Simon Maddrell
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simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Simon Maddrell
@simonmaddrell.bsky.social
630 followers 430 following 86 posts
Poet, Editor, Educator & Performer.
Sixth pamphlet ‘Patient L1’ out Feb 2025.
Debut collection with Out-Spoken Press, Feb 2026.
https://linkin.bio/simonmaddrell
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simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Delighted to share the cover and publisher blurb for my debut poetry collection – out Feb 12th but available for pre-order from @outspokenpress.bsky.social

www.outspokenldn.com/shop/rabbits
In Simon Maddrell’s wide and bracing world, childhood orbits the voice of a distant and sometimes dangerous parent. Memories of sex parties, dead friends and estranged lovers straddle the spaces between feeling and thought, loss and fatalism. lamping wild rabbits is a brave and expansive multiverse, exploring sexuality, queer desire, memory recall and testimony. With poems that pay homage to the late Derek Jarman, to verses which situate themselves in and around the Isle of Man, exploring Britain’s colonial presence through the subverted interplay of English and the Manx language. A poly-vocal and multifaceted debut which is unafraid to confront the shame and stigma of HIV, while never allowing the poems to lose shape or pace, altering the lens to bring the reader’s attention to birdsong and the queer body in nature. Maddrell has achieved a distinct and totally convincing sound through the literary geography of lamping wild rabbits, one that gives the impression it’s been everywhere and returned because it survived.
November 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Delighted to have another poem in La Piccioletta Barca #gaza #palestineaction #freepalestine
October 30, 2025 at 12:34 AM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
You only need to read the first poem of Natalie Shapero‘s Stay Dead to know how good her new collection from @outspokenpress.bsky.social is going to be.
August 21, 2025 at 1:11 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
New Pamphlet Alert!!!!
Out July.
20% Off pre-orders.

Jo & Ni Go Cruising
Limited Edition of 100

This wonderful stitched pamphlet contains 'found poems' from the holiday journal of teacher, poet, playwright and activist Nigel Young (1946-2022).

simonmaddrell.sumupstore.com/product/jo-a...
June 28, 2025 at 2:01 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
#gaza #freepalestine #stopthegenocide #endwarcrimes #permanentceasefire #stopstarvation #endtheoccupation #endapartheid #endarmssalestoisrael #nospyplanes
June 1, 2025 at 3:02 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Delighted to be in this Sídhe Press anthology available from here: www.sidhe-press.eu/books/to-lay...
@sidhepress.bsky.social
Proceeds to Gaza
Cover of To Lay Sun Into A Forest - Poems About Grief by Sídhe Press. There is a swirl of a painting, red, yellow, orange, you can see the brushstrokes. On it is the title in a handwriting font.
April 21, 2025 at 8:26 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
From 18-25 March, #BigGive is doubling every donation made to @creativefutureuk.bsky.social 📣
The Writers’ Award is the only free to enter national writing competition for ALL underrepresented writers. Your donation will help keep it free!
Donate: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

#ArtsForImpact
March 18, 2025 at 4:15 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Delighted to appear as a TLC Showcase talking about the two Free Reads I received thanks to @newwritingsouth.bsky.social and @arvonfoundation.bsky.social for my new — but yet to be finalised — debut collection with @outspokenpress.bsky.social

literaryconsultancy.co.uk/resources/sh...
March 7, 2025 at 8:53 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
I now have a website — supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England

Thanks @artscouncilengland.bsky.social

Link in bio
www.simonmaddrell.com
March 2, 2025 at 12:30 AM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
ZOOM TONIGHT

Online Launch of Patient L1
Monday 24th Feb –– 7.30 to 8.30pm

Readings by Simon Maddrell & Jonathan Blake

Q&A with Jonathan Blake

Free Zoom Registration: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

@polari.press @jonb-2149.bsky.social
Picture Jonathan Blake green sepia. White text Patient L1 Online book Launch Monday 24th Feb –– 7.30 to 8.30pm Readings by Simon Maddrell & Jonathan Blake Q&A with Jonathan Blake Polari Press
February 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Jack from Big Boys doing a Mike Jackson impersonation — meet the real one at Jonathan Blake @jonb-2149.bsky.social Patient L1 book launch at Positive East @positiveeast.bsky.social Fri 21st Feb tickets in bio
Poetry & Perverts meet LGSM Legends

#lgbthistorymonth #lgsm #HIV #bigboys @polari.press
February 11, 2025 at 5:46 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Probably a very apposite day to share some poems about Palestine published in the great @culturematters.bsky.social anthology 'We are All Palestinian'

www.culturematters.org.uk/product/we-a...

