My story

Maddy Kilsby-McMurray is a non-binary poet who lives in Southend on Sea. Originally from Western Australia, they now live by the sea with their wife and their dogs.

They have always been a writer, scribbling short stories in the margins of their notebooks when they should have been paying attention to maths. As they got older, writing became therapy, a way to process a world that is too busy, too harsh and too fast for their queer, disabled heart. 

They write trash fire poetry, which is written in haste and often destined for the fire. They can often be found at poetry events across South Essex, including Southend Pride Poetry and Dangerous Poetry. They were the winner of the first Queertopia Poetry Slam.

Their poems can be found littered around Southend and Westcliff, on lamposts and telephone poles. But if you’re not local, you can find some of their work on Instagram and Substack at @trashfirepoet