness doesn’t end, Gaza will be reduced to ruins, its people’s voices silenced, their faces erased — and history will remember you as silent witnesses to a genocide you chose not to stop.” Israel just killed him.

The five brave Palestinian journalists whom Israel targeted and killed today (left-right): -Anas al-Sharif (correspondent) -Mohammed Qreiqeh (correspondent) -Ibrahim Zaher (camera operator) -Muhammad Al-Khalidi (photojournalist) -Mohammed Noufal (camera operator) -Moamen Aliwa (camera operator)

You only kill journalists when you want to hide what you're doing.

Mark Chadbourn@chadbourn.bsky.social · 12mo ago

BBC International Editor Jeremy Bowen has confirmed that the entire Al Jazeera team in Gaza City has been killed.

Again, if you're suspicious that Palestinian accounts are spam, ignore/mute/block/don't donate. By reporting, you are risking hindering real people undergoing an active genocide from surviving, escaping, keeping their families alive. You are doing evil work, as y/our governments starve/kill them.

Please share in your networks. Goldsmiths, UoL are offering 5 scholarships in Undergrad & MA courses for Palestinian students. The scholarships include: tuition fee waiver, £19,550 allowance, return trip to & from the UK. Eligibility details & further info at link👇🏽 www.gold.ac.uk/fees-funding...

Palestinian Scholarship

gold.ac.uk

Think of this child—she has endured unimaginable pain. She lost her home, her toys, and her entire childhood. The least we can do is give her a chance at life, save her family, and bring back her smile. She is counting on you www.gofundme.com/f/npjax3-hel...

Quorabouros

Painfully on the nose moment. In the train station shop getting my morning coffee. On the radio I'm hearing about benefits cuts, one of the newspapers headlines is about Trump's tariffs hitting us in the UK... and the Sun's headline is about how "dinghy refugees" are "taking us for fools".