Sarah-Clare Conlon
@sarahclareconlon.bsky.social
Less able to stand ✍️ Writer | ✏️ Editor | 📚 Poetry Book Society Selections | 🐦⬛ Wanderland (Red Ceilings) | 🌝 Lune (Red Ceilings) | 📕 Using Language (Invisible Hand) | 🇫🇷 cache-cache (Contraband) | ⛵️Marine Drive (Broken Sleep) | 🍂WIP ACE-funded DROUGHTTHOUGHT
Last reading of 2025. Super pleased to perform some old experimental favourites alongside some fresh drought thoughts at the 50th Peter Barlow’s Cigarette a couple of weeks ago. I’m busy writing new stuff, which I can’t wait to share in 2026 – currently taking bookings, if you’ll have me!
December 6, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Last reading of 2025. Super pleased to perform some old experimental favourites alongside some fresh drought thoughts at the 50th Peter Barlow’s Cigarette a couple of weeks ago. I’m busy writing new stuff, which I can’t wait to share in 2026 – currently taking bookings, if you’ll have me!
Lovely light in Manchester yesterday. Gathered my layers and wits. Took a tram to Castlefield. Wandered and pondered the viaduct. Enjoyed the berries and teasels. Chatted to birds and folk. Took in the moss exhibition. It’s interesting, you should go. Here’s me reflecting on things.
December 4, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Lovely light in Manchester yesterday. Gathered my layers and wits. Took a tram to Castlefield. Wandered and pondered the viaduct. Enjoyed the berries and teasels. Chatted to birds and folk. Took in the moss exhibition. It’s interesting, you should go. Here’s me reflecting on things.
If you’re in Manchester tomorrow (Saturday, 4pm), it would be dead good to see you at the 50th Peter Barlow’s Cigarette – 50th, blimey! Amazing readers: Frances Presley, Jeremy Over and David Gaffney. Oh, and *cough* me. Free as well and the venue is ace – bring your headtorch and your pocket money.
November 21, 2025 at 11:32 PM
If you’re in Manchester tomorrow (Saturday, 4pm), it would be dead good to see you at the 50th Peter Barlow’s Cigarette – 50th, blimey! Amazing readers: Frances Presley, Jeremy Over and David Gaffney. Oh, and *cough* me. Free as well and the venue is ace – bring your headtorch and your pocket money.
✨ Hi Fidel @dragonslayerma.bsky.social I spotted @victoriaspires.bsky.social lovely beau présent (which I’ll try out) for #northstar #promptcombo – maybe my a e h i l n o r s t anagram (the 10 most common letters in the English language) fits, from the current issue of @manchesterreview.bsky.social
November 18, 2025 at 9:41 AM
✨ Hi Fidel @dragonslayerma.bsky.social I spotted @victoriaspires.bsky.social lovely beau présent (which I’ll try out) for #northstar #promptcombo – maybe my a e h i l n o r s t anagram (the 10 most common letters in the English language) fits, from the current issue of @manchesterreview.bsky.social
🎥 📚 🕖 Tonight at book/record shop & public drinking rooms Ad England Impiety Hour (aka Peste), it’s the launch of essay collection The Carbon Arc, with four readers – David Gaffney, Nicholas Royle, Anne Worthington & David Savill – plus film clips, introduced by editor Richard Skinner. Free entry.
November 12, 2025 at 10:18 AM
🎥 📚 🕖 Tonight at book/record shop & public drinking rooms Ad England Impiety Hour (aka Peste), it’s the launch of essay collection The Carbon Arc, with four readers – David Gaffney, Nicholas Royle, Anne Worthington & David Savill – plus film clips, introduced by editor Richard Skinner. Free entry.
Congratulations to Katrina Porteous, who has won the Laurel Prize with her collection ‘Rhizodont’, on @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social. I reviewed Katrina’s book for @pnreview.bsky.social; there’s a snippet here or hey order a copy why don’t you… www.pnreview.co.uk/archive/on-k... TL;DR: “I was grabbed…”
September 20, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Congratulations to Katrina Porteous, who has won the Laurel Prize with her collection ‘Rhizodont’, on @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social. I reviewed Katrina’s book for @pnreview.bsky.social; there’s a snippet here or hey order a copy why don’t you… www.pnreview.co.uk/archive/on-k... TL;DR: “I was grabbed…”
This coming Thursday at Ad England (Peste) P4 Impeity Hour. Looking forward to welcoming you into Wanderland and perhaps sharing some new things, maybe even the poem I wrote last week in Paris inspired by a fallen moth/leaf and the blood moon 🪶🥐🍂 🌝
September 13, 2025 at 9:48 AM
This coming Thursday at Ad England (Peste) P4 Impeity Hour. Looking forward to welcoming you into Wanderland and perhaps sharing some new things, maybe even the poem I wrote last week in Paris inspired by a fallen moth/leaf and the blood moon 🪶🥐🍂 🌝
Next reading! Just under a month until we convene The Everyday Marvellous at Ad England/Peste/P3 Annihilation Eve/P4 name to be revealed. Anyway, if you know, you know, and if you don’t, you should seek out the dark bar on a corner of Oldham Rd opposite Wing Yip, especially on Thursday 18 September.
