Mike O’Brien
@zoomburst.substack.com
Sixty odd years old - Sixty Odd Press
zoomburst.substack.com sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
zoomburst.substack.com sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
A bloke took a walk in a deep dark wood... Some thoughts on walking, and writing #poetry in #woodland. Watch your step!
Gruffaloes, Tree Huggers and Wood Pigeons
and other things that you might encounter in your local woodland
zoomburst.substack.com
September 8, 2026 at 7:06 AM
I'm giving another of my #Dickens talks next Sunday afternoon at 3pm - this one to be given at Boothby Pagnell Church near #Grantham, Lincolnshire. Its part of a #LincolnshireHeritage Open Day. Look at how young he looks in that picture - Yes! It's him in pre-beard days.
September 7, 2026 at 2:20 PM
I'm giving another of my #Dickens talks next Sunday afternoon at 3pm - this one to be given at Boothby Pagnell Church near #Grantham, Lincolnshire. Its part of a #LincolnshireHeritage Open Day. Look at how young he looks in that picture - Yes! It's him in pre-beard days.
It's Luke Meyers AKA the Quill Of Mnemosyne @sonnetsmith.bsky.social on #SixtyOdd poets this week with an elegantly composed collection of #poetry on subjects including (but not limited to) cats, comparisons, and career choices.
109. Luke Meyers
Curling, Coffee and Role Playing Games
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
September 7, 2026 at 8:29 AM
It's Luke Meyers AKA the Quill Of Mnemosyne @sonnetsmith.bsky.social on #SixtyOdd poets this week with an elegantly composed collection of #poetry on subjects including (but not limited to) cats, comparisons, and career choices.
#OddChallenge Number 3. Write a poem in the form of a recipe. As ever, I shall be selecting a handful of responses for a future edition of #60OddPoems but I'll only use stuff that has previously been posted on social media. Tag it, bag it, and send it to forensics. #poetry #prompts
September 2, 2026 at 7:24 AM
#OddChallenge Number 3. Write a poem in the form of a recipe. As ever, I shall be selecting a handful of responses for a future edition of #60OddPoems but I'll only use stuff that has previously been posted on social media. Tag it, bag it, and send it to forensics. #poetry #prompts
Anyone within striking distance of #Wakefield, who has naught better to do this coming Saturday afternoon, is cordially invited to attend Jackanory @ the CoActive Maker Space, Almhouse Lane, where I'll be presenting a short set of #poetry along with 3 other literary worthies. Followed by an open Mic
September 1, 2026 at 7:53 AM
Anyone within striking distance of #Wakefield, who has naught better to do this coming Saturday afternoon, is cordially invited to attend Jackanory @ the CoActive Maker Space, Almhouse Lane, where I'll be presenting a short set of #poetry along with 3 other literary worthies. Followed by an open Mic
have a read of some #poetry with titles in different languages to the text. (That was the idea anyway - maybe the realisation is a little different in some examples) all provided by readers of #SixtyOdd Poets
Titled in Other Tongues
The Second Odd Challenge
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
August 30, 2026 at 10:27 AM
It’s 7am and I’m sitting in a swish sea view apartment in Scarborough. It’s raining outside and we go home today. So excuse me if this is a bit bleak in tone. #PoemsAbout #EndOfSummer
August 28, 2026 at 6:06 AM
It’s 7am and I’m sitting in a swish sea view apartment in Scarborough. It’s raining outside and we go home today. So excuse me if this is a bit bleak in tone. #PoemsAbout #EndOfSummer
@daveashleypoet.bsky.social #AugusrAnarchy. Here’s one from the archives…
16. Le Fils de l'Homme
... being an attempt to decipher of the meaning of one of Renee Magritte's most celebrated paintings
zoomburst.substack.com
August 26, 2026 at 9:18 PM
@daveashleypoet.bsky.social #AugusrAnarchy. Here’s one from the archives…
And while I'm here, let me try and temp tou away with some moving #poetry from Clare Bryden on #60Odd poets
108. Clare Bryden
making connections and finding patterns in the physical realm and beyond
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
August 24, 2026 at 8:06 AM
Get in there! Books have arrived for next Sunday's #60Odd launch. #poetry, prose and a particularly fine cover illustration. Featuring (amongst others) our Bluesky friends @thepaulconnolly.bsky.social, and @owlnsquirrels1111.bsky.social.
August 24, 2026 at 7:40 AM
Get in there! Books have arrived for next Sunday's #60Odd launch. #poetry, prose and a particularly fine cover illustration. Featuring (amongst others) our Bluesky friends @thepaulconnolly.bsky.social, and @owlnsquirrels1111.bsky.social.
The latest #60Odd Poets page is all about my obsession with #CharlesDickens. When I had finished writing it I celebrated by making a postcard from the illustration. To be available as soon as I get it back from the printers!
zoomburst.substack.com/p/obsessed-w...
zoomburst.substack.com/p/obsessed-w...
Obsessed With Charles Dickens
Some thoughts on Charles Dickens and Obsession
zoomburst.substack.com
August 23, 2026 at 10:28 AM
The latest #60Odd Poets page is all about my obsession with #CharlesDickens. When I had finished writing it I celebrated by making a postcard from the illustration. To be available as soon as I get it back from the printers!
zoomburst.substack.com/p/obsessed-w...
zoomburst.substack.com/p/obsessed-w...
