Elisabeth Shuker
@elisabethshuker.bsky.social
✒️ writing poetry & soft sci-fi
📖 currently reading: All the Colours of the Dark
🌱 learning to garden
🏡 Loughborough, UK
📖 currently reading: All the Colours of the Dark
🌱 learning to garden
🏡 Loughborough, UK
Reposted by Elisabeth Shuker
Here’s a poem called ‘From The Encyclopedia of Alternative Facts’.
February 26, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Here’s a poem called ‘From The Encyclopedia of Alternative Facts’.
Bulb lasagne are coming along well! 🌱🌷
February 17, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Bulb lasagne are coming along well! 🌱🌷
Reposted by Elisabeth Shuker
In today's usage, ‘disinterested’ most often means "not biased," whereas 'uninterested' means "not interested."
When these words were first introduced it was reversed, with ‘disinterested’ originally meaning "lacking interest," and ‘uninterested’ meaning "unbiased."
When these words were first introduced it was reversed, with ‘disinterested’ originally meaning "lacking interest," and ‘uninterested’ meaning "unbiased."
February 4, 2025 at 6:47 PM
In today's usage, ‘disinterested’ most often means "not biased," whereas 'uninterested' means "not interested."
When these words were first introduced it was reversed, with ‘disinterested’ originally meaning "lacking interest," and ‘uninterested’ meaning "unbiased."
When these words were first introduced it was reversed, with ‘disinterested’ originally meaning "lacking interest," and ‘uninterested’ meaning "unbiased."
80 pages in & really enjoying this so far, particularly loving the non-chronological timeline and use of tenses. For a moment I was worried the FMC was going to be ✨not like other girls✨ but then I remembered it's a limited third person narrator from a child/teenage girl's perspective, so it tracks.
February 2, 2025 at 6:39 PM
80 pages in & really enjoying this so far, particularly loving the non-chronological timeline and use of tenses. For a moment I was worried the FMC was going to be ✨not like other girls✨ but then I remembered it's a limited third person narrator from a child/teenage girl's perspective, so it tracks.
Went to a poetry workshop this evening - for the first time since school - and desperately wanted to take a nice aesthetic photo for the socials, but I have to accept I don't have a nice little notebook and pen... Just a notes app on my phone. How dull.
January 21, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Went to a poetry workshop this evening - for the first time since school - and desperately wanted to take a nice aesthetic photo for the socials, but I have to accept I don't have a nice little notebook and pen... Just a notes app on my phone. How dull.
Thanks to Christmas and a January birthday, I have my 2025 reading list...
January 11, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Thanks to Christmas and a January birthday, I have my 2025 reading list...
Time for the Christmas decorations to come down, and I've decided to have a go at growing future trees from cuttings 🤞 and while outside, I saw some spring bulbs peeking through the frost. Nice metaphors for the start of a new year. 🌲🌷
January 5, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Time for the Christmas decorations to come down, and I've decided to have a go at growing future trees from cuttings 🤞 and while outside, I saw some spring bulbs peeking through the frost. Nice metaphors for the start of a new year. 🌲🌷
On the tail end of maternity pay, I decided to be thrifty with Christmas presents this year. My family each got a second hand book with a matching bookmark. I enjoyed my evening weaving sessions and I'm very pleased with the results! #bookmark #weaving #bookmarkloom #secondhandbooks
December 30, 2024 at 8:15 PM
On the tail end of maternity pay, I decided to be thrifty with Christmas presents this year. My family each got a second hand book with a matching bookmark. I enjoyed my evening weaving sessions and I'm very pleased with the results! #bookmark #weaving #bookmarkloom #secondhandbooks
I wrote this poem shortly after I returned to work after having my first child. Tomorrow I will go back to work after my second (and last) so here we go again... #poem #workingmum #mumguilt
December 18, 2024 at 10:46 PM
I wrote this poem shortly after I returned to work after having my first child. Tomorrow I will go back to work after my second (and last) so here we go again... #poem #workingmum #mumguilt
Illness and general motherhood have prevented me from delving into a particular poet this week, so perhaps fittingly I will highlight my favourite children's book series: verse written by Rachel Bright. Gentle fables with very loveable creatures and wonderful use of language. #apoetaweek
December 9, 2024 at 8:34 PM
Illness and general motherhood have prevented me from delving into a particular poet this week, so perhaps fittingly I will highlight my favourite children's book series: verse written by Rachel Bright. Gentle fables with very loveable creatures and wonderful use of language. #apoetaweek
Reposted by Elisabeth Shuker
Today’s poem is called ‘Needles’.
December 7, 2024 at 8:46 AM
Today’s poem is called ‘Needles’.
I haven't been active anywhere other than Instagram for years, so this is the first I've heard about this proposed GCSE. My first question was how is this distinct from Geography and Biology? I found a very thorough answer in the FAQs on the OCR website - in picture - it sounds great.
December 3, 2024 at 12:47 PM
I haven't been active anywhere other than Instagram for years, so this is the first I've heard about this proposed GCSE. My first question was how is this distinct from Geography and Biology? I found a very thorough answer in the FAQs on the OCR website - in picture - it sounds great.
#apoetaweek continues with Ian McMillan's To Fold The Evening Star, a collection ranging from poems published in 1994 to new. I've always loved his work, so it's fun to jump in at random. I'm so used to listening to him on the radio, it's slightly odd reading his words on a page without his accent.
December 2, 2024 at 8:37 PM
#apoetaweek continues with Ian McMillan's To Fold The Evening Star, a collection ranging from poems published in 1994 to new. I've always loved his work, so it's fun to jump in at random. I'm so used to listening to him on the radio, it's slightly odd reading his words on a page without his accent.
