Mari Ness, writer of things
@mariness.bsky.social
I write things. Occasionally they get published.
Also occasionally on other sites, including marikness.wordpress.com, https://medium.com/@marikness, https://www.patreon.com/mari_ness. Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/mari_ness
Also occasionally on other sites, including marikness.wordpress.com, https://medium.com/@marikness, https://www.patreon.com/mari_ness. Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/mari_ness
Pinned
So yes, delighted to say that I am one of the inaugural finalists for the Hugo Award for Best Poem, alongside @angelaliu.bsky.social, @aijiang.bsky.social,
@swantower.bsky.social, @devanbarlow.bsky.social
& Oliver K. Langmead!
@swantower.bsky.social, @devanbarlow.bsky.social
& Oliver K. Langmead!
About halfway through episode 2 of The Copenhagen Test, where pretty much everyone keeps going in and out of amazing bookstores and libraries, and I am increasingly a) worried about the books, and b) tempted to scream at the characters to stop all of this spying stuff and just FOCUS ON THE BOOKS.
January 4, 2026 at 4:23 AM
About halfway through episode 2 of The Copenhagen Test, where pretty much everyone keeps going in and out of amazing bookstores and libraries, and I am increasingly a) worried about the books, and b) tempted to scream at the characters to stop all of this spying stuff and just FOCUS ON THE BOOKS.
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
January 1st: I feel optimistic about this year!
January 3rd: well
January 3rd: well
January 3, 2026 at 8:57 PM
January 1st: I feel optimistic about this year!
January 3rd: well
January 3rd: well
For Day 10 of #12DaysOfPoetry ....
....we need a lot of poems. So, three from me, all of which seem to fit today's mood for one reason or another.
First up, "The Stained Oak Leaves" (Umbel and Panicle, February 2017) kinda about poets and dragons:
umbelandpanicle.weebly.com/issue-one-ma...
....we need a lot of poems. So, three from me, all of which seem to fit today's mood for one reason or another.
First up, "The Stained Oak Leaves" (Umbel and Panicle, February 2017) kinda about poets and dragons:
umbelandpanicle.weebly.com/issue-one-ma...
January 3, 2026 at 11:24 PM
For Day 10 of #12DaysOfPoetry ....
....we need a lot of poems. So, three from me, all of which seem to fit today's mood for one reason or another.
First up, "The Stained Oak Leaves" (Umbel and Panicle, February 2017) kinda about poets and dragons:
umbelandpanicle.weebly.com/issue-one-ma...
....we need a lot of poems. So, three from me, all of which seem to fit today's mood for one reason or another.
First up, "The Stained Oak Leaves" (Umbel and Panicle, February 2017) kinda about poets and dragons:
umbelandpanicle.weebly.com/issue-one-ma...
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
ExxonMobil and Chevron are about to bestow Donald Trump with a Peace Prize momentarily.
January 3, 2026 at 7:18 PM
ExxonMobil and Chevron are about to bestow Donald Trump with a Peace Prize momentarily.
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
Can’t wait for some hard-hitting coverage of what’s happening in Venezuela on CBS.
January 3, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Can’t wait for some hard-hitting coverage of what’s happening in Venezuela on CBS.
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
The world is a terrible place.
Here's Luna sleeping by the window between Papa and a guitar
Here's Luna sleeping by the window between Papa and a guitar
January 3, 2026 at 6:55 PM
The world is a terrible place.
Here's Luna sleeping by the window between Papa and a guitar
Here's Luna sleeping by the window between Papa and a guitar
....are we positive - positive - that today is only January 3rd?
January 3, 2026 at 4:16 PM
....are we positive - positive - that today is only January 3rd?
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
Day 9 of #12DaysOfPoetry - and the first of two days of dancing in the song. (I'm counting the leaping lords as dancing lords, though we could certainly think of other interpretations.)
So, "After the Dance," which originally appeared in Uncanny in 2015:
www.uncannymagazine.com/article/dance/
So, "After the Dance," which originally appeared in Uncanny in 2015:
www.uncannymagazine.com/article/dance/
January 2, 2026 at 8:54 PM
Day 9 of #12DaysOfPoetry - and the first of two days of dancing in the song. (I'm counting the leaping lords as dancing lords, though we could certainly think of other interpretations.)
So, "After the Dance," which originally appeared in Uncanny in 2015:
www.uncannymagazine.com/article/dance/
So, "After the Dance," which originally appeared in Uncanny in 2015:
www.uncannymagazine.com/article/dance/
Oh, let's:
#12DaysOfPoetry
Think of what we have already conjured
golden shadows, pie, a terrified bird –
So why this fear of cows? Don't be absurd.
Think of what we have already conjured.
(cont)
#12DaysOfPoetry
Think of what we have already conjured
golden shadows, pie, a terrified bird –
So why this fear of cows? Don't be absurd.
Think of what we have already conjured.
(cont)
January 1, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Oh, let's:
#12DaysOfPoetry
Think of what we have already conjured
golden shadows, pie, a terrified bird –
So why this fear of cows? Don't be absurd.
Think of what we have already conjured.
(cont)
#12DaysOfPoetry
Think of what we have already conjured
golden shadows, pie, a terrified bird –
So why this fear of cows? Don't be absurd.
Think of what we have already conjured.
(cont)
Ooooh, day 8 of #12DaysOfPoetry, already?
Well, I don't think I've written all that many poems about cows and milk.....but I HAVE written one or two more poems about swans. Here's another, "Feather," which initially appeared in Goblin Fruit some time ago:
medium.com/@marikness/f...
