Competitions

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Magazines

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Anthologies

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​LECTURES

In the fifth century B.C., Pindar of Thebes wrote odes to celebrate the victories of great athletes at the pan-hellenic games. He celebrated their prowess by re-telling the myths of ancient Greece in a way that elevated the athletes' status and suggested that they, like the heroes of old, would be glorious forever. But the mythic women had little to say. Instead, they were frequently abducted or maligned. In this lecture concert, learn more about some of those silenced women in new music and poetry. The lecture concert is led by UGA Professor Emerita Nancy Felson and performed by the Live Canon Ensemble. It features new music by composer Alex Silverman and lyricist Helen Eastman and collaboration with drummer, Barbara Allen.
"Ode to Olivia Colman" by Tessa Foley features at 25:57
"Persephone's Voice" by Tessa Foley features at 1:10:09

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​Testimonials & Reviews

Tessa’s words go way beyond ‘standard’ feminist poetry. They are a mirror of the dilemmas and struggles that young women face, bold statements alternating with lines of disappointment, confusion, anger and great courage. - Irena Hill 

There are poems without titles and that irritates some folk. And there are poems where the title is so obvious there's almost no point in reading on. Then there are poems like this - where the title leaves you guessing and is itself only one small part of a bigger puzzle. We start with a corkscrew without a bottle ... and a panic ten pounds asleep in my copy of Eyre ... and from this sense of preparation, idiosyncrasy & threat it's full steam ahead. There are many odd, clashing, dark & enjoyable images and lines in this piece and it is difficult to narrow it down to a few to fit into this paragraph but ... you could find the spare parts in my yard, pieces reserved should the fear become need ... for me flying is crashing, that stairs mean to fall ... the book of calm has been chewed into spit ... murder our time in a crude and watched pot... are well worth a mention and repeat. Despite the You that's addressed herein being uncertain, I felt like I was being sent a personal 50% instruction/50% warning, but the consistent tone, energy & eccentricity throughout made it a fun, rhythmic & invigorating read. I still don't know or even care what the IT is, but this is poetry - and I want more. - Gary Studley, Canterbury Literary Festival Poet of the Year Judge

A few poets are original, a few are distinct, a handful are sad, some wise, some funny. I can’t think of any recent English poet who’s arrived with so much of this already blazing. Tessa Foley is a brilliant and unmistakable new poet, in whose hands the language is pure glistening matter.” - Glyn Maxwell, Poet, Librettist, Playwright

Review of "What Sort of Bird are You?" on Writing Literary Portsmouth - Hannah Coombs

Review of "Garden" on The Eldon Review - Georgina Monk