diff --git a/bibtex/.local/bin/bib-due b/bibtex/.local/bin/bib-due
index 81f3cec..032f513 100755
--- a/bibtex/.local/bin/bib-due
+++ b/bibtex/.local/bin/bib-due
@@ -72,7 +72,24 @@ filter_until() {
     lastprinted="$((lastline - 1))"
     entries=$(echo "$entries" | sed -n "1,${lastprinted}p;${lastline}q")
   fi
+}
 
+filter_priority() {
+  priority="$1"
+  # filter for dates, with line numbers
+  # filtered=$(echo "$entries" | grep -noE '[[:digit:]]{4}-[[:digit:]]{2}-[[:digit:]]{2}')
+  filtered=""
+  while [ "$priority" -gt 0 ]; do
+    current=$(echo "$entries" | grep -E "\($priority\)")
+
+    # append found to filtered entries
+    filtered=$(printf "%s\n%s" "$filtered" "$current")
+
+    # go to next 'higher' priority
+    priority="$((priority - 1))"
+  done
+  # sort them chronologically again, remove empty lines
+  entries="$(echo "$filtered" | sed -e '/^$/d' | sort)"
 }
 
 main() {
@@ -91,11 +108,14 @@ main() {
   if [ -n "$until" ]; then
     filter_until
   fi
+  if [ -n "$priority" ]; then
+    filter_priority "$priority"
+  fi
 
   echo "$entries"
 }
 
-while getopts "h?i:u:r:l:" opt; do
+while getopts "h?i:u:r:l:p:" opt; do
   case "$opt" in
   h | \?)
     show_help
@@ -115,6 +135,9 @@ while getopts "h?i:u:r:l:" opt; do
   u)
     until="$(date -d "$OPTARG" +%s)"
     ;;
+  p)
+    priority="$OPTARG"
+    ;;
   esac
 done
 shift $((OPTIND - 1))
diff --git a/polybar/.config/polybar/config b/polybar/.config/polybar/config
index b868ab5..5175fac 100644
--- a/polybar/.config/polybar/config
+++ b/polybar/.config/polybar/config
@@ -224,11 +224,12 @@ click-right = kill -USR2 %pid%
 ; display information on remaining papers to read for the upcoming week
 [module/papersdue]
 type = custom/script
-exec = bib-due -u $(date --date='fri this week' +%Y-%m-%d) | wc -l
+exec = $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/polybar/scripts/poly-papersdue
 exec-if = type bib-due
-click-left = exist rofi-bib-due normal "opening due papers" && rofi-bib-due -u $(date --date='fri this week' +%Y-%m-%d)
-format-foreground = ${colors.primary}
-format-prefix = ""
+tail = true
+click-left = exist rofi-bib-due normal "opening due papers" && rofi-bib-due -p1 -u $(date --date='fri this week' +%Y-%m-%d)
+; format-foreground = ${colors.primary}
+format-prefix = " "
 interval = 120
 
 ; display unified available packages for update on arch from repos/aur
diff --git a/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-papersdue b/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-papersdue
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..51b91b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/polybar/.config/polybar/scripts/poly-papersdue
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env sh
+
+while true; do
+  all="$(bib-due -u "$(date --date='fri this week' +%Y-%m-%d)" | wc -l)"
+  required="$(bib-due -u "$(date --date='fri this week' +%Y-%m-%d)" -p1 | wc -l)"
+
+  # add polybar formatting to color required readings red
+  # https://github.com/polybar/polybar/wiki/Formatting#format-tags
+  # TODO use xresources
+  colorreq=$(xrdb -query | grep -e '\*color1:' | cut -f2)
+  colorall=$(xrdb -query | grep -e '\*foreground:' | cut -f2)
+  printf "%s%s%s(%s)\n" "%{F${colorall:-#000}}" "$all" "%{F${colorreq:-#d00}}" "$required"
+
+  sleep 120
+done