Esther Lay
@estherlay.bsky.social
Poet, Royal Navy wife, priest, singer. 2025 Forward Prize nominee, 2025 winner of East Riding Festival of Words. 2024 Winner of Write By The Sea. Poems in lots of places. Literary Agent: Kirsty McLachlan at Morgan Green Creatives.
estherlay.com
estherlay.com
Delighted to have two poems in @rustandmoth.bsky.social this autumn - one of my favourite magazines. rustandmoth.com/artists/esth...
Esther Lay – Rust & Moth
A Journal Of Poetry And The Arts
rustandmoth.com
August 8, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Delighted to have two poems in @rustandmoth.bsky.social this autumn - one of my favourite magazines. rustandmoth.com/artists/esth...
Reposted by Esther Lay
The bird book said magpie.
The window said rain.
The memory said jam jars and giant’s grief.
Jen Feroze turns softness into spellwork in #TheCodex.
➡️ thebrokenspine.co.uk...
@matthewmcsmith.bsky.social @jenferoze.bsky.social
The window said rain.
The memory said jam jars and giant’s grief.
Jen Feroze turns softness into spellwork in #TheCodex.
➡️ thebrokenspine.co.uk...
@matthewmcsmith.bsky.social @jenferoze.bsky.social
#TheCodex - Jen Feroze - The Broken Spine
Jen Feroze lives by the sea in Essex with her husband and two small sleep thieves, who inspire a lot of her poetry. A former Foyle Young Poet, her work has
thebrokenspine.co.uk
July 16, 2025 at 11:49 AM
The bird book said magpie.
The window said rain.
The memory said jam jars and giant’s grief.
Jen Feroze turns softness into spellwork in #TheCodex.
➡️ thebrokenspine.co.uk...
@matthewmcsmith.bsky.social @jenferoze.bsky.social
The window said rain.
The memory said jam jars and giant’s grief.
Jen Feroze turns softness into spellwork in #TheCodex.
➡️ thebrokenspine.co.uk...
@matthewmcsmith.bsky.social @jenferoze.bsky.social
There’s my husband! Somewhere in the bowels of Duncan…
HMS Duncan and HMS Somerset in Plymouth Sound yesterday
Via: Kevin Kelway
Via: Kevin Kelway
July 18, 2025 at 6:08 AM
There’s my husband! Somewhere in the bowels of Duncan…
Reposted by Esther Lay
HMS Duncan sails from Portsmouth this morning for sea trials and shakedown after 6-month maintenance period.
Via: PortsmouthProud / Steve Wenham
Via: PortsmouthProud / Steve Wenham
June 3, 2025 at 11:32 AM
HMS Duncan sails from Portsmouth this morning for sea trials and shakedown after 6-month maintenance period.
Via: PortsmouthProud / Steve Wenham
Via: PortsmouthProud / Steve Wenham
Delighted to have placed joint second with myself (!) with two poems in the Write Out Loud poetry competition, judged by @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social's wonderful editor Neil Astley. Read his remarks (and all the winning poems) here: www.writeoutloud.net/public/bloge...
Di Slaney wins Write Out Loud’s ‘Echoes’ competition with ‘Dolly Parton’s wig’ - in memory of a ‘dear friend and inspiration’ | Write Out Loud
Di Slaney wins Write Out Loud’s ‘Echoes’ competition with ‘Dolly Parton’s wig’ - in memory of a ‘dear friend and inspiration’
www.writeoutloud.net
May 23, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Delighted to have placed joint second with myself (!) with two poems in the Write Out Loud poetry competition, judged by @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social's wonderful editor Neil Astley. Read his remarks (and all the winning poems) here: www.writeoutloud.net/public/bloge...
Reposted by Esther Lay
First taste of the cover and colours of Ghost Stations, out in September from @cbeditions.bsky.social . Essays on trains, stations, places, not-quite-places, centres and perpheries, imaginary poets and real artists, memory and forgetting. Ghost signs and missing letters.
May 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM
First taste of the cover and colours of Ghost Stations, out in September from @cbeditions.bsky.social . Essays on trains, stations, places, not-quite-places, centres and perpheries, imaginary poets and real artists, memory and forgetting. Ghost signs and missing letters.
Reposted by Esther Lay
The Friday Poem on 16th May 2025
open.substack.com/pub/thefrida...
open.substack.com/pub/thefrida...
