Salena Godden
poet & author: latest books ‘Mrs Death Misses Death' 'Pessimism is for Lightweights' 'With Love, Grief and Fury' & ‘Springfield Road’
Substack:
https://salenagodden.substack
Links:
buythebook.online/salena-godden
- Please read this thread! Thank you @margaret.bsky.social
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThis week in the poetry blogs with @victoriamoul.bsky.social @emmalee1.bsky.social @jwikeley.bsky.social @pearlpoet.bsky.social @billymills.bsky.social @kent-nj.bsky.social @salenagodden.bsky.social @robin-gow-poet.bsky.social @linarvitvideopoet.bsky.social 1/3 www.vianegativa.us/2026/01/poet...
- 🎧 ✏️ Latest Substack, first post of 2026, free read and listen if you need to climb into some tenderness ... salenagodden.substack.com/p/try-a-litt...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenI'm loving this collection by the wonderful Salena Godden. I saw her perform with #neureekie about a decade ago and still remember it! I love this justification for writing about certain other people - if there's ever a poem about you, you know! 😜🤨 #salenagodden #spokenwordartist #poetrycollection
- Thank you so much! Happy new year! Xx
- The one you've been waiting for, my personal books of the year! In no particular order: @davidmbarnett.bsky.social @johnironmonger.bsky.social @nnedi.bsky.social @caimhmc.bsky.social @nikitagill.bsky.social @salenagodden.bsky.social @joannechocolat.bsky.social Benjamin Wood
- Reposted by Salena Godden"No boots, no armour, nothing but love drives this. And love is where this comes from and love is who this is for." In fact basically the whole of @salenagodden.bsky.social's 'It Isn't Punk To Seek Permission' - one of my fave poems ever
- Reposted by Salena GoddenTime flies when you're doing all sorts of things you weren't planning to. Later than planned, more poetry! On the top shelf you can see new arrivals from @longbarrowpress.bsky.social - The Footing collection, Steve Ely, Mark Goodwin, Angelina D'Roza and others. Shelves need some re-order... 1/2
- Ahh thank you @thelitconsultancy.bsky.social Xx
- 🙌🏾💛 LAST CHANCE TO ENTER RAFFLE & WIN INCREDIBLE PRIZES & SUPPORT RCK! Refugee Community Kitchen serve nutritious food without judgement to those fleeing war, poverty, persecution and climate change and living in Northern France and the UK. Please repost. Thank you! raffall.com/400775/enter...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThere's a lot of good things worth bidding for here, in the #creativesforsudan auction, please take a look and help fundraising for people escaping genocide in El-Fasher. @yassmin.bsky.social, via @sdnsolidarity.bsky.social app.galabid.com/creatives4su...
- ✨Last gig of this autumn tour tonight! Words On Wax: Poetry & Vinyl Listening session hosted by Repeat Beat Poet & Salena Godden - Looking forward to chatting about poetry and vinyl and the making of LIVEwire. Come along, Mason & Frith, Westbourne Park, 7.30-9.30pm - mason-fifth.com/event/words-...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThis week in the poetry blogs w/ @shawnalemay.bsky.social @robmclennan.bsky.social @wendypratt.bsky.social @hanvanderhart.bsky.social @richardjnewman.bsky.social @pearlpoet.bsky.social @billymills.bsky.social @kent-nj.bsky.social @salenagodden.bsky.social 1/3 www.vianegativa.us/2025/11/poet...
- This is such a generous review, thank you for sharing your thoughts, thank you SO much Paul! Xx @paulwritespoems.bsky.social
- Reposted by Salena GoddenYou can still DONATE to help those in Jamaica affected by Hurricane Melissa’s devastation & WATCH the recording of last night With a TON of amazing poetry, incredible hosting by Leone Ross & a beautiful atmosphere - but on a Karim Kamar one today, not sorry melissafundraiser.eventbrite.co.uk
- Reposted by Salena GoddenOooo! Come and celebrate NPF's 10th year!
- 🙌🏾💚 This weekend I am in sunny Nottingham for a BIG gig sharing the stage with my poetry family, Henry Normal, Joelle Taylor and Lemn Sissay! What a line up! Grab ticket’s now, it’s gonna be a glorious evening, Saturday night, Nottingham Poetry Festival - nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/notti...
- 🙌🏾💚 This weekend I am in sunny Nottingham for a BIG gig sharing the stage with my poetry family, Henry Normal, Joelle Taylor and Lemn Sissay! What a line up! Grab ticket’s now, it’s gonna be a glorious evening, Saturday night, Nottingham Poetry Festival - nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/notti...
