Shaun Barr
@shaunbarr.bsky.social
Poet, photographer, gardener, writer. Cumbria, UK. Poetry most recently published in The Manchester Review, Dream Catcher, The Frogmore Papers. shaunbarrphotography.co.uk
Pinned
Shaun Barr
@shaunbarr.bsky.social
· Jul 4
Issue 27 - The Manchester Review
Image: © Courtesy of Manchester City Galleries Editorial Róisín Leggett Bohan, 3 poems Livi Michael, ‘Signs’ Immanuel Misfud, ‘Rue Garenne’ (trans. Ruth Ward) Cormac Culkeen, ‘My Dog Ate the Sun’ Laur...
www.themanchesterreview.co.uk
Delighted to share the latest issue of The Manchester Review with you, which among some fine poems I'm thrilled to say includes two of my own - a real milestone. Free to subscribe. Reposts very much appreciated.
#poetry #poetrycommunity #writers #poets
#poetry #poetrycommunity #writers #poets
“and turning the corner at what you thought was the end /
of the road, you found just a simple reflection,”
of the road, you found just a simple reflection,”
February 7, 2026 at 12:15 PM
“and turning the corner at what you thought was the end /
of the road, you found just a simple reflection,”
of the road, you found just a simple reflection,”
Timely as ever…
January 29, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Timely as ever…
Looking forward to this: now more than ever it’s such a tonic it ought to be available on prescription.
Sunday, 17:10, UK, available elsewhere on BBC website, BBC Sounds etc shortly after.
#theverb #poetry
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Sunday, 17:10, UK, available elsewhere on BBC website, BBC Sounds etc shortly after.
#theverb #poetry
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Radio 4 - The Verb, T.S. Eliot Prize Poets
Ian McMillan presents a poetry highlight of the year - the T.S. Eliot Prize readings.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 25, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Looking forward to this: now more than ever it’s such a tonic it ought to be available on prescription.
Sunday, 17:10, UK, available elsewhere on BBC website, BBC Sounds etc shortly after.
#theverb #poetry
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Sunday, 17:10, UK, available elsewhere on BBC website, BBC Sounds etc shortly after.
#theverb #poetry
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Winter pairs this music with its own
Insistent monody, a beat behind.
Light falls in staves through old venetian blinds
- John Richard Reed, "Leaves from a Partbook: Fantasia for a Viol Consort"
Insistent monody, a beat behind.
Light falls in staves through old venetian blinds
- John Richard Reed, "Leaves from a Partbook: Fantasia for a Viol Consort"
January 25, 2026 at 3:50 AM
Winter pairs this music with its own
Insistent monody, a beat behind.
Light falls in staves through old venetian blinds
- John Richard Reed, "Leaves from a Partbook: Fantasia for a Viol Consort"
Insistent monody, a beat behind.
Light falls in staves through old venetian blinds
- John Richard Reed, "Leaves from a Partbook: Fantasia for a Viol Consort"
Reposted by Shaun Barr
New York doesn't have a monopoly on this kind of picture. Construction of Co-operative Insurance Society tower, Manchester, 1960s (Manchester Libraries).
January 21, 2026 at 8:42 AM
New York doesn't have a monopoly on this kind of picture. Construction of Co-operative Insurance Society tower, Manchester, 1960s (Manchester Libraries).
Reposted by Shaun Barr
The story behind Poems on the Underground
Lovely piece about Poems on the Underground at 40.
If you’ve ever spotted a poem you’d like a poster of, you can order one for the cost of postage from @poetrysociety.org.uk
here:
poetrysociety.org.uk/product-cate...
#poetrysky #ukpoets
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
If you’ve ever spotted a poem you’d like a poster of, you can order one for the cost of postage from @poetrysociety.org.uk
here:
poetrysociety.org.uk/product-cate...
#poetrysky #ukpoets
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Guardian view on Poems on the Underground at 40: public art to be proud of | Editorial
Editorial: This simple idea has travelled around the world, bringing hope and inspiration to millions
www.theguardian.com
January 20, 2026 at 11:22 AM
The story behind Poems on the Underground
Reposted by Shaun Barr
From David Lerner’s Mein Kampf:
“all I want to do
is make poetry famous
all I want to do is
burn my initials into the sun
all I want to do is
read poetry from the middle of a
burning building...”
#poetry #writingcommunity
“all I want to do
is make poetry famous
all I want to do is
burn my initials into the sun
all I want to do is
read poetry from the middle of a
burning building...”
#poetry #writingcommunity
January 15, 2026 at 4:14 PM
From David Lerner’s Mein Kampf:
“all I want to do
is make poetry famous
all I want to do is
burn my initials into the sun
all I want to do is
read poetry from the middle of a
burning building...”
#poetry #writingcommunity
“all I want to do
is make poetry famous
all I want to do is
burn my initials into the sun
all I want to do is
read poetry from the middle of a
burning building...”
#poetry #writingcommunity
January 10, 2026 at 7:51 AM
Beyond the bare honesty there's much truth in this, and for anyone who needs it, some beautiful encouragement to stick with it.
