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stevewhitaker1.bsky.social
Steve Whitaker
@stevewhitaker1.bsky.social
250 followers 210 following 150 posts
Writer, book reviewer for Yorkshire Times, and grateful national park resident. https://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/
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YT's Poem of the Week: 'The Day Room' by Kit Wright

yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>The Day Room (I)</i> By Kit Wright
The Day Room (I) From Kendal Ward, Rainhill Mental Hospital Many are non-plussed By the unexpected behaviour of their clothes And have mislaid forever The art of wearing the face.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:09 AM
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YT Review: Visionary Gleam: 'The Lake Poets - An Anthology'
@herdyshepherd.bsky.social
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Visi...
Visionary Gleam: <i>The Lake Poets - An Anthology</i>
There is a neat symmetry to the presence of James Rebanks in an anthology of the work of the Lake poets, as though a decontextualised, and profoundly articulate, version of ‘Michael’ were repaying, in...
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 10:48 AM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'The Sick Rose' by William Blake

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Poem Of The Week: <i>The Sick Rose</i> by William Blake (1757-1827)
The Sick Rose O rose, thou art sick!
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
November 1, 2025 at 8:17 AM
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timbale.bsky.social
Sadly, there's a lot to be said for Marina Hyde's analysis here. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
October 22, 2025 at 7:19 AM
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YT's Poem of the Week: 'Why Brownlee Left' by Paul Muldoon

yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>Why Brownlee Left</i> By Paul Muldoon
Why Brownlee Left Why Brownlee left, and where he went, Is a mystery even now.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
October 19, 2025 at 12:35 PM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'The las train' by Vidyan Ravinthiran @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social @poems-not-opinions.bsky.social

yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>The Last Train</i> By Vidyan Ravinthiran
The last train to arrive in Jaffna during the war 30 years ago rusts on the tracks the unimaginable touch of time has turned it the colour, exactly of this land’s ferrous soil -of blood that is fo...
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
October 11, 2025 at 7:20 AM
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ianduhig.bsky.social
for World Mental Health Day from 'An Arbitrary Light Bulb', my most recent book of poetry
October 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM
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pacificraft.bsky.social
.

The small god is still inventing himself

Last week scarlet & pale
then just a hint of blue

always changing
always a little overdue

yesterday he was apples
today mostly apples

.
October 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'Leeds 1975' by Faith Lawrence @poetrybusiness.bsky.social
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>Leeds 1975</i> By Faith Lawrence
Leeds 1975 This night-day, day-night bus is the first, last, only emissary of the lighted world, the thin-as-care suburb of lino and candlewick.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
October 4, 2025 at 7:20 AM
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Bread and Roses – the song of the brave, fortright mill girls of Lancashire and beyond.
Bread and Roses
Bread and Roses – the song of the brave, fortright mill girls of Lancashire and beyond
northwestbylines.co.uk
September 28, 2025 at 8:17 AM
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ianduhig.bsky.social
RIP Tony Harrison. What came to mind when I heard the news was Gail Earnshaw telling me what a wonderful letter she had from him when her husband died. They weren't close friends and nobody would know about Harrison's kind gesture, except Gail, making it the sort of gesture I respect most.

Pic: BBC
September 27, 2025 at 10:43 AM
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Yorkshire Times Art Review: The Imp of Surrealism - Anthony Earnshaw at Halifax @ianduhig.bsky.social
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/The-...
The Imp Of Surrealism: Anthony Earnshaw At Dean Clough
It comes as no surprise to learn that the surrealist artist, Anthony Earnshaw, was a great admirer of Charlie Chaplin, or more particularly, the Chaplin of Modern Times.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
September 27, 2025 at 6:58 AM
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OBAMA: It's fair to say that 80% of the world's problems involve old men hanging on who are afraid of death and insignificance, and they won't let go. They build pyramids, and they put their names on everything. They get very anxious about it.
September 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'Pastoral' by Ali Lewis
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>Pastoral</i> By Ali Lewis
Pastoral Three weeks alone and all I can read are these backwoods American poets with their figs and windfall peaches and their one good chair of four legs from which they observe the changing yaw o...
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
September 16, 2025 at 8:51 AM
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Yorkshire Times Review: Along the River's Lines: 'Hotel Amour' by Deryn Rees-Jones @notjustdancing.bsky.social @serenbooks.bsky.social
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Alon...
Along The River's Lines: <i>Hôtel Amour</i> By Deryn Rees-Jones
The cover artwork for Deryn Rees-Jones’s new book of poetic impressionism is fitting: Fidan Nazimqizi’s multi-framed photographic collage, showing a blurred female figure against a backdrop of wallpap...
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
September 13, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Reposted by Steve Whitaker
localnotail.bsky.social
On the same day in the Telegraph:
The Telegraph Rayner tax scandal - £40k tax dodge - Statement Angela Rayner dodges £40,000 stamp duty Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence [Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday] Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent 29 August 2025 8:57am BST The Telegraph Money > Property > Second homes How to avoid tax on your second home From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net [Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto] Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer 29 August 2025 1:21pm BST
September 5, 2025 at 7:55 AM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'Machines' by Michael Donaghy
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>Machines</i> By Michael Donaghy (1955-2005)
Machines Dearest, note how these two are alike: This harpsicord pavane by Purcell And the racer’s twelve-speed bike.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
August 30, 2025 at 7:04 AM
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ianduhig.bsky.social
Cruel, but funny
August 28, 2025 at 5:37 PM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'The Grocer' by Craig Raine

yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>The Grocer</i> By Craig Raine
The Grocer ‘the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation’ (James Joyce to Lady Gregory) The grocer’s hair is parted like a feather by two swift brushes and a dab of brilliantine.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
August 9, 2025 at 7:28 AM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'Them animals is disgusting' by Peter Reading

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Poem Of The Week: <i>'Them Animals Is Disgusting'</i> By Peter Reading (1946-2011)
‘Them animals is disgusting’ In London Zoo is a large flat painted Disneyesque lion sporting a circular hole cut where the face ought to be.
www.yorkshiretimes.co.uk
August 2, 2025 at 7:22 AM
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nemoloris.bsky.social
How on earth did this get left out of The Whitsun Weddings. Among his finest things.
July 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
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Yorkshire Times Poem of the Week: 'God's Grandeur' by Gerard Manley Hopkins
yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Poem...
Poem Of The Week: <i>God's Grandeur</i> By Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889)
God's Grandeur The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
July 23, 2025 at 7:22 AM
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Yorkshire Times review: Seed in the City - 'The Holdings - A Poetry Anthology from Leeds Irish Health and Homes', eds. @ianduhig.bsky.social and Laura McDonagh

yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/The-...
The Seed In The City: <i>The Holdings – A Poetry Anthology From Leeds Irish Health And Homes</i>
The latest anthology of poetry from Leeds Irish Health and Homes is defined most clearly by its obvious sincerity.
yorkshiretimes.co.uk
July 19, 2025 at 7:23 AM