Salena Godden
@salenagodden.bsky.social
NEW novel 'The Life Of Life' out with Canongate, Spring 2027 Author of 'Mrs Death Misses Death' 'Pessimism is for Lightweights' 'With Love, Grief and Fury' & ‘Springfield Road’ https://salenagodden.substack https://www.salenagodden.co.uk
💫 Getting ready to go to @latitudefestival.bsky.social You'll find me at The Listening Post stage, performing alongside Hollie McNish, Joelle Taylor, Luke Wright, John Cooper Clarke, Bradley Taylor & many more, amazing line up of poets & artists. See you there my dears Xx latitudefestival.com
Henham Park, Suffolk, 23 - 26 July 2026
Latitude Festival will return to Henham Park, Suffolk on 23 - 26 July 2026. Weekend and Family tickets on sale now!
latitudefestival.com
I now fervently believe this. Relatedly, I think celebrating good news and embracing joy are equally radical. You have to remember what you’re fighting for. We cannot sustainably organize around sorrow.
Saeed Jones@theferocity.bsky.social · 3mo agoI’m coming to understand that maintaining hope is radical.
Ahh this is wonderful, latest episode of POETRY PLEASE celebrating the life of the late great Brian Patten with special guest Lemn Sissay in the studio with Roger McGough. Celebrating Brian's beautiful poetry, tune in here: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Poetry Please - Celebrating Brian Patten - BBC Sounds
Roger McGough, Lemn Sissay and others celebrate Brian Patten.
bbc.co.uk
Yesterday Andy Burnham gave a bold speech about his hopes for the future as PM. He was by my poem 'Pessimism is for Lightweights' which is on permanent display at The People's History Museum, Manchester. The BBC panned to a close up of my poem as the reporter called Burnham 'a heavyweight for hope'
Honoured to have poem 'Is Anyone Out There' featured on the Natural Symphony 'Human|Nature' album, out this week, here's a link to a YouTube of the track. 100% of Royalties are going to Earth Sonic and Seeds of Sound environmental projects around the world🪴💚 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyvi...
Is Anybody out There
YouTube video by Release - Topic
youtube.com
This week in the poetry blogs w/ @wendypratt.bsky.social @jwikeley.bsky.social @richardjnewman.bsky.social @edmundprestwich.bsky.social @mayacpopa.bsky.social @salenagodden.bsky.social @robin-gow-poet.bsky.social @victoriamoul.bsky.social @suefinch.bsky.social 1/3 www.vianegativa.us/2026/06/poet...
Poetry Blog Digest 2026, Week 23
A personal selection of posts from around the Anglophone blogosphere.
vianegativa.us
Marjane Satrapi (1969-2026), the French-Iranian author and illustrator behind the popular graphic novel series and film “Persopolis,” RIP 🙏
Such a weird day. Too much to process. Nothing says I’m taking care of my heart and soul like getting into bed at 9.30 with an amazing book I bought to read at a time like this. A book that has nothing to do with work. An author I love and trust. And it’s still light outside. Bliss
Heartbroken to hear that Marjane Satrapi has died. Her long term partner died last year and that clearly hit her really hard but still, 56 is no age. If you've not read 'Persepolis' now would be the time to do it.
Darach Ó Séaghdha@darach.bsky.social · 2mo ago
We be human: eat, sleep, write and try to drink water, whilst blood cells regenerate in the most miraculous way, we’re constantly repairing, hairs grow, we make platelets, millions of blood cells every second, what are you doing? Doing? I’m busy being a dancing biology casserole in the summer rain
favourite thing right now is stopping to stare at the summer rain. I listen to nothing but rainfall, and this low hum in my brain that reminds me everything inside me is alive and thrumming. Heart pumping away, hot blood racing, the DNA of ancestors tapping on my every nerve to fight fight fight
HOT Summer Dates: June 26: Sounds Like Courage, RFH, Southbank June 27: Ledbury Poetry Festival July 23: Latitude Festival Book now, tickets and details on my latest blog post, see you soon ... www.salenagodden.co.uk
On a bus, a woman sat by me, she smiled, then she pointed at the dentists, I said, oh I go to that dentist, so did she, we talked about the dentists, as she spoke I was thinking, wow this is me, I’m a person that happily chats on the bus, we smile together, the good we see in each other, I am my mum
All of this. Well said Tom. People say this to me too, please don’t apologise if you take my books out in the library, the libraries are the heart beat of any street or town. How rebellious it feels to switch the phone off and read a book, to be unavailable, to just read a book, for the love of it
Lovely to have you on the show! @brianbilston.bsky.social
Brian Bilston@brianbilston.bsky.social · 2mo agoDelighted to be on this week’s episode of The Verb, alongside the individually and collectively wonderful Ian McMillan, Martha Sprackland, Daljit Nagra and Ira Lightman. It’s available for listening through the BBC Sounds app. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Telly talk: maybe Amanda in Amandaland is a bit like a female Alan Partridge. They’d vote Reform or Toryc both are horrible self-important and inflated ego characters. Often the jokes are rooted in them being ignorant or bigoted. UK comedy really loves the awkward cringe and loathing as centrepiece
£500 given out to a working class writer every month. Details in link. Please share :)
The Creatives Grant
let's make art less middle class
thewhitepube.co.uk
Friends, I am writing these words without knowing whether I will be able to write again. I write them surrounded by fear that never leaves my heart, in a reality that grows harsher with every passing hour.
Perfect Friday afternoon: One of the most joyful, indulgent, nourishing gifts is my subscription to National Theatre online. I am alone, watching plays, drinking tea, absorbed. I feel my brain chewing stories, soaking up dialogue and performance, the passion, art and beauty, my heart feels happier 🎭
Friday June 26th ‘It Sounds Like Courage’ Music & Solidarity, Royal Festival Hall, Anoushka Shankar, Counterpoints Arts, Nish Kumar, Nai Barghouti, Seckou Keita, MoYah, Nadine Shah, Inua Ellams, Nikita Gill & Salena Godden @southbankcentre.bsky.social 🎟️ www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/it-...
It Sounds Like Courage | Southbank Centre
southbankcentre.co.uk
I am going to have blood tests today and it’s so hot outside, melting pavements, oozing tar, I feel like my hot blood inside must be like a volcanic fiery lava and fear it will burn through the needle and all the equipment and the gloves of the nurse
We've been through several rounds of this in climate circles. I've come to the conclusion it's like cooking - find the emotional recipe that works to galvanise you. Some people need a hearty dose of rage or grief, others a fair deal of optimism. Doesn't really matter, providing you do something.
Jacob Aron@jjaron.bsky.social · 2mo agoMight I suggest that Ian McEwan is not the guy to go for if you want climate change advice? www.theguardian.com/books/2026/m...