I tried watching some tutorials to learn how to weave different patterns, but I couldn't follow any of them, so discovery by experimentation it is! #weaving #loom #bookmarkloom
December 1, 2024 at 10:05 PM
I tried watching some tutorials to learn how to weave different patterns, but I couldn't follow any of them, so discovery by experimentation it is! #weaving #loom #bookmarkloom
Third year, still mostly clueless. Most of the beds have been mulched and covered. I've taken the netting off of the brassicas in the hopes that birds will eat the caterpillars? Some romanesco heads are forming, so hopefully all is not lost? #allotment #vegpatch
November 26, 2024 at 3:01 PM
Third year, still mostly clueless. Most of the beds have been mulched and covered. I've taken the netting off of the brassicas in the hopes that birds will eat the caterpillars? Some romanesco heads are forming, so hopefully all is not lost? #allotment #vegpatch
Love that final line, "coaxing supper out of stony ground."
It's Tuesday Poem day in NZ. Here's one from the Rialto and my most recent collection, Hunger. Would love to see one of yours! #TuesdayPoem #poetry
November 26, 2024 at 12:15 PM
Love that final line, "coaxing supper out of stony ground."
Optimist: the cup is half full
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Mother: I've no idea where the cup is, but whatever's in there has gone cold.
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Mother: I've no idea where the cup is, but whatever's in there has gone cold.
Optimist: the cup is half full
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Priest (internally): but did I estimate the number of communicants/ amount of wine correctly?
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Priest (internally): but did I estimate the number of communicants/ amount of wine correctly?
Optimist: the cup is half full
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Dietitian: is that a cup and saucer cup (mentally: 150mls) or more of a mug? (Mentally: nearer 200mls). And how many of them would you drink each day on average, do you think?
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Dietitian: is that a cup and saucer cup (mentally: 150mls) or more of a mug? (Mentally: nearer 200mls). And how many of them would you drink each day on average, do you think?
November 24, 2024 at 7:01 PM
Optimist: the cup is half full
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Mother: I've no idea where the cup is, but whatever's in there has gone cold.
Pessimist: the cup is half empty
Mother: I've no idea where the cup is, but whatever's in there has gone cold.
Driving yesterday, I saw a bird flying furiously against the wind, just to stay completely still - I've never felt such kinship with a bird before. Here's a poem for you, little fella... #poetry
November 24, 2024 at 5:01 PM
Driving yesterday, I saw a bird flying furiously against the wind, just to stay completely still - I've never felt such kinship with a bird before. Here's a poem for you, little fella... #poetry
Continuing #apoetaweek with @amandagorman.bsky.social's Call Us What We Carry. This collection has surprised me, because the only poem of hers I knew before reading was The Hill We Climb, and this is much more varied in style and subject than I had expected - fun surprise. #poetry
November 24, 2024 at 1:51 PM
Continuing #apoetaweek with @amandagorman.bsky.social's Call Us What We Carry. This collection has surprised me, because the only poem of hers I knew before reading was The Hill We Climb, and this is much more varied in style and subject than I had expected - fun surprise. #poetry
Reposted by Elisabeth Shuker
Today’s poem is called ‘This is Not the Poem I Had Hoped to Write’.
November 24, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Today’s poem is called ‘This is Not the Poem I Had Hoped to Write’.
There is a remarkable similarity between being 8 and a half months pregnant and putting an offer in on a house: this incredible, life-changing thing could happen today or more than a month from now. Wild.
November 20, 2024 at 2:35 PM
There is a remarkable similarity between being 8 and a half months pregnant and putting an offer in on a house: this incredible, life-changing thing could happen today or more than a month from now. Wild.
Reposted by Elisabeth Shuker
Word of the Day is a true favourite, as some of you will know.
Apricity (17th century) is the warmth of the sun on a winter’s day.
Apricity (17th century) is the warmth of the sun on a winter’s day.
November 17, 2024 at 10:09 AM
Word of the Day is a true favourite, as some of you will know.
Apricity (17th century) is the warmth of the sun on a winter’s day.
Apricity (17th century) is the warmth of the sun on a winter’s day.
As I'm starting to take writing my own poetry a bit more seriously, I've decided to read #apoetaweek, starting with @mosababutoha.bsky.social's Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear - beautiful and heartbreaking poetry about growing up and raising a family in #Gaza. #freePalestine #poetry
November 16, 2024 at 9:40 PM
As I'm starting to take writing my own poetry a bit more seriously, I've decided to read #apoetaweek, starting with @mosababutoha.bsky.social's Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear - beautiful and heartbreaking poetry about growing up and raising a family in #Gaza. #freePalestine #poetry
You are
The third star
In his universe.
You were theorised:
We felt your gravity
Before you came into view
But now the pattern
Of these orbits
Feels complete.
Your light brightens his
Brightens yours brightens his
And I am in awe.
#poetry #poem #motherhood #siblings
The third star
In his universe.
You were theorised:
We felt your gravity
Before you came into view
But now the pattern
Of these orbits
Feels complete.
Your light brightens his
Brightens yours brightens his
And I am in awe.
#poetry #poem #motherhood #siblings
November 14, 2024 at 5:11 PM
You are
The third star
In his universe.
You were theorised:
We felt your gravity
Before you came into view
But now the pattern
Of these orbits
Feels complete.
Your light brightens his
Brightens yours brightens his
And I am in awe.
#poetry #poem #motherhood #siblings
The third star
In his universe.
You were theorised:
We felt your gravity
Before you came into view
But now the pattern
Of these orbits
Feels complete.
Your light brightens his
Brightens yours brightens his
And I am in awe.
#poetry #poem #motherhood #siblings