Publications
The Liminal Light of the Night
Carmella's debut poetry collection is published by Hedgehog Poetry Press, edited by Mark Davidson.
It was a winner of the international Hedgehog Poetry Press Competition 2024.
THE LIMINAL LIGHT OF THE NIGHT by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
It features original artwork by Vanya Milanova, and the cover image is by Stephen Hocking.
“The Liminal Light of the Night” – Carmella de Keyser (Print Edition) – The Hedgehog Poetry Press
Reviews of The Liminal Light of the Night
Dr Tanja Goldberg, PhD, international performer and writer
"A profound adventure awaits those readers ready to immerse themselves in this unusually deep collection. It offers a glimpse into a highly personal look at the world and the alchemy of transformation from alienation to reconciliation, from despair to joyful wisdom, and from pain into the lightness of knowledge. Bravely and passionately written this little gem stands head and shoulders above the crowd.”
Mirjana Miric, Creator of Suburban Witchcraft Magazine, author, poet and artist
This collection is a lyrical onomatopoeia of memory, melancholy and affirmative hope. With its unforced and persistent cascade of rhythm, it is reminiscent of the whispers of the heart within all of us, and nature, that lives, loves, loses and dreams again. These poems will inspire you to treasure your keepsakes and see the wounds as monuments of a powerful existence that does not owe.
Order from the Hedgehog Poetry Press:
https://www.hedgehogpress.co.uk
For a signed copy, contact Carmella directly on one of her socials:
You're Never Too Much.
Macmillan Publishers
Carmella was honoured to have a poem selected for the new young adult Macmillan anthology 'You're Never Too Much', alongside other poets such as Emily Dickinson, Phillip Larkin, Wendy Cope, and William Blake.
The innovative Charlie Castelletti edited the anthology.
The book was launched globally, on September the 4th, 2025.
Carmella's featured poem is about reframing loneliness and editors placed it into the chapter category of 'HOPE'.
https://www.panmacmillan.com/.../youre.../9781035070220
BBC Sounds
Featured Poem 'Contents of My Pocket'
Carmella's poetry has been featured twice on BBC Sounds.
Her first broadcast poem with them was- 'Contents of My Pocket'
It was played on the Rob Jelly Show, on 12/10/2024
(The written version was first published in Dream Catcher Magazine Issue 49)
BBC Essex - Upload with Rob Jelly, Artist Richard K. Blades & Fringe Organiser Dr. Cam Abbott-Betts
Featured Poem 'Thirsty'
Carmella has been featured twice on BBC Sounds.
Her second appearance, included the spoken-word poem 'Thirsty'- a piece written about hope, presence and acceptance.
It was broadcast on the Rob Jellie show from 07/08/2025 for a month.
Available via the free BBC Sounds app, here -> https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08q3hsh
Authora Australis Literary Journal
Featured Poem 'Baba's Face'
Authora Australis Literary Journal, an international magazine, originally founded in Sydney, Australia by academics, authors, teachers and artists, has published Carmella's poem 'Baba's Face', in their latest issue 9- 'Cracks'. 24/09/2025 The editors were Roger Patulny, Carlo Caponecchia, and Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad.
The poem explores themes of ancestry, comparison, and intergenerational relationships.
The Madrid Review
Featured Poem 'The Sapling Testimony'
Carmella's poem 'The Sapling Testimony' was published in The Madrid Review, Issue 5.
The poem reflects upon the heartbreak of war, historical injustice, and ancestry.
The editor was James Hartley, and the guest editor was Haia Mohammed.
Article -'The Poetry of Jeff Buckley: Dream Brother'
Carmella contributed a piece for 'The Madrid Review, ' an occasional series on the exploration of viewing lyrics as poetry.
The article takes a deep dive into the lyrics of 'Dream Brother' by Jeff Buckley.
Published on 03/08/2025
Editor James Hartley.
The Dark Poets Prize
Honourable Mentions
Featured Poem 'Panacea's Furnace'
Listed as an Honourable Mention for the inaugural Dark Poets Prize I.
Published on 30/08/2024
A poem about energy transformations, accepting difficult situations, internalising them and re-structuring those emotions into something beautiful.
Click on the title for the link.
https://www.darkpoets.club/post/panacea-s-furnace
Featured Poem 'At The Cinema'
Awarded an Honourable Mention for the Dark Poets Prize II
Published on 18/03/2025
This is a poem that examines claustrophobia and sensory processing disorder, presented in a darkly comedic tone.
Click on the title for the link.
https://www.darkpoets.club/post/at-the-cinema
Carmella's poem MACERATION achieved an 'Honourable Mention' out of 1500 submission entries and 20 different countries, for the 2025 'Small Space Deep Impact Award'.
The poem seeks to draw awareness to animal cruelty, in particular the widespread process of male chick maceration.
Featured Poem 'Maceration'
Honourable Mention Awards
Dream Catcher
Featured poem 'No More Anniversaries' - Issue 50
Carmella's poem was published in Dream Catcher Edition 50, the Gold Edition. Editor Hannah Stone
A poem reflecting upon how material possessions may be shared and divided, whereas the case is different for living things.
Featured Poem'Contents of My Pocket'-Issue 49
This poem of Carmella's was published in 'Dream Catcher Literary Journal' Issue 49, Editor - Hannah Stone. The poem is a thought piece about the cyclicality of time and how lost internalised emotional objects return to us in unexpected ways.
