Barnaby Harsent
@jahshabby.bsky.social
Writer and occasional DJ. Supplying poetry and music to rooms of largely indifferent drunks.
https://linktr.ee/jahshabby
https://linktr.ee/jahshabby
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
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 school that bans Atwood, Zadie Smith, Terry effing Pratchett and *literal George Orwell* is actively harming its pupils.
www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/03/scho...
School book banning escalates in the UK as Greater Manchester secondary school censors scores of books - Index on Censorship
A school librarian faced a disciplinary hearing and scores of books were removed from her school library after she stocked Laura Bates’ Men Who Hate Women
www.indexoncensorship.org
March 21, 2026 at 9:28 AM
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 school that bans Atwood, Zadie Smith, Terry effing Pratchett and *literal George Orwell* is actively harming its pupils.
www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/03/scho...
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
**TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!!**
Join 21 past contributors to @iamb.uk as we celebrate the journal's sixth year online.
Tickets are still available (just!) – and they're FREE!!
Go to bit.ly/iamb_is_six to reserve your place, bring along cake and wine, and get set for a great evening of poetry. 🥳🎂
Join 21 past contributors to @iamb.uk as we celebrate the journal's sixth year online.
Tickets are still available (just!) – and they're FREE!!
Go to bit.ly/iamb_is_six to reserve your place, bring along cake and wine, and get set for a great evening of poetry. 🥳🎂
January 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM
**TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!!**
Join 21 past contributors to @iamb.uk as we celebrate the journal's sixth year online.
Tickets are still available (just!) – and they're FREE!!
Go to bit.ly/iamb_is_six to reserve your place, bring along cake and wine, and get set for a great evening of poetry. 🥳🎂
Join 21 past contributors to @iamb.uk as we celebrate the journal's sixth year online.
Tickets are still available (just!) – and they're FREE!!
Go to bit.ly/iamb_is_six to reserve your place, bring along cake and wine, and get set for a great evening of poetry. 🥳🎂
This, later tonight (Saturday). Tickets still available to see a huge range of poets from @iamb.uk's last six years!
Not too late to get your ticket to see all these lovely folks reading later. Hosted by @louisepoetical.bsky.social & @markantonyowen.com 🥳
January 31, 2026 at 2:52 PM
This, later tonight (Saturday). Tickets still available to see a huge range of poets from @iamb.uk's last six years!
An otherwise bang average day (ill with a January bug) has just been given a wonderful lift.
Very happy to be in such great company here. Huge thanks to @iamb.uk and the efforts of @markantonyowen.com
Very happy to be in such great company here. Huge thanks to @iamb.uk and the efforts of @markantonyowen.com
On the day nominations open for The Forward Prizes 2026, @iamb.uk is delighted to announce its three nominees in the Best Single Poem (Written) category.
Best of luck to Rishika Williams, @jahshabby.bsky.social and @victoriaspires.bsky.social. 🥳
Best of luck to Rishika Williams, @jahshabby.bsky.social and @victoriaspires.bsky.social. 🥳
January 19, 2026 at 5:57 PM
An otherwise bang average day (ill with a January bug) has just been given a wonderful lift.
Very happy to be in such great company here. Huge thanks to @iamb.uk and the efforts of @markantonyowen.com
Very happy to be in such great company here. Huge thanks to @iamb.uk and the efforts of @markantonyowen.com
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Tickets available now. More than 80 author talks and events including comedy, music, politics, literary fiction, nature, children's & family events... take a look at the website!
December 27, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Tickets available now. More than 80 author talks and events including comedy, music, politics, literary fiction, nature, children's & family events... take a look at the website!
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Barnaby Harsent @jahshabby.bsky.social at our Christmas - Winter anthology launch last Sunday.
www.blackboughpoetry.com/news
www.blackboughpoetry.com/news
December 19, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Barnaby Harsent @jahshabby.bsky.social at our Christmas - Winter anthology launch last Sunday.
www.blackboughpoetry.com/news
www.blackboughpoetry.com/news
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
No secret sauce – just all the right ingredients: talent, talent and more talent.
If you've yet to dip a toe into wave twenty-four of @iambapoet.com – with its special guest poet @johnglenday.bsky.social – make time for it over the festive period. 🎄🎁🦌
If you've yet to dip a toe into wave twenty-four of @iambapoet.com – with its special guest poet @johnglenday.bsky.social – make time for it over the festive period. 🎄🎁🦌
Once again @markantonyowen.com produces a stellar collection of #poems by so many talented #poets. I hope someday he reveals the secret sauce of this success. In the meantime, thrilled to be riding #Wave24 #PoetsOfBlueSky #StayCreative bsky.app/profile/iamb...