- ❤️✨ Calling the coven! I am going to be in Manningtree this evening, sharing poetry at the magic Manningtree Arts, love this place, a celebration of books and community, local to Manningtree, see you tonight! Xx www.manningtreearts.com/event-detail...
- 🇯🇲🙌🏾 Thank you to all who joined us online last night to raise funds for Jamaica, beautiful gathering of poetry and music and community and connection, loved it, love you, @outspokenpress.bsky.social here’s to more of this good stuff soon! BIGlove Xx
- What are you up to this evening? If you are staying home then sign up for this online gig all for a great cause, and the line up organised by @outspokenpress.bsky.social is epic: POETS READ FOR HURRICANE RELIEF FUNDRAISER. Please share and donate if you can! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poets-read...
- What are you up to this evening? If you are staying home then sign up for this online gig all for a great cause, and the line up organised by @outspokenpress.bsky.social is epic: POETS READ FOR HURRICANE RELIEF FUNDRAISER. Please share and donate if you can! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poets-read...
- Reposted by Salena Godden#Poetry 'I Cannot Wait To Breathe' by Salena Godden www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCTu...
- Reposted by Salena Godden“We turn our hearts into museums of the people that we love to keep them alive inside us.”
- For anyone who needs to share a deep breath: Something new on my Substack and YouTube channels today, here's a live performance of a very timely poem 'I Cannot Wait To Breathe' recorded at Status Flo at the Brighton Dome 🎤✨https://salenagodden.substack.com/p/i-cannot-wait-to-breathe
- 🕷️Lovely review of the BOG PEOPLE anthology came through this week: morningstaronline.co.uk/article/fine...
- ✨Thank you to all at STATUS FLO, beautiful gathering at Brighton Dome. I'm coming to the end of my paperback tour now. I'm reading poetry with Out-Spoken to raise funds for Jamaica Hurricane Relief on November 19th, please donate if you can! See you soon, BIGlove Xx 🎟️links: www.salenagodden.co.uk
- Reposted by Salena Godden🎧 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 / 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗞 📧 You can now listen to yesterday's episode in full via the Soho Radio Mixcloud page! You'll find the listen back link plus all of the content from our round-ups in our latest Substack post. Our special guest was Iona Lee. roaring20sradio.substack.com/p/episode-56...
- “Godden’s greatest gift is arguably her ability to convey love, not with the passivity of platitudes but as a conviction which is actively lived; a passion with the power to eclipse even hate’s most enduring shadows. Her empathy is captivating…” thank you! www.northernsoul.me.uk/cabaret-for-...
- 🇯🇲 Poets Read for Hurricane Melissa Relief Fundraiser: November 19th. Organised by @outspokenpress.bsky.social hosted by Leone Ross with an introduction from Akala, such an amazing line up, please show solidarity, donate and share and repost! Thank you! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poets-read...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThe evening will be hosted by Leone Ross, with an introduction from Akala, a piano recital from Karim Kamar and readers too many characters to list but in the flyer >>
- Reposted by Salena Godden📚 RLF Fellows’ News – November 2025 ✍️ New books, theatre premieres & award nods, plus Collected Live in Liverpool & Birmingham, and Mosaic Monologues from Writers Mosaic. Award nods for C.D. Rose, Gillian Allnutt, Nick Makoha, Salena Godden & Trish Cooke. Read more: bit.ly/3LoP2Vc
- 💜🎤✨My next live show is STATUS FLO Monday 10th November in BRIGHTON with Aflo Poetry and Pablo Franco at the Brighton Dome Studio Theatre! 🎭 See you down there for an uplifting night of poetry and story telling by the sea. Looking forward to being back in Brighton! brightondome.org/whats-on/LmI...
- Get your ears on this! 💜💜💜
- 𝘼𝙡𝙨𝙤... Our latest Substack post revisits our pilot episode from November 2019! We were joined in the OG studio by Rookes, and we've clipped our interview with her, which includes a prediction for the 2020s. Subscribe now, with an optional £5 plan to support us! open.substack.com/pub/roaring2...
