Matthew Murrey

@mytwords

Poet (LITTLE JOY - Cornerstone Press, 2026 and BULLETPROOF - Jacar Press, 2019), retired school librarian, and Midwest transplant from Florida long, long ago. he/him/his More at #poetsonbluesky

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Matthew Murrey@mytwords· 5d

There are three things about this really bug me. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/t... #spellingbee

Screenshot of the August 22, 2026 NYT Spelling Bee showing the word trinitarian not being accepted as a word.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· 17d

How about just plain old Normal?

Image of a map showing Bloomington and Normal, Illinois.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· 19d

Oh, oh, oh!

Image of Li-Young Lee's first book Rose. It's a red cover with a seed pod hanging and the name ROSE and at the bottom the words Poems by Li-Young Lee

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· 19d

I guess he used that very realistic finger to press the "Yea" button or perhaps his reattached hand crawled up to the Senate and voted for him... www.msn.com/en-us/news/p...

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· 28d

I was immediately struck by the photo accompanying the article. It brought to mind industrial scale animal "farming."

Photo of a large warehouse-sized pig farm showing two rows of cages crammed full of pigs with a narrow aisle running between them.

Photo of a warehouse-sized chicken enclosure showing thousands of white chickens in a crowded indoor coop.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jul 28

Where's that guy with the rope to drive these greedy f^cKs out of there?

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jul 28

Tip of the day: NEVER let Sam Ezersky take you through an old war zone! www.army.mil/article/8370... #spellingbee #spellingbeeiswhack

Screenshot of 7/28/26 NYT's Spelling Bee puzzle showing the common word "demining" not being accepted as a word.

Screenshot of US Army article titled "Researchers, officials collaborate for global demining efforts" and showing four soldiers showing demining operations on land.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jul 13

@nytimes.com “like a knife to the back,” one expert said. An apt description of his so-called service to the country.

Screenshot of New York Times article showing a photo of Lindsey Graham. Features the following Headline and excerpt: "What Is an Aortic Dissection?" "The condition that killed Senator Lindsey Graham is deadly, sudden and difficult to treat — 'like a knife to the back,' one expert said."

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jul 10

Did you say as important as the horse running? Muybridge would agree! Enjoy that an more here: www.loc.gov/free-to-use/...

Photograph of twenty-four consecutive images of a cat running (1887). By Muybridge, Eadweard, 1830-1904.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jul 9

Dante spoke with Mitch McConnell for 20 minutes...

Engraving by Gustave Dore of Dante speaking to Bocca degli Abati in hell.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jul 4

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 30

My cats are offended 😹

photo of two cats, a short-haired brown/grey/black in front and a black/white in back.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 30

Ok, Schumer.

Altered "This is Fine" Meme with dog's head/face replaced with Sen. Chuck Shumer's face.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 26

Hard not to see images of destruction from the Venezuela earthquake and think of Israel's intentional destruction of civilian life and infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon 😢. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Photo in the Guardian of severe earthquake damage in Caracas, Venezuela.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 26

www.holocausthistoricalsociety.org.uk/contents/ger...

Black and white photo of Hans and Sophie Scholl

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 26

I feel your pain.

Familiar "Pointing Spiderman Meme" with Spiderman on the left labeled "Labour" and Spiderman on the right labeled "Democrats"

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 25

I guess she's still mad that Mamdani wouldn't march with the party in the Genocide Parade last month...

Photo from NYC, May 31 "Israel Day" Parade. Shows Attorney General Letitia James, Governor Kathy Hochul and city council speaker Julie Menin at the Israel Day parade in New York on Sunday. Photograph: Lev Radin/Shutterstock

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 22

This poem of mine came out yesterday in Under a Warm Green Linden. www.greenlindenpress.com/issue20-murrey

The Cathedral of Now
by Matthew Murrey

after Eduardo C. Corral

I wrestled despair but it knew every move.
The empty theater is still showing despair.
Despair was the only flight that wasn’t canceled.
The tags on all my shirts say Made in Despair.
The forecast shows despair gaining strength.
I have a periodic table of the elements of despair.
Eighteen-wheelers haul despair cross-country.
On the classroom whiteboard, the word despair.
Despair took down the wires and left us in the dark.
I filled my glass with four fingers of despair.
Despair fanned the flames and dimmed the sun.
In the cathedral of now the choir sings of despair.
Despair is the song played on broken strings.
I’m sorry that I’ve ended this poem with despair

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 16

Aargh!

Movie poster for 1954 "Long John Silver" featuring a squinting, grinning pirate, a smaller image of a young boy, and other even smaller images of characters.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 15

Fixed it for you. You're welcome.

Altered screenshot of the original NPR post so that now it reads "The deal might be a breakthrough in the US/Israeli War of Aggression that set the Middle East aflame and shook the global economy and killed thousands of civilians. however, it did not resolve critical issues set aside for further negotiations."

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 9

We don't usually see each other's headers. Here's mine. Quote-skeet with yours (if you feel like it)

photo image of antique-style round typewriter where the keys feature white letters on a black background

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 6

Hmmm...

Image of Osprey flying with a just caught fish in its talons.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 3

In a close second place

Jan 6 attempted coup leader Jacob Chansley (QAnon Shaman) superimposed over a Sixty Minutes photo.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Jun 3

Murderer Kyle Rittenhouse superimposed over the Sixty Minutes photo.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· May 14

Tell me you have no interest in unsolicited poetry submissions without telling me you have no interest in unsolicited poetry submissions. October 24, 2023 - May 14, 2026 = 933 days = 2 years, 6 months and 20 days @newyorker.com #poetry #submission #pobiz

Screenshot of Submittable record showing a New Yorker poetry submission received on Tue, Oct 24, 2023 and finally rejected on Thu, May 14, 2026.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· May 10

I got to be at the @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social in Chicago yesterday for a screening of @stealthisstory.bsky.social and met Amy Goodman and the filmmakers - Carl Deal and Tia Lessin. GO SEE "Steal This Story, Please" if you get the chance and - if you can afford to - support Democracy Now!

Photo inside the Music Box Theater showing Amy Goodman meeting with people.

Photo of the post-screening Q&A with Amy Goodman and Tia Lessin and Carl Deal.

Photo of me standing with Carl Deal next to a seated Amy Goodman and Tia Lessin. Amy's dog, Zazu is in her lap.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· May 7

I liked it better on four legs. www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk/asset/3231/

Image of the painting, "The Adoration of the Golden Calf" by Nicolas Poussin showing people in loose robes and outfits dancing around a golden bull on a pedestal.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· May 7

No excuse for this, Sam Ezersky, especially given the rampant Islamophobia in the US. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/m... #nytspellingbee #spellingbee #bias

Screenshot of 5-7-26 NYT Spelling Bee game showing the common word MUEZZIN not being accepted.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· May 3

The NL Central is smoking. .529 lands you in last place! #mlb #competivie #baseball #gocubs

Screen shot of the standings in the MLB Central Division showing Cubs leading with a .636 winning percentage followed by the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds with .606 and the Milwaukee Brewers with .563 along with the Pittsburgh Pirates bringing up the last place with .529.

Matthew Murrey@mytwords· Apr 22

First thing that came to mind: christojeanneclaude.net/artworks/the...