Competitions
- Longlisted Plough Poetry Prize 2024
- Shortlisted Artemesia Arts Poetry Competition 2024
- Winner Bournemouth Writing Festival Poetry & Flash Fiction Competition 2024
- Shortlisted Molecules Unlimited Poetry Competition 2023
- Commended Funniest Poem, Waltham Forest Poetry Competition 2023
- Highly Commended Cover Story Books Poetry Competition 2022
- Longlisted 6ress “Invitation to Love” competition 2021
- Runner-up University Bournemouth International Poetry Prize 2021
- Longlisted Live Canon Poetry Competition 2021
- Commended Ware Poets Open Poetry Competition 2020
- Shortlisted Canterbury Literary Festival Poet of the Year 2020
- Commended The Charroux Poetry Prize 2020
- Shortlisted Live Canon First Collection Competition 2017
- Longlisted Live Canon International Poetry Competition 2017
- Shortlisted York Mix Poetry Competition 2017
- Commended Bristol Poetry Prize 2016
- Highly Commended Verve Poetry Competition 2016
- Finalist Magic Oxygen in six word story competition 2015
- Finalist Poetry Rivals Competition 2014
- Long listed National Poetry Competition 2014
- Commended Sentinel Quarterly Poetry Competition August 2014
- Commended Sentinel Quarterly Poetry Competition February 2014
- Long listed Plough Poetry Prize 2013
- Winner Live Canon International Poetry Competition 2013
Magazines
- Black Iris
- The Crank Mag
- Ink, Sweat and Tears
- Gypsophila Zine
- Paradox Literary
- Ink Drinkers
- The Purposeful Mayonnaise
- Cult of Clio
- Feral Woman
- The Alchemy Spoon
- Finished Creatures
- Ink, Sweat & Tears
- Crow of Minerva
- Confluence Magazine
- Atrium Poetry
- Dying Dahlia Review
- The American Journal of Poetry
- Fredericksburg Literary and Art Review
- Spillwords Press
- Antiphon
- Star & Crescent
- Agenda
Anthologies
- Volume One Flora/Fauna Anthology, Open Shutter Press
- Live Canon 2021 Competition Anthology
- Wingless Dreamer Dark Poetry Collection 2021
- Gloucestershire Poetry Society Anthology 2019
- Poets versus Sexual Harassment: An Anthology 2020
- Live Canon 154 Anthology
- Live Canon 2017 Competition Anthology
- Borderlines Anthology 2
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
"Ode to Olivia Colman" by Tessa Foley features at 25:57
"Persephone's Voice" by Tessa Foley features at 1:10:09
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
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