The Friday Poem on 16th May 2025
D.A. Prince reviews 'The Wrong Person to Ask' by Marjorie Lotfi (Bloodaxe, 2023)
open.substack.com
May 16, 2025 at 6:39 AM
The Friday Poem on 16th May 2025
open.substack.com/pub/thefrida...
open.substack.com/pub/thefrida...
Reposted by Esther Lay
Well this was a nice surprise. Turning to see my first born sitting on the shelf next to me while drafting her younger sibling.
May 4, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Well this was a nice surprise. Turning to see my first born sitting on the shelf next to me while drafting her younger sibling.
Reposted by Esther Lay
If we hit our £5,000 goal, we’ll launch a poetry competition unlike any other—free to enter, big cash prize, real support. We’ve done it before with chapbooks & Reader’s Choice. Now, we need your help to go bigger. Donate today. #TheBrokenSpinePoetryAward 🔗 shorturl.at/G2mMo
April 25, 2025 at 6:33 PM
If we hit our £5,000 goal, we’ll launch a poetry competition unlike any other—free to enter, big cash prize, real support. We’ve done it before with chapbooks & Reader’s Choice. Now, we need your help to go bigger. Donate today. #TheBrokenSpinePoetryAward 🔗 shorturl.at/G2mMo
If you haven't discovered @marjorielotfi.bsky.social yet, she is one of the best contemporary poets out there (Forward Prize winner 2024), and also a tremendous teacher. She's running an editing workshop on the 2nd of May - highly recommended. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/editing-po...
Editing Poetry
Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned poet, this session will give you practical tips and techniques to refine and edit your work.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
April 29, 2025 at 8:43 AM
If you haven't discovered @marjorielotfi.bsky.social yet, she is one of the best contemporary poets out there (Forward Prize winner 2024), and also a tremendous teacher. She's running an editing workshop on the 2nd of May - highly recommended. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/editing-po...
Tomorrow - Saturday!
This is going to be a brilliant poetry evening! I’m interviewing the wonderful @imtiazdharker.bsky.social on March 8th in Wootton by Woodstock. Get your tickets (which include dinner) here: www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening...
6.30 talk
7.30 dinner
8.30 open-mic
6.30 talk
7.30 dinner
8.30 open-mic
March 7, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Tomorrow - Saturday!
Reposted by Esther Lay
Ashes to ashes,
dust to dust,
even Barbie knows,
that Ash Wednesday's a must.
Tomorrow at St. Mark's; 7 a.m, noon, and 7 p.m. ⚓
dust to dust,
even Barbie knows,
that Ash Wednesday's a must.
Tomorrow at St. Mark's; 7 a.m, noon, and 7 p.m. ⚓
March 5, 2025 at 4:26 AM
Ashes to ashes,
dust to dust,
even Barbie knows,
that Ash Wednesday's a must.
Tomorrow at St. Mark's; 7 a.m, noon, and 7 p.m. ⚓
dust to dust,
even Barbie knows,
that Ash Wednesday's a must.
Tomorrow at St. Mark's; 7 a.m, noon, and 7 p.m. ⚓
Reposted by Esther Lay
Looking forward to tuning in at 12:00 today #PrivatePassions @imtiazdharker.bsky.social + Michael Berkeley #illustration #poetry (currently available on BBC Sounds) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... 🎨🖌️📻
Private Passions - Imtiaz Dharker - BBC Sounds
Michael Berkeley's guest is the poet Imtiaz Dharker.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 2, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Looking forward to tuning in at 12:00 today #PrivatePassions @imtiazdharker.bsky.social + Michael Berkeley #illustration #poetry (currently available on BBC Sounds) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... 🎨🖌️📻
Only five days now until I interview the wonderful poet Imtiaz Dharker @imtiazdharker.bsky.social in Wootton Village Hall, just north of Oxford. 6.30pm, 8th of March. Get your tickets while there are still some left! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening...
An evening with Imtiaz Dharker
Join distinguished poet, artist, and filmmaker Imtiaz Dharker in conversation with prizewinning poet and Rector of Wootton Esther Lay
www.eventbrite.co.uk
March 3, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Only five days now until I interview the wonderful poet Imtiaz Dharker @imtiazdharker.bsky.social in Wootton Village Hall, just north of Oxford. 6.30pm, 8th of March. Get your tickets while there are still some left! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening...
Floored — totally and utterly — that one of my poems has been submitted for consideration in the @forwardprizes.bsky.social 2025. Hurrah!
