The Writing Squad

Limestone Quarry, Knaresborough It’s not my fault the rocks are insane, I’m just announcing stone-intent. If you were two-hundred-million years old and each century was worth less than a grain of sand if you had been mud and coral in Pangea and saw extinctions and then in the great yawn of tectonic plates became a little spit of something that one day would be England, if humans were the latest news, a misplaced handaxe your first trinket, if you watched Romans introduce gods and rabbits, if you saw Christ carried in a book, if you were a sprawl of caves, a castle, a cliff, a series of shrines, generations of homes, if you wore a vast forest as a cloak, if you buried a prophet, dug up a saint, if you kissed the last boar goodbye, if you became black with soot, if the forest was shorn to a sliver, if the river washed you to sand, if the day and night were a spinning top and your voice was the great echo of grit, if there was no moving through your history but the history was you over and over and over again, wouldn’t you be a mudslide, a haunt, a great unspoken secret?

Blog post: Inspiration behind the poem If you sit me down and ask me to guess the length of a minute, I’ll wander off midway through, come back a half-hour later and ask you what time it is. For someone this thoroughly timeblind, I have a peculiar obsession with it. Deep time, in particular, the way that it passes for a stone or fossil not measured in days, but in the long yawn of epochs. It’s a scale utterly unimaginable for any of us. In Knaresborough (a Yorkshire market town) when I was a teenager, I met a man who kept a vertical garden. A normal garden would stop where it reached the edge of a cliff-face, but his simply went on up, dug into it, occasionally supported on wooden two-by-fours. It was a fantastic endeavour in non-euclidian landscaping complete with fishpond, at least ten feet up. In front of the garden was his bookshop, poky and ancient like himself. One year during a summer squall, he told me ghost stories, how he invoked the Lord against bits of haunted furniture and how his own dead son had walked through the door one day. Another year, he claimed his garden, his cliffs and the caves under them as the birthplace of a prophetess. He said to me that he’d had an archaeology student spend a summer with him. When this had happened, I couldn’t guess. This archaeology student spent a summer digging in those caves, looking for the tunnels that supposedly ran from there up to Knaresborough Castle. Instead, he found

stone tools and Roman coins. Proof that there’s been people continuously living in and around these cliffs for almost as long as there’s been people on this island. Time flattens. I see myself returning here at fifteen, at twenty-five and all the years between, slipping between Royalists with their muskets, medieval hermits, Georgians on their way to take the waters at Harrogate, Roman legionaries, and my strange, nimble bookseller. But even that is a short gasp compared to the stones themselves. Knaresborough is surrounded by limestone cliffs, which given that limestone is formed from calcite and that calcite was once ancient sealife, I figure those cliffs to be about 99% ghosts—scientifically speaking. And look at everything those ghosts have seen! The last time I visited my bookseller, the shop was shuttered. He had been elderly the whole time I had known him, and I suppose time must have caught up to him at last. Though, I almost don’t believe it. How can I? When I see him vanishing into those ancient caves, his ghost stories, that green cliff of his own making.

A sample poem from my forthcoming @ninearchespress.bsky.social collection and a blog post. Something about time, booksellers and folklore 💚

AMERICAN POETRY FANS: If you're interested in my queer folkloric poetry, you can pre-order my book (with free international shipping!) through Blackwells blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro... 💚

Monday must mean more of The Poems We Made Along The Way.

Today’s episode is with Taz Rahman. We spoke about line endings, poetry libraries, and Plato’s realm of the forms. We have it all.

Find our conversation on your preferred podcast platform. Share, like, and tell me your highlights.

All lines lead to Sheffield for the next two days for out TV Writers Room simulation lead by Squad TV grads Pearl Andrews-Horrigan, Billie Collins and Lydia Marchant.

My Mum Told Me Not To Marry An Atheist - The Writing Squad My Mum Told Me Not To Marry An Atheist is a one-woman comedy-drama about Dadi, a sharp-tongued Pakistani radio host and DJ who navigates love, marriage, and a lifetime of being intergenerational…

'My Mum Told Me Not To Marry An Atheist' is a one-woman show by Amina Aaliya Beg. Dadi, a sharp-tongued Pakistani radio host and DJ navigates love, marriage, and a lifetime of being intergenerational trouble-makers with her granddaughter Kamal.