Winter arrives beneath the cloak of the old blue-faced one. She moves over hills, through woods, in shadow. Tightening the land with frost. Shaping the weather. Come in out of the dark to where poems gather like embers. Listen and drink in the latest wave of @iambapoet.com.
www.iambapoet.com/wave/24
www.iambapoet.com/wave/24
December 17, 2025 at 7:50 AM
No secret sauce – just all the right ingredients: talent, talent and more talent.
If you've yet to dip a toe into wave twenty-four of @iambapoet.com – with its special guest poet @johnglenday.bsky.social – make time for it over the festive period. 🎄🎁🦌
If you've yet to dip a toe into wave twenty-four of @iambapoet.com – with its special guest poet @johnglenday.bsky.social – make time for it over the festive period. 🎄🎁🦌
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Guest feature at our #openmic on Zoom tomorrow - Victoria Spires @victoriaspires.bsky.social
Book now to read or listen!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-boug...
#poetry #spokenword
Book now to read or listen!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-boug...
#poetry #spokenword
December 17, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Guest feature at our #openmic on Zoom tomorrow - Victoria Spires @victoriaspires.bsky.social
Book now to read or listen!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-boug...
#poetry #spokenword
Book now to read or listen!
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/black-boug...
#poetry #spokenword
Life cracks on at a pace, and sometimes you don't have time to appreciate the good stuff.
Like the Black Bough Christmas Anthology, featuring around 80 poems, including one of mine!
It's an insanely good pounds-to-poem ratio, and means it's a gift that punches well above its weight. Link in bio.
Like the Black Bough Christmas Anthology, featuring around 80 poems, including one of mine!
It's an insanely good pounds-to-poem ratio, and means it's a gift that punches well above its weight. Link in bio.
December 13, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Life cracks on at a pace, and sometimes you don't have time to appreciate the good stuff.
Like the Black Bough Christmas Anthology, featuring around 80 poems, including one of mine!
It's an insanely good pounds-to-poem ratio, and means it's a gift that punches well above its weight. Link in bio.
Like the Black Bough Christmas Anthology, featuring around 80 poems, including one of mine!
It's an insanely good pounds-to-poem ratio, and means it's a gift that punches well above its weight. Link in bio.
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Our bumper Christmas and winter anthology - check our bio for details! The perfect gift for the literary buff. Paperback under £10! Hardback also available and very posh!
#christmasgifts #books #christmas #books
#christmasgifts #books #christmas #books
December 6, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Our bumper Christmas and winter anthology - check our bio for details! The perfect gift for the literary buff. Paperback under £10! Hardback also available and very posh!
#christmasgifts #books #christmas #books
#christmasgifts #books #christmas #books
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Morning #PromptCombo -ers. When it grows up, #ThisPoem wants to be a poem by @racheljeffcoat.bsky.social, @jenferoze.bsky.social, Katrina Moinet, @benedictan.bsky.social or @moette.bsky.social. It's not fussy 😉
Please help spread the word & sign up to hear these stellar readers. Link below ⬇️
Please help spread the word & sign up to hear these stellar readers. Link below ⬇️
December 5, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Morning #PromptCombo -ers. When it grows up, #ThisPoem wants to be a poem by @racheljeffcoat.bsky.social, @jenferoze.bsky.social, Katrina Moinet, @benedictan.bsky.social or @moette.bsky.social. It's not fussy 😉
Please help spread the word & sign up to hear these stellar readers. Link below ⬇️
Please help spread the word & sign up to hear these stellar readers. Link below ⬇️
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
NEWSLETTER 🗞️
Open mics, launches, a workshop to plan your 2026!
blackboughpoetry.com/so/aePhMQGQI...
Open mics, launches, a workshop to plan your 2026!
blackboughpoetry.com/so/aePhMQGQI...
BLACK BOUGH UPDATE 2025
DECEMBER 2025
blackboughpoetry.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:37 AM
NEWSLETTER 🗞️
Open mics, launches, a workshop to plan your 2026!
blackboughpoetry.com/so/aePhMQGQI...
Open mics, launches, a workshop to plan your 2026!
blackboughpoetry.com/so/aePhMQGQI...
Wondering what to buy that special someone for Christmas?
Wonder no longer. Get everyone you know a copy of this and then put your trotters up for the rest of December.
Follow me for more life hacks.
Wonder no longer. Get everyone you know a copy of this and then put your trotters up for the rest of December.
