Dean Norton (@zentinl.bsky.social)

@thewombwellrainbow.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 6:10 AMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

From my out of print collection "Port of Souls"
for #PoemsAbout #Bites and @thebrokenspine.co.uk

Hand Biters

Always snap at the hand that feeds,
cossets, cuddles and hugs,

fists, hits and kicks. Oppose,
depose, make of it yourself.

Pull on the leash, snap the manacle,
challenge this ships captain,

sit on your plastic chair. Tell
your voices you'll decide yourself.

If she does not wake you know your job.
Before she closed her eyes she rehearsed

tasks that you must be complete. How
to empty her home, sell it, pass

your childhood on to others. Be firm
In what must be done. Make yourself.

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 10:22 PM

Such an effective use of ambiguity and shifts from each couplet to the next until with finality of the poem and finality of life you deliver an ending. Super, Paul.👏👏

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 10:11 PM

By the fifth line we know we're in for a ride. Fantastic interposition of ancient and present makes for an indictment of our worst instincts. The tercet structure reinforces the delivery each condemnation. 💥💥👊

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 3:07 PM

Okay, Okay, Okaaaay—Jen. Damn. This one. This is such a flex without flexing. I lost count of how many things I dig about this. Really inspired. 😆👏🔥

@jenthorne.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 7:15 AMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

Happy #PoemsAbout day people.

I hope you all have a good one.

Here is a fun one for #Bites

#Poetry
#Writing

Biter's Block

Wood creaks between my jaws.
Coarse rubber and the tang of metal on my tongue as I sink my teeth
into the pencil.

The prompt is #Bites.

I roll the wet, splintered shaft
along serrated ivory edges
and ponder.

Snake bites?
Flea bites?
Biting an apple?
A crust of jam and bread?
... His shoulder?

I wonder how to convey in lyrical flights
the feelings and notions arising from 'bites'.

But I munch on in vain
at the well chewed observer of an empty page.

2B, or not 2B?

The letters have long since succumbed
to dental destruction.

@zoomburst.substack.com Oct 9, 2026, 9:09 AMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

#PoemsAbout #Bites

A poem about nibbles. Which I think is a terrible word. I don't know why. But I have tried to think about it in writing this.

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 3:03 PM

Mike, I love the wryness of this and the throughline is so effective. Has me smiling as I write this!👏👏👏

@pvcannon.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 1:01 PMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

For #PoemsAbout #Bites

with much thanks to @alanparrywriter.co.uk and @thebrokenspine.co.uk

A free verse poem that explores bite as sensual.

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 3:00 PM

This sticks the landing so well, Paul. Your use of senses as anchors for memories is very fine. Really admire the "urrrring" and "clink" sounds. 🤌👏

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 2:56 PM

Avery, this form feels as close to they way our internal monologue can sound as anything I have encountered. So very effective. With the form, the pace takes on an almost breathless cascade that we have to stay with on first read until we let ourselves start again. Banger. ✨

@thebisylarke.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 2:02 PMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

something simple sweet and a bit raw for
#PoemsAbout #Bites @thebrokenspine.co.uk

a list in the spirit of anne carson. been really into the simple pleasures of the everyday lately. and longing! can’t forget the longing

small bites with you

char-grilled oysters (down on the bayou) (someday) (soon)
poetry (notes app) (sent back and forth)
raw oysters (down the shore) (O the stars i’d sacrifice just to see you stand on jersey soil)
warmth (full-bodied) (with fuzzy feeling)
playlists (spotify) (sent back and forth)
bong rips (sputtering) (coughing) (laughing) (falling apart into the phone speaker)
listening (rapt) (leaning in)
talking (too much) (but you tell me it’s fine) (you mean it) (i feel it)
understanding (comes easy) (too easy) (almost feels impossible) (beautiful) (unreal)
love (of you and i and us and us) (and everything else too, babe) (all feels beautiful whenever i’m with you)
long drives (to you) (from you) (anywhere) (with you)
hugs (warm) (so needed)
char-grilled oysters (soon) (please let it be soon)

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 2:53 PM

OK Stace drop—here we go! I love how the first line in each stanza unfolds the poem. "My mother / you see / sometimes" turns this from poem into dark tale. Almost confessional. Damn fine. 🔥

@stacebot.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 6:24 AMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

For this week's #PoemsAbout #Bites I'm thinking about how much we can do with our teeth without ever biting anyone.

@alanparrywriter.co.uk
@thebrokenspine.co.uk

#prompt #poetry #blueskypoetry #writesky #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity #poets #creativewriting

the smile problem

my mother always told me
not to show my teeth
in photographs

you see,
a smile and a threat
are simply
the difference between
having teeth and
using them

sometimes
i still catch myself
smiling into the dark
like a feral animal
searching for meat
between the teeth

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 2:48 PM

What a pivot, Sue. The transfomation from dreamlike to dread is so effective!👏⚡

@suefinch.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 7:56 AMReposted by @zentinl.bsky.social

'I've Nothing to Offer the White Horse in the Dream' for #PoemsAbout #Bites @thebrokenspine.co.uk

I’VE NOTHING TO OFFER THE WHITE HORSE I DREAM OF
Head down shy
a white horse senses me,
whinnies – as if a desire to gallop
is rising inside.

She comes right up to the fence.

Spider-leg eyelashes frame her eyes,
defined jawbone
makes her almost too thin.

I want to touch
the coarse hair of her mane
to know if her blood warms it.

I am wishing now for an apple
or a carrot.

As if reading my mind her mouth opens,
those pupils flash wild.

I have nothing to offer.

A cloud of hayed breath
puffs between us.
Before I can release myself from her gaze,
she clamps my arm.

When I was young
I used to bite my forearms
to feel the resistance of flesh
imprint my incisors.

I bit my brother once.

Now there is a horse,
with blunted yellowed teeth,
latched on hard, biting my skin to burst it

to taste the metal of my blood.

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 10, 2026, 2:46 PM

I considered and discarded several ideas for #PoemsAbout #Bites this week. What finally emerged was Seen.
Thank you @alanparrywriter.co.uk & @thebrokenspine.co.uk

#poetrycommunity #poetry #poem #poems #skypoets #blueskypoets #blueskypoetry #poetsofbluesky #skypoet #writingcommunity

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 2:51 PM

Rare for me to use salty language in writing but it seemed called for. Thanks, Suzy!🙏

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 2:50 PM

Appreciate it, Jan! 🙏

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 2:49 PM

Appreciate that, Emily!🙏

@zentinl.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 2:49 PM

Aww, thanks Jen. It was a quick effort. Still trying to get my mojo going with time aside for writing. 🙏