At Camden People's Theatre on 19th & 24th of March.

Our 2026 poetry pamphlets: empirical by @gitaralleigh.bsky.social and polblar tmolkop by @andrewblair.co.uk are available for pre-order at thebraag.co/shop 🌺🛸

Cetancients – Katie (Tom) Walters - The Writing Squad Blue Whale Model, Natural History Museum Suspended in the centre of the mammals gallery, and utterly dominating the room, the natural history museum’s blue whale model is an iconic aspect of the Natur...

Every Sunday during the #NationalYearofReading2026 we’ll be posting good reads by Squad writers, don’t worry if you missed yesterday’s, Tom Katie Walters on our 1st International Residency searching for whales in Iceland and elsewhere @literacy-trust.bsky.social www.writingsquad.com/push/issues/...

Theodore appointed as Reader-in-Residence - The Writing Squad

For the upcoming Crossing the Tees Book Festival, Squad writer Theodore Forcer has been chosen as the Reader-in-Residence for Hartlepool Libraries. They will be running a series of relaxed workshops to help people engage with archival materials in a hands-on way.

Really enjoyed recording The Poems We Made Along The Way, a splendid podcast hosted by @gregorykearns.bsky.social Gregory asks really interesting questions! I’ll let you know when it’s going to be available.

New blog from me on detoxifying the most toxic of debates: immigration.

In the context of polarisation, epistemic threats, and record high distrust, we need a much more in-depth, nuanced, and informed conversation.

We need public deliberation.

All lines lead to Leeds today as Katie Hales caters for our inner magpie - playing with collage and the unexpected to fuse new ideas and writing.

Bunker Talk #161: Jamal Gerald - The Writing Squad This event is part of Bunker Talks. Bunker Talks invite artists and researchers to talk about who they are and what they do. Curated by the Performance Research Group at Manchester School of Art and…

Bunker Talks creates a space for critical encounters, presentations, provocation and dialogue as part of a civic conversation. Jamal Gerald has been invited to speak about his practice - catch him on Tuesday 3rd at Manchester's Poetry Library.

Recently Published In… - The Writing Squad

Take a look at recently published writing by Squad members including Kym Deyn, Tallulah Howarth, Kit Byford, Ellen Waters and Tadgh Gibson.

Kym & Katherine Awarded Jerwood Fellowships - The Writing Squad

The Jerwood Fellowships at New Writing North have been awarded to three early career published writers, currently living in the North of England - kymdeyn.bsky.social, Katherine Horrex, and J.A. Mensah - two of whom are Squad writers! Congratulations all.

Clementine and CroppaChoppa’s Slumber Party - The Writing Squad The noughties called…and it said you’re invited to “the most fun night of comedy” (MCR Wire), hosted by Rosalie Minnitt as Clementine, and resident Sleepoverlord Charlotte Cropper!

Charlotte Cropper is taking Manchester’s cult comedy sleepover to London with a suitcase packed full of games, prizes and gossip, as well as mischievous mascot Bertie the Bear.

Grab your pals, your pyjamas, and get ready to have the best night of your life!

One Mic Stand - The Writing Squad The Forward Prize Young Poets Summit take over One Mic Stand Slam! Young poets from around the country compete for the title and a cash prize. Expect an International Headliner, and Squad writer,…

Get yourself down to the Blues Kitchen in Manchester for the fantastic One Mic Stand this Thursday! Young poets from around the country compete for the title and a cash prize. Expect an International Headliner, and Squad writer, Nara Rasool representing the Writing Squad.

Fahad Awarded the Arts Foundation Literature Fellowship - The Writing Squad

A huge congratulations to Fahad Al-Amoudi, who has been awarded the Arts Foundation Futures Awards Fellowship for Literature!