August 29, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Next reading! Just under a month until we convene The Everyday Marvellous at Ad England/Peste/P3 Annihilation Eve/P4 name to be revealed. Anyway, if you know, you know, and if you don’t, you should seek out the dark bar on a corner of Oldham Rd opposite Wing Yip, especially on Thursday 18 September.
As Greenpeace instals a large Kapoor artwork on extraction platform ‘Skiff’, I think I’ll include my poem “Oil Platforms (The North Sea)”, specially commissioned by the modernist magazine, in my set for next Tuesday’s reading, 7.30pm, Saul Hay Gallery. It is a lament for nature, and a study of rigs.
August 19, 2025 at 5:47 PM
As Greenpeace instals a large Kapoor artwork on extraction platform ‘Skiff’, I think I’ll include my poem “Oil Platforms (The North Sea)”, specially commissioned by the modernist magazine, in my set for next Tuesday’s reading, 7.30pm, Saul Hay Gallery. It is a lament for nature, and a study of rigs.
Very pleased to have two reviews included in the hot-off-the-press PNR. Visit the @carcanet.bsky.social website to get your hands on the latest issue.
August 13, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Very pleased to have two reviews included in the hot-off-the-press PNR. Visit the @carcanet.bsky.social website to get your hands on the latest issue.
Happy Yorkshire Day! Treat yourself to a copy of “Wanderland” and enjoy a sequence of poems inspired by Ilkley Moor. The Red Ceilings Press online shop has run out, but I still have a few copies for sale if you DM me.
August 1, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Happy Yorkshire Day! Treat yourself to a copy of “Wanderland” and enjoy a sequence of poems inspired by Ilkley Moor. The Red Ceilings Press online shop has run out, but I still have a few copies for sale if you DM me.
This week I’ve been honing a contrapuntal poem; yesterday sought out “Contrapuntal Forms” by Barbara Hepworth, tucked away on a housing estate in the “sculpture town” of Harlow. Kids bombing about on bikes, smiling and stopping to pick blackberries reminded me of growing up on the Wirral in the 70s.
July 28, 2025 at 7:57 AM
This week I’ve been honing a contrapuntal poem; yesterday sought out “Contrapuntal Forms” by Barbara Hepworth, tucked away on a housing estate in the “sculpture town” of Harlow. Kids bombing about on bikes, smiling and stopping to pick blackberries reminded me of growing up on the Wirral in the 70s.
Along with Tim Craven, I’m supporting at James Appleby’s Manchester launch for his new pamphlet Spurious Language, listed by Poetry Book Society (alongside Wanderland) and out with Blue Diode. See you on Tuesday 26 August at Saul Hay Gallery.
July 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Along with Tim Craven, I’m supporting at James Appleby’s Manchester launch for his new pamphlet Spurious Language, listed by Poetry Book Society (alongside Wanderland) and out with Blue Diode. See you on Tuesday 26 August at Saul Hay Gallery.
Je ne sais Blah is back! On Thursday 17 July at 7pm! At Cafe Blah 2.0 in Withington Village! Write-up of the first offering at the end of June here, so you can feel the vibes… www.creativetourist.com/event/je-ne-...
July 8, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Je ne sais Blah is back! On Thursday 17 July at 7pm! At Cafe Blah 2.0 in Withington Village! Write-up of the first offering at the end of June here, so you can feel the vibes… www.creativetourist.com/event/je-ne-...
Sunday, Liverpool, you should come along. It’s free, and myself and Carolyn have got a proper treat lined up. 🌀🌀🌀🌀
July 4, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Sunday, Liverpool, you should come along. It’s free, and myself and Carolyn have got a proper treat lined up. 🌀🌀🌀🌀
Made up to have had my work picked for the inaugural Didsbury Arts Festival Summer Open from some 300 or so entries by Manchester artists. My piece is a concrete poetry triptych collectively called “Rivers”. This year’s exhibition runs 1-19 July at The Didsbury Parsonage – info on the PV to follow!