- Reposted by Salena Godden𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝙀𝙋𝙄𝙎𝙊𝘿𝙀 🔜 We're back on Soho Radio this Monday from 2-4pm, when we'll be joined live in the studio by Iona Lee! Tune in at sohoradio.com or via DAB. Two hours of art, culture, books, poetry, and activism. Co-presented by @salenagodden.bsky.social, @amahrose.bsky.social & @mattabbottpoet.com
- “New York will remain a city of immigrants, a city built by immigrants, powered by immigrants, and as of tonight, led by an immigrant,” Mamdani said. “So hear me President Trump when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us." -- www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
- Reposted by Salena Godden“So hear me, President Trump, when I say this: to get to any of us, you will have to get through all of us. - New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani
- Reposted by Salena Godden#Books #Poetry With Love, Grief and Fury by Salena Godden A Review Now available in paperback canongate.co.uk/books/4921-w... www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3Jn...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenWith the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, we’re hosting an online event to raise funds to help those affected Please join us Weds 19 Nov 7pm UK/2pm EST to hear from stellar poets who’ll share their work & offer some insight into the situation on the ground melissafundraiser.eventbrite.co.uk
- hope is a group project
- 🇯🇲 Poets Read for Hurricane Melissa Relief Fundraiser: November 19th, 7-9pm UK and 2-4pm EST organised by @outspokenpress.bsky.social hosted by Leone Ross with and introduction from Akala, amazing line up, please join us and please donate and please share! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poets-read...
- excuse the typo, here's that link again, thanks for your solidarity and help xx www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poets-read...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenUNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 5: Vito Marcantonio There are many who dismiss our vision for New York as impossible. To them, I say we need look only to our past for proof of how we can shape the future. Tomorrow is Election Day. And this is the final Until It's Done of our campaign.
- TONIGHT Anoushka Shankar & Friends! Winter Fundraiser for Choose Love at The Union Chapel, Anita Rani, Denise Gough, Elif Shafak, Inua Ellams, Nikita Gill, Nish Kumar, Nitin Sawhney, Shappi Khorsandi, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Misan Harriman, Salena Godden & more... unionchapel.org.uk/whats-on/ano...
- Here’s a link for donations too! Thank you so much for all shares and reposts! More soon! BIGlove 🇯🇲❤️
- 🇯🇲🙌🏾 Here we go! Steeze Factory, Run N’ Bass, and Love Music Hate Racism, raising money in aid of Jamaica following one of the most disastrous hurricanes the region has seen. We will be partying with a purpose featuring a line up of heavyweights! November 12th! foxfirkin.com/event/jamaic...
- Not enough posts for Jamaica on Bluesky: Here’s some information from the Black Music Movement. An open call for ways you can help and show up. This time last week, the Category 5 hurricane Melissa did her worse, I’ll keep sharing what I can find, let’s unite, Jamaica needs help 🇯🇲❤️
- Reposted by Salena Goddenhappy to be on this excellent podcast talking about Lives of the Female Poets @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social with @gregorykearns.bsky.social open.spotify.com/episode/0rMp...
- Reposted by Salena Godden
- 🇯🇲 please share and donate if you can - supportjamaica.gov.jm/donate
- 🎤✨ TONIGHT! Looking forward to a gorgeous evening in Ipswich, I'm headlining SOAPBOX at The New Wolsey Theatre, I think there are a handful of tickets left up for grabs so if you live in the area and fancy some live and lively poetry, join us! www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/events/soapb...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenIt doesnt stop there. Did you know "zombies" are an African creation? Zombie comes from the Haitian creole "zanbi," which itself comes from the Kikongo word "nzambi" that translates to "spirit of a dead person.' It embodied the spirit of haitian slavery. Body is alive, the soul is not short🧵
- When I think of Zombies and Hoodou and our heritage in that area and phenomenon my mind immediately goes to Zora Neale Hurston, read this - www.litpubcrawl.com/thescrape/zo...
- a poem about halloween masks worn all year round
- Reposted by Salena Godden#ConsciousWritingMonth continues with Page Presence, 7pm GMT tomorrow Try new tools to tell your story your way, guided by Salena Godden @salenagodden.bsky.social Recognise how you can share your story with both readers and the industry 🍂 Free for Being a Writer members 🍂 £15 tickets available
- Here’s another link and more information and resources for those of you that see this and can help and share please do! It’s all hands on deck. Here is how you can help the people of Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa is strongest ever storm to hit the Caribbean. 🇯🇲❤️ 🔗 bio.site/walkgoodjamaica
- 🇯🇲 Jamaica! 🙌🏾💚 Please donate here if you can! www.gofundme.com/f/CaribbeanH...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenNEW: Hurricane Melissa is now making landfall in Jamaica. This is the terrifying sight at Treasure Beach on the island right now; somehow the camera still working. I have never heard wind like it.
- new poetry-film by Wolfgang and I came out last week, a gentle autumnal piece, kicking leaves and wool socks, memories of all Octobers, if that's what you need right now, watch this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQsX...