Follow me for more life hacks.
Our Christmas & Winter anthology will be available this weekend!
Featuring work by @fiddes.bsky.social @jahshabby.bsky.social @vikkicwrites.bsky.social @victoriaspires.bsky.social @paulwritespoems.bsky.social @helenlaycock.bsky.social @annachorlton.bsky.social @alayanabeth.bsky.social and more!
Featuring work by @fiddes.bsky.social @jahshabby.bsky.social @vikkicwrites.bsky.social @victoriaspires.bsky.social @paulwritespoems.bsky.social @helenlaycock.bsky.social @annachorlton.bsky.social @alayanabeth.bsky.social and more!
November 29, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Wondering what to buy that special someone for Christmas?
Wonder no longer. Get everyone you know a copy of this and then put your trotters up for the rest of December.
Follow me for more life hacks.
Wonder no longer. Get everyone you know a copy of this and then put your trotters up for the rest of December.
Follow me for more life hacks.
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Shoutout if you’re up for submitting in the new year for our Christmas & winter anthology! This year’s anthology is out very soon!!! @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
a christmas tree is lit up in the snow with the caption " it 's beginning to look like christmas "
ALT: a christmas tree is lit up in the snow with the caption " it 's beginning to look like christmas "
media.tenor.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Shoutout if you’re up for submitting in the new year for our Christmas & winter anthology! This year’s anthology is out very soon!!! @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
One of the things I like about ekphrastic poetry is that it gives me an easy answer should someone ask, "what's the poem about?"
So I'm made up to be in the line-up for "After..." for 2026, alongside some phenomenal writers.
A gift that keeps on giving throughout the year! (Mine is end of June.)
So I'm made up to be in the line-up for "After..." for 2026, alongside some phenomenal writers.
A gift that keeps on giving throughout the year! (Mine is end of June.)
**CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!**
Today, @afterpoetry.com reveals which poems it will publish throughout 2026.
Picking 17 poets from more than 130 submissions was no easy task – so well done to all who made it through selection.
Are you in? Here's where to find out ...
afterpoetry.com/index/poems/...
Today, @afterpoetry.com reveals which poems it will publish throughout 2026.
Picking 17 poets from more than 130 submissions was no easy task – so well done to all who made it through selection.
Are you in? Here's where to find out ...
afterpoetry.com/index/poems/...
All Poems | 2026 | After... Poems inspired by other art
See the full index of ekphrastic poems published by After... in 2026
www.afterpoetry.com
November 16, 2025 at 10:35 AM
One of the things I like about ekphrastic poetry is that it gives me an easy answer should someone ask, "what's the poem about?"
So I'm made up to be in the line-up for "After..." for 2026, alongside some phenomenal writers.
A gift that keeps on giving throughout the year! (Mine is end of June.)
So I'm made up to be in the line-up for "After..." for 2026, alongside some phenomenal writers.
A gift that keeps on giving throughout the year! (Mine is end of June.)
Reposted by Barnaby Harsent
Some fine #Halloween micropoems today. Go for it. Go for broke! Full tilt imagination. Up to 14 words long. Tag us in. @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
a cobblestone street with pumpkins and candles on it
ALT: a cobblestone street with pumpkins and candles on it
media.tenor.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Some fine #Halloween micropoems today. Go for it. Go for broke! Full tilt imagination. Up to 14 words long. Tag us in. @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
Limited character count? No worries.
Everything you need is on the lovely poster.
But, in case...
28 November, 6.30pm
Me and @justinrobertsonart.bsky.social at Margate Off License, talking books, records, and kidnapping Jon Dasilva.
And then all down to Faith in Strangers for the afters.
Everything you need is on the lovely poster.
But, in case...
28 November, 6.30pm
Me and @justinrobertsonart.bsky.social at Margate Off License, talking books, records, and kidnapping Jon Dasilva.
And then all down to Faith in Strangers for the afters.
October 31, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Limited character count? No worries.
Everything you need is on the lovely poster.
But, in case...
28 November, 6.30pm
Me and @justinrobertsonart.bsky.social at Margate Off License, talking books, records, and kidnapping Jon Dasilva.
And then all down to Faith in Strangers for the afters.
Everything you need is on the lovely poster.
But, in case...
28 November, 6.30pm
Me and @justinrobertsonart.bsky.social at Margate Off License, talking books, records, and kidnapping Jon Dasilva.
And then all down to Faith in Strangers for the afters.
@blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
Halloween micro poetry comp entry... done
@cheltpoetfest.bsky.social poetry comp entry... done
@poetrysociety.org.uk poetry comp entry... done
Now it's time to hit the mean streets of that London to see @gwennosaunders.bsky.social
Decent day so far.