DreamCatcher – Contemporary Writing for Contemporary Readers
The Starbeck Orion
Featured Poems - Esmeralda's Gaze, Mother's Tears and Mouthful of Nipple
Carmella was honoured to be the featured poet for The Starbeck Orion on 08/07/25.
Editor - Paul Brookes
Welcome To The Starbeck Orion Summer Feast Of Poetry And Artwork. Day Nine featuring the poetry of Carmella de Keyser
MOTHER'S TEARS by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
ESMERALDA'S GAZE 🧿 by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
Suburban Witchcraft Magazine - Issue 8
Featured Poems-Dislocated Moon and Towards Asylum
Suburban Witchcraft Magazine is an international journal, created and edited by talented artist, poet and editor Mirjana M. Carmella's writing has been featured twice -in Issues 8 and 10.
Suburban Witchcraft Issue 8 is Live! – Suburban Witchcraft Magazine
Suburban Witchcraft
Issue 10
Featured Poems 'Communion in the Square' and 'A Permanent kind of Festive Season'
COMMUNION IN THE SQUARE by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
Taped From Somebody's Brother
Featured poem -'House by the Railroad'
Editor of anthology- Mark Davidson
Carmella's ekphrastic poem was selected for this unique and contemporary anthology presented by the wonderful Hedgehog Press. Carmella's poem was inspired by Edward Hopper's painting- 'House by the Railroad' which in turn is said to have provided the artistic vision of Norman Bates home in the Alfred Hitchcock Movie 'Psycho'.
Published - 31/01/2025
Taped From Somebody's Brother: Amazon.co.uk: Davidson, Mark: 9781916830530: Books
The Candyman's Trumpet
Featured Poem - Getting Pierced
Edited and curated by the inspiring Jack Caradoc of DREICH MAGAZINE.
Getting Pierced - a poem about coming of age, rites and trials, grunge and growing up in Camden.
published on 01/08/2025
Wishbone Words
Featured Poem 'A Titanium Phoenix Rising'
A poem concerning overcoming disability and finding acceptance.
Published in Wishbone Words, Issue 15
Issue 15 | May 2025 – Wishbone Words
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Hedgehog Poetry
Press
Featured poem - 'The Everlasting Exile'
The Everlasting Exile, is a poem published within Carmella's winning micro-pamphlet by Hedgehog Poetry Press, editor Mark Davidson, it is about finding serenity after adversity.
THE EVERLASTING EXILE by Carmella de Keyser
The painting is by Vanya Milanova.
Featured poem - 'I Count all Things as Loss'
'I Count all Things as Loss', is a poem published within Carmella's winning micro-pamphlet by Hedgehog Poetry Press, editor Mark Davidson.
The poem reflects upon how when one loses something or someone they love, all associated memories, even the good ones, become loss, as we enter into grief.
I COUNT ALL THINGS AS LOSS' by Carmella de Keyser - read from her debut pamphlet - YouTube
A Proper Hedgehog Vintage Christmas Anthology
Featured poem - 'Shake the Christmas Globe'
Carmella was delighted that her poem was selected to be published within the Hedgehog Press Christmas Anthology, 2024,curated by talented editor Mark Davidson.
24/12/2024
The Hooghly Review
Featured Poem 'Scars and Stretchmarks'
A poem about vulnerabilities becoming strengths.
Published on 03/10/2025 within the FICTILE FEELINGS Poetry Special, guest edited by the exceptional Sanjeev Sethi.
Fictile Feelings (Poetry Special, October 2025) – THE HOOGHLY REVIEW
The Starbeck Orion, Issue 13
Featured poems - 'Dreaming Leaves, Frenemy and Zephyr's Lost Winds'
Carmella was a featured poet for The Starbeck Orion, Issue 13, and three of her poems were published on the 26th of October 2025.
The Starbeck Orion, Issue 13, Day Two features the poetry of Carmella de Keyser
Dreaming Leaves
A poem about transcending challenging experiences and letting go.
Frenemy
A poem about false friendships and envy based friendships.
Zephyr's Lost Winds
A poem about the passage of time, grief and nostalgia.
Dust Poetry Magazine
Featured Poem 'My Name is...'
Published on 23/11/2025
Issue 15, Dear World
'My Name is' this is a poem about racism and otherization, projective identification, and about affirming and choosing the positive voices in your mind, over the persecuting voices.
Editors - Tara Wheeler and Catherine Redford
Click on the link below to read the poem and full issue.
My Name Is by Carmella de Keyser
Outside the Box
Featured Poem 'Pain-Wear'
Published on 24/08/24
A poem about outgrowing suffering.
The editor of 'Outside the Box' - Rebecca Collins
PAIN - WEAR 💧 by Carmella de Keyser - YouTube
Your Harlow Newspaper
Featured Poems 'Shipwrecked', 'Bottle Fly' and 'At the Cinema'
Carmella has always dreamed of establishing more poetic events in Harlow. She was thrilled to have had three poems published in Your Harlow on 07/03/2024 for World Poetry Day, and more importantly, to launch and announce her new poetry society stanza, which was Harlow's very first poetry stanza!
#BigUpHarlow
Editor, Michael Casey
The Poetry Society
Book Review
Carmella was invited to write an official review for the Poetry Society for The Sealey Challenge, 2024. She wrote about 'Time is a Mother' by Ocean Vuong.
All poems are copyright
©
Carmella de Keyser
2025