February 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Floored — totally and utterly — that one of my poems has been submitted for consideration in the @forwardprizes.bsky.social 2025. Hurrah!
There are still tickets left for this incredible opportunity to hear the poet Imtiaz Dharker speak in Wootton by Woodstock. 6.30pm on the 8th of March, curry supper included! Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening...
February 25, 2025 at 10:22 AM
There are still tickets left for this incredible opportunity to hear the poet Imtiaz Dharker speak in Wootton by Woodstock. 6.30pm on the 8th of March, curry supper included! Book here: www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening...
Reposted by Esther Lay
See you there!
This event with renowned poet Imtiaz Dharker is going to sell out fast. Get your tickets now — especially as there’s a deadline of 25 Feb (catering requires it; a curry dinner is included!) www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening... @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social @imtiazdharker.bsky.social
February 22, 2025 at 10:10 PM
See you there!
This event with renowned poet Imtiaz Dharker is going to sell out fast. Get your tickets now — especially as there’s a deadline of 25 Feb (catering requires it; a curry dinner is included!) www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening... @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social @imtiazdharker.bsky.social
February 20, 2025 at 7:25 AM
This event with renowned poet Imtiaz Dharker is going to sell out fast. Get your tickets now — especially as there’s a deadline of 25 Feb (catering requires it; a curry dinner is included!) www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening... @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social @imtiazdharker.bsky.social
Reposted by Esther Lay
Stop saying ‘cringe’, start saying ‘gauche’.
in 2025 I think everyone should stop saying 'vibes' and start saying 'Sensibility'.
February 17, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Stop saying ‘cringe’, start saying ‘gauche’.
Reposted by Esther Lay
I’m delighted to share that £5m of funding has been confirmed for the National Poetry Centre ✒️
When I learned that the funding for the Centre was under review, I began working with Simon Armitage & the Centre to lobby the Gov. to secure the funding.
#NationalPoetryCentre
When I learned that the funding for the Centre was under review, I began working with Simon Armitage & the Centre to lobby the Gov. to secure the funding.
#NationalPoetryCentre
February 17, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I’m delighted to share that £5m of funding has been confirmed for the National Poetry Centre ✒️
When I learned that the funding for the Centre was under review, I began working with Simon Armitage & the Centre to lobby the Gov. to secure the funding.
#NationalPoetryCentre
When I learned that the funding for the Centre was under review, I began working with Simon Armitage & the Centre to lobby the Gov. to secure the funding.
#NationalPoetryCentre
I’m thrilled to have just found out I’ve won the East Riding Festival of Words Poetry Competition 2025 — the poem will be published in ebook form with others, and will also be available to read shortly at estherlay.com
Esther Lay
Poet
estherlay.com
February 17, 2025 at 1:24 PM
I’m thrilled to have just found out I’ve won the East Riding Festival of Words Poetry Competition 2025 — the poem will be published in ebook form with others, and will also be available to read shortly at estherlay.com
Reposted by Esther Lay
My poem “Citizen” from The Wrong Person to Ask (Bloodaxe Books) sums up how I feel about being an Iranian-American-Scot just now ⬇️
February 17, 2025 at 11:20 AM
My poem “Citizen” from The Wrong Person to Ask (Bloodaxe Books) sums up how I feel about being an Iranian-American-Scot just now ⬇️
This is going to be a brilliant poetry evening! I’m interviewing the wonderful @imtiazdharker.bsky.social on March 8th in Wootton by Woodstock. Get your tickets (which include dinner) here: www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening...
6.30 talk
7.30 dinner
8.30 open-mic
6.30 talk
7.30 dinner
8.30 open-mic
February 8, 2025 at 8:29 AM
This is going to be a brilliant poetry evening! I’m interviewing the wonderful @imtiazdharker.bsky.social on March 8th in Wootton by Woodstock. Get your tickets (which include dinner) here: www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening...
6.30 talk
7.30 dinner
8.30 open-mic
6.30 talk
7.30 dinner
8.30 open-mic
Reposted by Esther Lay
1. Sketch | 2 Feature on the New Yorker website | 3. Closeup of my favourite character in the ink drawing.
February 4, 2025 at 11:54 AM
1. Sketch | 2 Feature on the New Yorker website | 3. Closeup of my favourite character in the ink drawing.
Reposted by Esther Lay
I drew the cover for this week's @newyorker.com
February 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
I drew the cover for this week's @newyorker.com