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@aldencarrow.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 8:54 PM

The next guest poem on the podcast could be yours. Email a suggestion to [email protected] and you're in the draw for a signed copy of North Yorkshire In Verse.

#PoetryPodcast #AldenCarrow

A warm, atmospheric study inside a traditional North Yorkshire stone cottage. On a heavy, dark oak desk sits a professional vintage-style condenser microphone and a brass inkwell. Scattered across the desk are loose sheets of paper with handwritten notes and a detailed historical map of the Yorkshire coastline. Through a large window in the background, the rolling hills of the moors are visible under a moody, overcast October sky, with the purple heather fading into deep browns. The lighting is intimate, provided by a small green glass shaded lamp that highlights the rough texture of the interior stone wall and the grain of the wood.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 8:41 PM

Writing Malham Cove, I kept reaching for 'lost' and 'vanished' — words that tell you to feel something without showing you anything. The river isn't lost. It's underground. That shift changed the poem.

#MoorToShore #AldenCarrow

A cinematic, wide-angle shot of the limestone pavement at the top of Malham Cove in North Yorkshire. The massive, weathered grey limestone blocks are deeply scarred with dark, mossy crevices known as grykes. A heavy, mist-laden sky hangs low, casting a soft, cool light that emphasizes the rugged, ancient texture of the stone. In the background, the dramatic vertical drop of the white limestone cliff curves away into the valley. The scene feels solid and eternal, capturing the tactile surface of the rock, damp from recent rain, hinting at the unseen power of water moving through hidden fissures deep below the surface. Focus on the intricate, pitted patterns of the stone and the vast, silent scale of the landscape.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 8:54 PM

Every episode pairs a guest poem with one of my own. Suggest the next one — email [email protected] — and you're entered to win a signed copy of North Yorkshire In Verse.

#PoetryPodcast #AldenCarrow

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Oct 1, 2026, 8:41 PM

I gave Helmsley's ruin to Time when I wrote this poem — soft verbs, nobody's fault. Researching this episode, I'd write it differently now. The castle didn't crumble. Somebody decided it should.

#MoorToShore #AldenCarrow

A cinematic, wide-angle shot of the shattered great keep of Helmsley Castle under the low, golden light of a late September afternoon. The massive limestone walls are split vertically, showing the jagged, violent edges where the stone was deliberately breached. Fine textures of weathered masonry and dark, empty window sockets are visible. Long, sharp shadows stretch across the deep green grass of the earthworks. In the foreground, a few stray yellowing leaves rest on a cold stone block. The atmosphere is heavy and silent, emphasizing the contrast between the permanent weight of the rock and the historical violence of its destruction. High-definition detail, rich earthy tones, and crisp autumnal clarity.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 26, 2026, 9:35 AM

Weekend reading: moor, market town, or coast — where are you starting?

#MoorToShore #AldenCarrow

A wide, atmospheric panorama of the North Yorkshire landscape during a late September afternoon. On one side, high moorland with deep purple heather and ancient, weathered dark gritstone boulders under a vast sky. In the center, the transition to a historic market town with narrow streets of honey-colored stone and damp, reflective cobblestones. On the far side, the rugged coastline where the cold North Sea surges against steep, dark shale cliffs. The lighting is cinematic, with shafts of pale sunlight breaking through heavy, bruised clouds, highlighting the contrast between the permanent stone and the shifting sea spray. Rich textures of lichen, salt-crusted rock, and aged masonry. Hyper-realistic and moody.

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 8:54 PM

Every episode pairs a guest poem with one of my own — and the next guest poem could be yours.

Email a suggestion to [email protected] for a chance to win a signed copy of North Yorkshire In Verse.

#PoetryPodcast #AldenCarrow

@aldencarrow.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 8:41 PM

Whitby Abbey was one of the very first poems I wrote for this series, from the first of these county books.

I read it back on the podcast this week and didn't touch a word — not because it's perfect, but because it's where I started.

#MoorToShore #AldenCarrow