Voiced Festival: Writing and Mosaics Workshop - The Writing Squad Come along to this unique workshop combining visual art and writing based on the theme of spoken language and dialect. Led by writer and photographer Lydia Hounat, you will create a brand new work of…

A fascinating (and free!) workshop led by Lydia Hounat is coming up next weekend at the Manchester Poetry Library as part of Voiced: The Festival of Endangered Languages. Learn more and register here

Cover Revealed for Kym Deyn’s Debut Poetry Collection - The Writing Squad

Kym Deyn’s debut collection is available to pre-order now, and will be coming out in April with Nine Arches Press.

Folkish is a trickster figure masquerading as a poetry collection. Full of ghosts, worms, saints, and Northern English folklore, Kym Deyn’s debut is playful and spirited.

Under the Lobby Lights - The Writing Squad Come down to the Lobby 1867 in Wakefield on the 11th February for a fantastic night of spoken word. Headline slots by Peter Spafford, author of ‘Frisk‘ and ‘Sun Tanking‘, and multidisciplinary poet,…

Come along to a night of spoken word in Wakefield next Wednesday. Open mic, plus headline slots by Peter Spafford (author of ‘Frisk‘ and ‘Sun Tanking‘), and multidisciplinary poet, Tallulah Howarth. 7.30pm start

YOU CAN NOW PRE-ORDER MY BOOK 💚🪱

also, look at my babygirl worm on the cover 😭

Sassy Selects – Funny Valentines - The Writing Squad Sassy Selects is your chance to discover three of London’s most exciting up-and-coming artists and connect with fellow music lovers in a relaxed setting, and this time there’s a theme! Join…

Haven't got any plans for Valentine's this year? Don't worry - catch Dilettante, aka Francesca Pidgeon, next Tuesday for a swoon-worthy set at the Libra Theatre Café in London.

10/02/2026 at 7pm. Click for more info!

Fluid Love - The Writing Squad Fluid Love will bring together 8 artists on Sunday the 8th of February for a fluid afternoon, flowing into the evening, of experimental art, performance and film at Love Affair Basement. With food…

In London this weekend? Squad writer Kit Byford is performing poetry at an experimental afternoon in the new Love Affair Basement.

Issue 14.5 - Carmen et Error Poison HighwaysBy Evelyn Pae the giant snails burned through miles of shrubland in a single day. their slime killed plants and insects when wet, then dried into a calcaereous husk perfect for driving ...

Issue 14.5 is here at carmenerror.com?page_id=636, with more work selected by @chadpie.bsky.social featuring

🐌 Evelyn Pae
⏳ @shanaross.bsky.social
🐻 Katrinka Moore
🏠 Reece Sterling Alexander

We're having a sale at thebraag.co/shop, with up to 50% off a whole BUNCH of our titles, including work by @timothyfox.bsky.social,
@sarahbwestcottpoet.bsky.social
@sarahkat.bsky.social
Kirsten Luckins, Nina Murray, & Anthony Cartwright ✨

💚 Sale ends February 10th 💚

Carmen et Error Submissions Open All February Poetry, 40 lines. Flash fiction up to 400 words. carmenerror.com

We're here for ur weird!

Subs open the whole month of Feb, read the subs guidelines on the website or I'll USE YOUR BONES TO MAKE MY BREAD ❤️

Braag chapbook with rosary draped over

Braag chapbook being read by a tin toucan

NEW BRAAG MICROS - up at thebraag.co/shop

👼 The Annual Convention of Most Gentle and Virtuous Saints by Heather Chapman.

🦜 Toucan by Jessica Boatright.

'I'm annoyed I'd never heard of fulfilling Elizabeth Gaskell' Works from writers-in-residence inspired by the Victorian novelist are published in a new book.

The Writing Squad “collective” - I like the sound of that! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

All lines lead to Newcastle this morning for a day with Emma Adams exploring how sketch leads to text - a day of looking and writing all, weather permitting, on foot!

All lines lead to Manchester this morning for a Squad Mini Open, no agenda, nothing planned, just space, time and fellow writers.