Can’t believe I wrote this six years ago. Still true. x
January 1, 2026 at 8:51 PM
Beyond the bare honesty there's much truth in this, and for anyone who needs it, some beautiful encouragement to stick with it.
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Something beautiful for you.
• Linda Pastan •
• Linda Pastan •
December 27, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Something beautiful for you.
• Linda Pastan •
• Linda Pastan •
Reposted by Shaun Barr
What we call the beginning is often the end and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.
T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets
Happy Solstice
T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets
Happy Solstice
December 21, 2025 at 7:16 AM
What we call the beginning is often the end and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.
T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets
Happy Solstice
T. S. Eliot, Four Quartets
Happy Solstice
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Dear all,
Please find issue 28 of the Manchester Review at the link below. Thank you to our wonder writers and readers who continue to support the review.
The Editors
www.themanchesterreview.co.uk
Please find issue 28 of the Manchester Review at the link below. Thank you to our wonder writers and readers who continue to support the review.
The Editors
www.themanchesterreview.co.uk
Issue 28 - The Manchester Review
Image: © Courtesy of Manchester City Galleries Editorial Luke Buffini, ‘Damilola’ Joe Bedford, ‘Mating Habits’ Lillith Pollock, ‘On Wanting’ Lavanya Arora, 3 poems Thomas Storey, ‘Windwatt’ Gary Dunca...
www.themanchesterreview.co.uk
December 20, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Dear all,
Please find issue 28 of the Manchester Review at the link below. Thank you to our wonder writers and readers who continue to support the review.
The Editors
www.themanchesterreview.co.uk
Please find issue 28 of the Manchester Review at the link below. Thank you to our wonder writers and readers who continue to support the review.
The Editors
www.themanchesterreview.co.uk
Reposted by Shaun Barr
“Sometimes I am so surprised I show up to write a poem completely empty and yet, something shows up. Just keep making space for your work. Even if it doesn't make sense.”
-- Kelli Russell Agodon
-- Kelli Russell Agodon
December 15, 2025 at 2:05 PM
“Sometimes I am so surprised I show up to write a poem completely empty and yet, something shows up. Just keep making space for your work. Even if it doesn't make sense.”
-- Kelli Russell Agodon
-- Kelli Russell Agodon
Reposted by Shaun Barr
🥹
“This morning I was writing—the words were just flowing and doing their thing—then I had a zoom meeting and the words died. They are gone. Such is the writing life with its daily graves.”
-- Alina Stefanescu
-- Alina Stefanescu
December 18, 2025 at 2:07 PM
🥹
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Liminality
In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between them, there are doors.
William Blake
In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between them, there are doors.
William Blake
December 15, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Liminality
In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between them, there are doors.
William Blake
In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between them, there are doors.
William Blake
Reposted by Shaun Barr
still my favorite poem
"Black Sea" by Mark Strand
"Black Sea" by Mark Strand
Black Sea
Placing poetry at the crossroads of American life since 1910.
poetrysociety.org
December 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
still my favorite poem
"Black Sea" by Mark Strand
"Black Sea" by Mark Strand
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Check it out!! Hodder & Stoughton have an open submission window for all fiction genres.
Get in quick.
Details in link.
Please share :)
Get in quick.
Details in link.
Please share :)
HODDER & STOUGHTON OPEN SUBMISSIONS
Visit the post for more.
www.hodder.co.uk
December 7, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Check it out!! Hodder & Stoughton have an open submission window for all fiction genres.
Get in quick.
Details in link.
Please share :)
Get in quick.
Details in link.
Please share :)
For those (like me!) who aren’t quite up to speed with some of the year’s excellent poetry releases, this round up by Rishi is a delightful read. And a useful heads-up when it comes to gift ideas for the poetry lover in your life!
My picks of the poetry books of the year (in the UK at least), for @theguardian.com. Usual disclaimers that I have no doubt missed your fave off, not spread my net wide enough etc. But I will say: the Scott is magnificent, magnificent: www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
The best poetry books of 2025
From Seamus Heaney’s collected poems and Simon Armitage’s animal spirits, to prizewinners Karen Solie and Vidyan Ravinthiran
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:03 PM
For those (like me!) who aren’t quite up to speed with some of the year’s excellent poetry releases, this round up by Rishi is a delightful read. And a useful heads-up when it comes to gift ideas for the poetry lover in your life!
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ✨️
"We always hope, and in all things it is better to hope than to despair."
"Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen."
"Love and desire are the spirit's wings to great deeds."
🎨 J.G. Lange (1811–1887)
"We always hope, and in all things it is better to hope than to despair."
"Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen."
"Love and desire are the spirit's wings to great deeds."
🎨 J.G. Lange (1811–1887)
December 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ✨️
"We always hope, and in all things it is better to hope than to despair."
"Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen."
"Love and desire are the spirit's wings to great deeds."
🎨 J.G. Lange (1811–1887)
"We always hope, and in all things it is better to hope than to despair."
"Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen."
"Love and desire are the spirit's wings to great deeds."
🎨 J.G. Lange (1811–1887)
Reposted by Shaun Barr
Barry Dempster, RIP
November 28, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Barry Dempster, RIP