Halloween micro poetry comp entry... done
@cheltpoetfest.bsky.social poetry comp entry... done
@poetrysociety.org.uk poetry comp entry... done
Now it's time to hit the mean streets of that London to see @gwennosaunders.bsky.social
Decent day so far.
October 31, 2025 at 3:44 PM
@blackboughpoetry.bsky.social
Halloween micro poetry comp entry... done
@cheltpoetfest.bsky.social poetry comp entry... done
@poetrysociety.org.uk poetry comp entry... done
Now it's time to hit the mean streets of that London to see @gwennosaunders.bsky.social
Decent day so far.
Halloween micro poetry comp entry... done
@cheltpoetfest.bsky.social poetry comp entry... done
@poetrysociety.org.uk poetry comp entry... done
Now it's time to hit the mean streets of that London to see @gwennosaunders.bsky.social
Decent day so far.
Micropoem competition time for Halloween (for the fantastic @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social)
Written, fittingly, with ragged nerves after about two hours' sleep.
Written, fittingly, with ragged nerves after about two hours' sleep.
October 31, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Micropoem competition time for Halloween (for the fantastic @blackboughpoetry.bsky.social)
Written, fittingly, with ragged nerves after about two hours' sleep.
Written, fittingly, with ragged nerves after about two hours' sleep.
Right then @victoriaspires.bsky.social... I said I was going to give the #promptcombo a go and I've ended up with something that at least leans into the idea of #DreamLogic.
Probably not finished, obviously, but leaving it for now...
Probably not finished, obviously, but leaving it for now...
October 30, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Right then @victoriaspires.bsky.social... I said I was going to give the #promptcombo a go and I've ended up with something that at least leans into the idea of #DreamLogic.
Probably not finished, obviously, but leaving it for now...
Probably not finished, obviously, but leaving it for now...
Looking forward to this - if you're around this evening and fancy hearing some excellent poetry for free, then sign up!
October 25, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Looking forward to this - if you're around this evening and fancy hearing some excellent poetry for free, then sign up!
HELLO PEOPLE OF BLUESKY
Been knocked on my arse this week, but will be rising from my sick bed tonight, helped by the power of poetry!
Come and join us if you can. Eight poets sharing fantastic work and all for free!
CLICK BELOW FOR TICKETS!
7pm kick-off. Hope to see you there!
Been knocked on my arse this week, but will be rising from my sick bed tonight, helped by the power of poetry!
Come and join us if you can. Eight poets sharing fantastic work and all for free!
CLICK BELOW FOR TICKETS!
7pm kick-off. Hope to see you there!
Last Saturday Poets : October
Last Saturday Poetry with Katrina Moinet,Andy Breckenridge, Margaret Royall, Barnaby Harsent, Saraswati Nagpal, Julian Cason & Sue Spiers
www.eventbrite.co.uk
October 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM
HELLO PEOPLE OF BLUESKY
Been knocked on my arse this week, but will be rising from my sick bed tonight, helped by the power of poetry!
Come and join us if you can. Eight poets sharing fantastic work and all for free!
CLICK BELOW FOR TICKETS!
7pm kick-off. Hope to see you there!
Been knocked on my arse this week, but will be rising from my sick bed tonight, helped by the power of poetry!
Come and join us if you can. Eight poets sharing fantastic work and all for free!
CLICK BELOW FOR TICKETS!
7pm kick-off. Hope to see you there!
This promises to be a great evening of poetry, and it's free!
Looking forward to hearing the rest of the line-up - just need to choose what I'm going to read before now and then. No pressure!
Saturday 25th October 7pm.
Looking forward to hearing the rest of the line-up - just need to choose what I'm going to read before now and then. No pressure!
Saturday 25th October 7pm.
October 20, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This promises to be a great evening of poetry, and it's free!
Looking forward to hearing the rest of the line-up - just need to choose what I'm going to read before now and then. No pressure!
Saturday 25th October 7pm.
Looking forward to hearing the rest of the line-up - just need to choose what I'm going to read before now and then. No pressure!
Saturday 25th October 7pm.
If you're around on the 25th, this will be fun - and it's free!
Which is the best value a Saturday in October is likely to bring...
Which is the best value a Saturday in October is likely to bring...
October 15, 2025 at 3:18 PM
If you're around on the 25th, this will be fun - and it's free!
Which is the best value a Saturday in October is likely to bring...
Which is the best value a Saturday in October is likely to bring...