#FreePalestine #SayNoToEthnicCleansing
February 5, 2025 at 5:05 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Article in Manx Independent's 'Island Life' section sponsored by Isle of Man Arts Council about the book 'Patient L1' from Polari Press.
Check out pre-orders and launch events at linkin.bio/simonmaddrell
@polari.press @jonb-2149.bsky.social @thecommonpress.bsky.social @positiveeast.bsky.social
February 4, 2025 at 5:22 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
In Koli Jean Bofane (Congo Inc: Le testament de Bismarck, 2014)

“When a fish cries in the water, do you notice?”
Quote on multicoloured pastel background “When a fish cries in the water, do you notice?”
February 4, 2025 at 12:06 AM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Nominated for an Oscar

There is so much to break your heart in this film, but what really got me was seeing the Israeli Army pour concrete into a well and gleefully cut water pipes with chain saws.

I nominate the Israeli Govt. as monsters.

#freepalestine #stoptheoccupation
February 1, 2025 at 9:41 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
“On the face of it, this is a story about an incredible survivor… but it’s actually a story about love. And that ‘love is love’ in whatever shape.”

www.iomtoday.co.im/news/enterta...

@jonb-2149.bsky.social
@polari.press
January 31, 2025 at 1:23 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Launches of Patient L1 from @polaripress

Launch Event Tickets: linkin.bio/simonmaddrell

Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
@artscouncilengland.bsky.social

Photo: Mareike Günsche
Photo of Jonathan Blake with green filter overlaid with the following launch information. Brighton Launch of Patient L1 Lunch Positive Weds 19th Feb –– 7-8pm (Doors 6.45pm) Reading by Jonathan Blake with Simon Maddrell Q&A with Jonathan Blake London Launches of Patient L1 Positive East Friday 21st Feb –– 7.30-8.30pm (Doors 7.00pm) Reading by Jonathan Blake with Simon Maddrell Q&A with Jonathan Blake and Mike Jackson, Co-founder, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners The Common Press Thursday 20th Feb –– 7 for 7.30pm Reading by Simon Maddrell featuring Robert Hamberger reading Nude Against A Rock And Q&A with Jonathan Blake Online Launch of Patient L1 Monday 24th Feb –– 7.30 to 8.30pm Reading by Simon Maddrell Q&A with Jonathan Blake
January 28, 2025 at 11:55 AM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Honoured to feature in this anthology from @culturematters.bsky.social in aid of @medicalaidpal.bsky.social

www.culturematters.org.uk/we-are-all-p...
January 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
January 24, 2025 at 10:12 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Patient L1
by Simon Maddrell
from Polari Press

'I’ll live a lot longer than you think'
This verse memoir speaks in the voice of a man called Jonathan Blake.

#lgbthm #lgbthistorymonth #hiv

Pre-orders: polari.press/shop/books/p...
January 24, 2025 at 3:45 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
London Launch of Patient L1
Positive East
Fri 21st Feb –– 7.30-8.30pm

Reading by Jonathan Blake
with Simon Maddrell

Q&A with Mike Jackson, Co-founder, LGSM

Link: link.outsavvy.com/patient-l1-l...

Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through @artscouncilengland.bsky.social
January 24, 2025 at 3:40 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
‘I’ll live a lot longer than you think’

Jonathan Blake, Patient L1
by Simon Maddrell
Polari Press

@polari.press
“From a nineteen-fifties childhood to activism with Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, via the very darkest days of the epidemic, Maddrell’s sparkling poems tell our ever-shifting queerstory in the most personal of ways.. They are luscious, witty and heart-felt.” Neil Bartlett
January 14, 2025 at 9:44 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
‘I’ll live a lot longer than you think’

Jonathan Blake, Patient L1
by Simon Maddrell
Polari Press

@polari.press
January 14, 2025 at 9:43 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Readings

February
Café Writers (online) 10th
Bijou Stories, Woolwich 27th

April
Kemptown Bookshop 4th

More to follow...
January 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM
simonmaddrell.bsky.social
Launch Events

February
19th Lunch Positive, Brighton
20th The Common Press, London
21st Positive East, London

More to follow...
January 10, 2025 at 2:57 PM