- Tomorrow I'm doing an online event: What We Read Next Zoom Podcast with the gorgeous Sarah Gwonyoma. For all tickets and info head either to my blog Waiting For Godden www.salenagodden.co.uk or buythebook.online/salena-godden - here's a photo from last weeks RTB show in Bristol! Thank you Xx
- Also coming up, November 10th, I am performing down in Brighton at The Brighton Dome Theatre at the amazing STATUS FLO - it will be a magic night of poetry and spoken word, see you down there, I cannot wait to be by the sea again ... xx brightondome.org/whats-on/LmI...
- I'm about halfway through my dates on this exciting ‘With Love, Grief and Fury’ Paperback tour. Thank you to everyone that has come out to see me so far. My next headline show is Saturday November 1st, SOAPBOX at The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich! Join us! www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/events/soapb...
- ✏️ I am part of #consciouswritingmonth this week, 30th October, join me in a masterclass of writing authentically and finding the confidence to write your own story your own way... literaryconsultancy.co.uk/event/consci...
- Want to join our #ConsciousWritingMonth Masterclasses? You can! Individual Masterclass tickets are available for £15. Join us over the next four weeks! 🍂Page Presence with Salena Godden @salenagodden.bsky.social 🍂Writing With Grief with Khairani Barokka @mailbykite.bsky.social
- Reposted by Salena GoddenWant to join our #ConsciousWritingMonth Masterclasses? You can! Individual Masterclass tickets are available for £15. Join us over the next four weeks! 🍂Page Presence with Salena Godden @salenagodden.bsky.social 🍂Writing With Grief with Khairani Barokka @mailbykite.bsky.social
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThinking of people of Jamaica & other Caribbean states, facing enormous power of nature in the form of Hurricane Melissa - sustained winds of 282km/h and rainfall up to 76cm. The #ClimateEmergency increasing the risks and the power
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThis is the first time that I have even seen a death toll for Sudan.
- Reposted by Salena GoddenTHE LAPWING STARS This is from FALCONER’S JOY - published in 2018 and now out of print. I'm hoping we can get this back on the shelves in 2026, or perhaps include the poems in a larger Selected Works... I think it's one of my best poems, actually.
- Reposted by Salena Godden“Finally, a brave stand against people existing in adverts.” via NabeelaAli4Monument
- Reposted by Salena GoddenFarage: epic grifter
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- Reposted by Salena GoddenDawn Butler was ordered to leave the commons when she called a lying Prime Minister a liar - now the deputy speaker tells her that you can’t call a racist a racist - grotesque protection of the worst people while the decent are hung up to dry
- Reposted by Salena GoddenThis week in the poetry blogs with @kathrynanna.bsky.social @matthewepaul.bsky.social @robmclennan.bsky.social @emmalee1.bsky.social @wendypratt.bsky.social @billymills.bsky.social @kent-nj.bsky.social @salenagodden.bsky.social @shotscarecrow.bsky.social 1/3 www.vianegativa.us/2025/10/poet...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenPublishers recommending authors use AI is that scene in the movie where the bad guy hands you a spade and asks you to start digging….
- Reposted by Salena GoddenI’ve had a lovely day in the city on a walking tour of literary women, meeting a human book and at a book event for ‘Bog People’ A Working-class Anthology of Folk Horror with the wonderful Salena Godden, AK Blakemore and Tom Benn. Now home the child nextdoor is screaming as usual…my own folk horror.
- Reposted by Salena Godden#Poetry #Film 'October Tape Experiment' by Salena Godden A new piece fron Salena Godden in collaboration with Wolfgang Dubieniec. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQsX...
- Reposted by Salena GoddenHonoured to join this epic line up on November 4th, Anoushka Shankar and friends, raising the roof for CHOOSE LOVE - Book your tickets today! Thank you! BIGlove! #chooselove 🎟️ www.livenation.co.uk/event/anoush...
- Reposted by Salena Godden'October Tape Experiment' New Poetry Film collaboration with Wolfgang Dubieniec now up on my Substack. Plus some news from the 'With Love, Grief and Fury' autumn paperback tour - @canongate.co.uk - have a watch and a read here: open.substack.com/pub/salenago...
- 🕷️Saturday October 25th BOG PEOPLE: FOLK HORROR WITH A.K. BLAKEMORE, SALENA GODDEN & TOM BENN Norwich Book Festival 4.30pm - 5.30pm Dragon Hall 🕸️ norwichbookfestival.co.uk/whats-on/bog...