Well, I don't think I've written all that many poems about cows and milk.....but I HAVE written one or two more poems about swans. Here's another, "Feather," which initially appeared in Goblin Fruit some time ago:
medium.com/@marikness/f...
January 1, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Ooooh, day 8 of #12DaysOfPoetry, already?
Well, I don't think I've written all that many poems about cows and milk.....but I HAVE written one or two more poems about swans. Here's another, "Feather," which initially appeared in Goblin Fruit some time ago:
medium.com/@marikness/f...
Well, I don't think I've written all that many poems about cows and milk.....but I HAVE written one or two more poems about swans. Here's another, "Feather," which initially appeared in Goblin Fruit some time ago:
medium.com/@marikness/f...
Fully ready to nap through 2026!
January 1, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Fully ready to nap through 2026!
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
Regret to tell all of you that in 2026, we still have to do the dishes.
January 1, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Regret to tell all of you that in 2026, we still have to do the dishes.
OK I SURVIVED 2025 AND THE STREET PARTIES ARE STILL GOING HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
January 1, 2026 at 6:21 AM
OK I SURVIVED 2025 AND THE STREET PARTIES ARE STILL GOING HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
I know I say this every year, but seriously, my street is very good at blowing things up.
January 1, 2026 at 4:55 AM
I know I say this every year, but seriously, my street is very good at blowing things up.
.....for about five minutes there I thought the neighbours might know something I don't, but, nope, that was just the fireworks preview!
(one of many)
(one of many)
January 1, 2026 at 4:38 AM
.....for about five minutes there I thought the neighbours might know something I don't, but, nope, that was just the fireworks preview!
(one of many)
(one of many)
Despite the title, this is another VERY appropriate poem to round out the year, with its images of dancing and wishing on stars.
#12DaysofPoetry Day 7: “All of Our Mothers Are Dead” in @fantasymagazine.bsky.social. A poem about grief and motherhood with a Gothic, speculative twist.
psychopomp.com/fantasy/issu...
psychopomp.com/fantasy/issu...
All of Our Mothers Are Dead - PSYCHOPOMP.COM
Bones ring the garden like a wedding band.
psychopomp.com
January 1, 2026 at 1:55 AM
Despite the title, this is another VERY appropriate poem to round out the year, with its images of dancing and wishing on stars.
#12DaysOfPoetry Day 7:
Swimming, swimming,
on this false pond,
built to ensure they do not abscond
or even think of the skies beyond –
not here, where wealth and light are brimming.
Over the pond, the swans keep skimming,
the light around them slowly dimming.
Swimming, swimming,
on this false pond,
built to ensure they do not abscond
or even think of the skies beyond –
not here, where wealth and light are brimming.
Over the pond, the swans keep skimming,
the light around them slowly dimming.
January 1, 2026 at 1:51 AM
#12DaysOfPoetry Day 7:
Swimming, swimming,
on this false pond,
built to ensure they do not abscond
or even think of the skies beyond –
not here, where wealth and light are brimming.
Over the pond, the swans keep skimming,
the light around them slowly dimming.
Swimming, swimming,
on this false pond,
built to ensure they do not abscond
or even think of the skies beyond –
not here, where wealth and light are brimming.
Over the pond, the swans keep skimming,
the light around them slowly dimming.
Sounds as if we already have a major fire nearby and the local neighborhood fireworks have barely even started.
January 1, 2026 at 1:03 AM
Sounds as if we already have a major fire nearby and the local neighborhood fireworks have barely even started.
Ending 2025 the way I began it: seriously behind on the laundry.
January 1, 2026 at 12:25 AM
Ending 2025 the way I began it: seriously behind on the laundry.
Anyway, for Day 7 of #12DaysOfPoetry, a little something special from me:
Six different sestinas, all using the same six end words, all kinda sorta maybe definitely about swans:
marikness.wordpress.com/2025/12/31/s...
Six different sestinas, all using the same six end words, all kinda sorta maybe definitely about swans:
marikness.wordpress.com/2025/12/31/s...
Sestinas of Swans, Shadows, Silk, Song, Stars, and Silver
Over on Bluesky, Marie Brennan has been having fun with a delightful 12DaysOfPoetry, where poets have been posting links to various poems – and even writing a few for the occasion. A couple o…
marikness.wordpress.com
December 31, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Anyway, for Day 7 of #12DaysOfPoetry, a little something special from me:
Six different sestinas, all using the same six end words, all kinda sorta maybe definitely about swans:
marikness.wordpress.com/2025/12/31/s...
Six different sestinas, all using the same six end words, all kinda sorta maybe definitely about swans:
marikness.wordpress.com/2025/12/31/s...
WordPress is really going out of its way to make creating posts more difficult these days, isn't it?
December 31, 2025 at 11:56 PM
WordPress is really going out of its way to make creating posts more difficult these days, isn't it?
Reposted by Mari Ness, writer of things
When officials are going to release info they hope the public won’t see, they tend to wait for Friday afternoons/evenings.
New Year’s Eve works just as well.
New Year’s Eve works just as well.
BREAKING: The House Judiciary Committee has released Jack Smith's 255-page deposition transcript: judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...
December 31, 2025 at 8:13 PM
When officials are going to release info they hope the public won’t see, they tend to wait for Friday afternoons/evenings.
New Year’s Eve works just as well.
New Year’s Eve works just as well.
I realize that Publix being unable to pay out more than $50 in lottery winnings today is indeed a travesty and an example of customer service at its worst, but some of us just came in here for snacks and would like to be able to get out the door.
December 31, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I realize that Publix being unable to pay out more than $50 in lottery winnings today is indeed a travesty and an example of customer service at its worst, but some of us just came in here for snacks and would like to be able to get out the door.