August 23, 2026 at 9:41 AM
Odd - Vol 1.3 is out and about. its six quid online, but its only a fiver at the Fox Gallery Launch in Mexborough (S64 9JP) on August 30th. There's tons of poetry and articles within its 90 odd pages.
August 19, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Odd - Vol 1.3 is out and about. its six quid online, but its only a fiver at the Fox Gallery Launch in Mexborough (S64 9JP) on August 30th. There's tons of poetry and articles within its 90 odd pages.
I'm back in Blighty - I managed to put this on Substack whilst I was away - (no, I didn't ruin the holiday, I did the spadework beforehand and set the thing to post at the usual time) I never got around to promoting it though ... It's a good read - featuring the periodic table and the sands of time
What I've Been Reading 11
The Science Edition
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
August 18, 2026 at 7:08 AM
I'm back in Blighty - I managed to put this on Substack whilst I was away - (no, I didn't ruin the holiday, I did the spadework beforehand and set the thing to post at the usual time) I never got around to promoting it though ... It's a good read - featuring the periodic table and the sands of time
I’m in the South of France, but the pull of #poemsabout #mainstage is strong
August 14, 2026 at 6:07 AM
I’m in the South of France, but the pull of #poemsabout #mainstage is strong
Lin Hart, with a fine collection of oddities for the #SixtyOdd page. #poetry for the particular! @poetry-with-hart.bsky.social
107. Lin Hart
Runs free
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
August 9, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Lin Hart, with a fine collection of oddities for the #SixtyOdd page. #poetry for the particular! @poetry-with-hart.bsky.social
I spent far too long rummaging in this nonsense - There's an idea in there somewhere, I just cant lay my hand on it.. #PoemsAbout #thriftstore
August 7, 2026 at 8:19 AM
I spent far too long rummaging in this nonsense - There's an idea in there somewhere, I just cant lay my hand on it.. #PoemsAbout #thriftstore
@charlotte-l-s-holm.bsky.social Welcome to bluesky. I strongly advise you to goo look at the profile of @thepaulconnolly.bsky.social, Not only is he a really good egg - he has the means to fill your feed with interesting poets. Just subscribe to a few of his starter packs.
August 4, 2026 at 8:03 AM
@charlotte-l-s-holm.bsky.social Welcome to bluesky. I strongly advise you to goo look at the profile of @thepaulconnolly.bsky.social, Not only is he a really good egg - he has the means to fill your feed with interesting poets. Just subscribe to a few of his starter packs.
After the success of the first Odd Challenge on poems in the future tense, here is a second one - John Keats did it with "La Belle Dame sans Merci", as did Wilfred Owen with "Dulce et Decorum Est". Can you write a poem with a title in another language? Tag them #OddChallenge, and share the prompt.
August 3, 2026 at 8:04 AM
After the success of the first Odd Challenge on poems in the future tense, here is a second one - John Keats did it with "La Belle Dame sans Merci", as did Wilfred Owen with "Dulce et Decorum Est". Can you write a poem with a title in another language? Tag them #OddChallenge, and share the prompt.
There's been some great #PoemsAbout #LastTrain this week. The journeys home, the memories, the history. I have enjoyed reading them all... A few have gone with the disappointment that there are not as many trains and lines as there used to be. I'm one of those
July 31, 2026 at 5:08 PM
There's been some great #PoemsAbout #LastTrain this week. The journeys home, the memories, the history. I have enjoyed reading them all... A few have gone with the disappointment that there are not as many trains and lines as there used to be. I'm one of those
We're all born poets. Just like we're all born swimmers. Our abilities blossom as soon as we start to develop language/hit the water. Then the rules and the fear kick in and we forget how to do it properly. #poetry
Forget the Rules of Poetry
We all have poetic DNA in us - slavishly following rules prevents us from showing it
zoomburst.substack.com
July 27, 2026 at 7:46 AM
We're all born poets. Just like we're all born swimmers. Our abilities blossom as soon as we start to develop language/hit the water. Then the rules and the fear kick in and we forget how to do it properly. #poetry
Merci beaucoup @alinaetc.bsky.social J'adore ma carte postale!
July 26, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Merci beaucoup @alinaetc.bsky.social J'adore ma carte postale!
Some fantastic Faerie poetry today from @ignorantfairy.bsky.social on #60Odd
106. Matthias Geh
A fantastical faerie poet
sixtyoddpoets.substack.com
July 26, 2026 at 10:29 AM
Some fantastic Faerie poetry today from @ignorantfairy.bsky.social on #60Odd
#poemsabout #BadHabits
An interesting challenge this week... let's go visit a dusty old classroom in the 1970s
An interesting challenge this week... let's go visit a dusty old classroom in the 1970s
July 24, 2026 at 7:41 AM
#poemsabout #BadHabits
An interesting challenge this week... let's go visit a dusty old classroom in the 1970s
An interesting challenge this week... let's go visit a dusty old classroom in the 1970s