June 22, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Made up to have had my work picked for the inaugural Didsbury Arts Festival Summer Open from some 300 or so entries by Manchester artists. My piece is a concrete poetry triptych collectively called “Rivers”. This year’s exhibition runs 1-19 July at The Didsbury Parsonage – info on the PV to follow!
Next reading! New night at Cafe Blah V2, on the Withington Village main drag (not had chance to visit yet but can’t wait!), Je Ne Sais Blah is on Friday 27 June at 7pm hosted by Nathan Bailey with poetry and prose.
June 13, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Next reading! New night at Cafe Blah V2, on the Withington Village main drag (not had chance to visit yet but can’t wait!), Je Ne Sais Blah is on Friday 27 June at 7pm hosted by Nathan Bailey with poetry and prose.
My next reading is in London, for the launch of issue 33 of Long Poem Magazine, on Saturday 31 May, readings start 1pm, Barbican Library, Barbican Centre, free! I’ll be reading from my long poem inspired by Manchester export Tootal Scarves, once made in this building shouldering the Rochdale Canal.
May 21, 2025 at 8:11 AM
My next reading is in London, for the launch of issue 33 of Long Poem Magazine, on Saturday 31 May, readings start 1pm, Barbican Library, Barbican Centre, free! I’ll be reading from my long poem inspired by Manchester export Tootal Scarves, once made in this building shouldering the Rochdale Canal.
Iris Colomb doing classic Iris Colomb at the Manchester Experimental Poetry & Arts Festival this afternoon; liked how the resident blackbird responded to the whistle – great event, very varied, so sorry I couldn’t stay for the whole thing, knackered now, lying down immediately.
May 17, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Iris Colomb doing classic Iris Colomb at the Manchester Experimental Poetry & Arts Festival this afternoon; liked how the resident blackbird responded to the whistle – great event, very varied, so sorry I couldn’t stay for the whole thing, knackered now, lying down immediately.
Enjoyed revisiting my ‘Flight Patterns’ commission, complete with Ladybird books and birdsong and maps and church bells as well as the poems, now published in their entirety in “Wanderland”, at Weaver Words Literature Festival on Saturday. Yesterday the swifts finally arrived, and bats were spotted.
May 13, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Enjoyed revisiting my ‘Flight Patterns’ commission, complete with Ladybird books and birdsong and maps and church bells as well as the poems, now published in their entirety in “Wanderland”, at Weaver Words Literature Festival on Saturday. Yesterday the swifts finally arrived, and bats were spotted.
Went to Sounds From The Other City, got stuck in a lift.
May 4, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Went to Sounds From The Other City, got stuck in a lift.
How is it May tomorrow? How have we done four months of 2025 already? A third of the year? To mark the occasion, I have updated my live dates page, so here you go – first off the blocks, the annual Peter Barlow’s Cigarette open mic jamboree this evening… wordsandfixtures.blogspot.com/p/live-perfo...
April 30, 2025 at 8:56 AM
How is it May tomorrow? How have we done four months of 2025 already? A third of the year? To mark the occasion, I have updated my live dates page, so here you go – first off the blocks, the annual Peter Barlow’s Cigarette open mic jamboree this evening… wordsandfixtures.blogspot.com/p/live-perfo...
Super pleased that the two long poems I was commissioned to write last year for performances at Stockport Stories and Tootally Wired (pictured) have a new lease on life and have been accepted for publication and will be out in print very soon.
April 29, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Super pleased that the two long poems I was commissioned to write last year for performances at Stockport Stories and Tootally Wired (pictured) have a new lease on life and have been accepted for publication and will be out in print very soon.
Two weeks today! Hometown performance for acclaimed poet at Weaver Words Literature Festival… see you in Frodsham! The magical land of Spit The Dog! And Daniel Craig! And yes, I did go to school with Gary Barlow! 💅https://www.weaverwords.org.uk/local-writers/
April 26, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Two weeks today! Hometown performance for acclaimed poet at Weaver Words Literature Festival… see you in Frodsham! The magical land of Spit The Dog! And Daniel Craig! And yes, I did go to school with Gary Barlow! 💅https://www.weaverwords.org.uk/local-writers/
TOMORROW! This time tomorrow, the nerves will be kicking in... An evening of readings at Saul Hay Gallery to celebrate the launch of Wanderland, with Scott Thurston & Lydia Unsworth – expect delicious writing morsels, tasty kinepoetics and some tempting Oulipian collaboration.
April 23, 2025 at 5:53 PM
TOMORROW! This time tomorrow, the nerves will be kicking in... An evening of readings at Saul Hay Gallery to celebrate the launch of Wanderland, with Scott Thurston & Lydia Unsworth – expect delicious writing morsels, tasty kinepoetics and some tempting Oulipian collaboration.