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Rachel Plummer

@smaychel.bsky.social

Poet and children's author. My books include The Big Day, Wain and Once I Carried Three Crows. Also a creative writing teacher, story teller, knitter, mum of two and a carer for my disabled son. Proud to be represented by Children's Books North Agency.

245 Followers  |  211 Following  |  270 Posts  |  Joined: 25.11.2024
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Posts by Rachel Plummer (@smaychel.bsky.social)

I will never not share my favorite public health poster.

15.02.2026 02:48 β€” πŸ‘ 778    πŸ” 313    πŸ’¬ 11    πŸ“Œ 14

This! This is the vibe.

15.02.2026 10:27 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Photo of a Little Dee comic strip - Blake (the dog) and Dee (a little girl) are in the woods.  Blake asks "Wanna dig with me?", Dee nods, and they dig a hole.  In the last panel Blake says "I hear that when you get older, you need a *reason* to do things".

Photo of a Little Dee comic strip - Blake (the dog) and Dee (a little girl) are in the woods. Blake asks "Wanna dig with me?", Dee nods, and they dig a hole. In the last panel Blake says "I hear that when you get older, you need a *reason* to do things".

14.02.2026 22:54 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
a man is making a funny face with his mouth open and looking at the camera . Alt: Limmy pulling a face.
14.02.2026 17:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

We actually had a shovel with us so we were able to pull that out and just start digging alongside him, which I think flipped the tables quite nicely in terms of who was being unsettling and who was being unsettled.

Anyway we now have a digging friend.

14.02.2026 17:01 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Just befriended a guy who was digging by the canal. Joined in with the digging for a bit.

14.02.2026 16:29 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Poem 'Cloudberries' by Michael Longley

Poem 'Cloudberries' by Michael Longley

I had the privilege of hearing Michael Longley read this poem at what was his last reading.

Enda, his wife of 60 years, was sitting in the 2nd row listening to every word

'dawn and dusk can kiss once a year'

Cloudberry kisses

#poetry
#poemoftheday
#valentinesday

14.02.2026 11:19 β€” πŸ‘ 128    πŸ” 26    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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β€˜Carnage of concern and upset’: Women’s Institute groups close after transgender ban Members warn NFWI decision has opened up toxic culture that deters younger women from joining

Transphobes have opened up β€œa toxic, traditionalist culture” so bad the WI is closing chapters rather than comply.

Well done, TERFs! Even the WI calls you toxic. But those women’s wishes don’t count, I’m guessing?

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

14.02.2026 12:19 β€” πŸ‘ 54    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes, in which you will slowly and painfully transition from inspoken to outspoken. You know, the normal way.

13.02.2026 12:55 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Well, we will all miss you during your upcoming confinement in the speech cocoon. I'll be an old woman by the time you emerge, shiny and tall in your gleaming new carapace, ready to finally speak out. Good luck with it all!

13.02.2026 12:10 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Begin the poem like you're talking to a friend, end it realizing you're talking to the dead.

-- Harmony Holiday

11.02.2026 14:05 β€” πŸ‘ 32    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1
A medieval illustration of a hedgehog with grapes skewered on its spines

A medieval illustration of a hedgehog with grapes skewered on its spines

It was believed in medieval times that hedgehogs had spikes so they could roll over fruit to carry home to their children, which is not true but is a really cute idea

13.02.2026 11:26 β€” πŸ‘ 7313    πŸ” 1725    πŸ’¬ 70    πŸ“Œ 109

Are you sure you've fully explored all the possibilities of Inspoken already?

13.02.2026 11:58 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
β€œA single quaver…”
by Gael Turnbull

A single quaver
of loosening ice
extends across the silence,
revives the air
with the almost forgotten song
of snow melting to water
and of water flowing
to reaffirm
as winter’s claw
holds a little longer,
although what was
is strong,
what will be’s
stronger.

β€œA single quaver…” by Gael Turnbull A single quaver of loosening ice extends across the silence, revives the air with the almost forgotten song of snow melting to water and of water flowing to reaffirm as winter’s claw holds a little longer, although what was is strong, what will be’s stronger.

A single quaver
of loosening ice
extends across the silence,
revives the air
with the almost forgotten song
of snow melting to water…

β€”Gael Turnbull, β€œA single quaver…”
published in A WINTER JOURNEY (Pig Press, 1987)
#poem #poetry
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/single-...

13.02.2026 11:48 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I will keep you posted on the results! ☺️

13.02.2026 11:50 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A screenshot of a group chat where my daughter, Audrey, has typed "Hey chat. Do you know where mither is"

A screenshot of a group chat where my daughter, Audrey, has typed "Hey chat. Do you know where mither is"

When the teenager refers to me and Spouse as "chat" in our family gc it makes me feel older than god.

13.02.2026 11:49 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

It was so good to see you too! I'm literally still thinking about your lucy and yak jumpsuit, it was so cool and now I am scrolling sewing patterns in deep contemplation because I must have a cool jumpsuit of my own.

13.02.2026 11:47 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

So cool! I immediately started writing a new poem about them 🀩

12.02.2026 11:51 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

apologies to everyone who failed remedial english classes, but male balrogs look after the eggs while the females hunt for food in the antarctic tundra, tolkien is dead he can't argue with me

05.02.2026 11:59 β€” πŸ‘ 111    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

But more importantly, do they have wigs?

12.02.2026 11:49 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

When making pizza from scratch the idea dough texture once cooked is simultaneously both soft and crunchy.

12.02.2026 11:22 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Right then bitches (affectionate, gender neutral) which of you are going to the new writers award showcase?

12.02.2026 11:16 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Related fact: Mary Wollstonecraft had a very intense, close friendship with a woman called... Fanny Blood.

12.02.2026 10:11 β€” πŸ‘ 140    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0
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Hump Day, by Rachel Plummer, Ryan Vance, Alice Tarbuck, Poetry as Fuck 1 track album

In 2019 myself, @strongmisgiving.bsky.social, @smaychel.bsky.social , @ryanvance.bsky.social, @atarbuck.bsky.social and Christina Neuwirth made this podcast about Hump Day and what it means for all of us, and it remains one of my favourite things I’ve been involved in

28.01.2026 10:02 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2

BREAKING Irish Govt to move Grok to another parish.

07.01.2026 11:05 β€” πŸ‘ 1139    πŸ” 316    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 25

Poet, author, writer in residence of the TRIGAT anti-tank missile repository πŸ₯°

"Carefully worded" - The Times

07.01.2026 11:26 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I dream of a world where I have never typed or spoken the words "talk to a human agent" πŸ™ƒ

07.01.2026 11:18 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A picture of green jay feathers (Cyanocorax luxuosus). They are all lined up and organized: primaries, secondaries, coverts, tail feathers. Most of the feathers are gray with a green tip.

A picture of green jay feathers (Cyanocorax luxuosus). They are all lined up and organized: primaries, secondaries, coverts, tail feathers. Most of the feathers are gray with a green tip.

I just stumbled upon featherbase, a database of feather pictures from a bunch of bird species.πŸͺΆ

So pretty!

www.featherbase.info/zh/home

06.01.2026 21:57 β€” πŸ‘ 2566    πŸ” 430    πŸ’¬ 65    πŸ“Œ 50

Lmaoooo

07.01.2026 11:16 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks so much for all your hard work!

07.01.2026 11:13 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0