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POETPOETPOETRRRYYY READERREADERREADER from the Scottish Library | scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk Island Mindfulness by UI International Programs, under a Creative Commons licence

Sit Down and Shut Up by Colin McGuire

Hold your tongue. Sit at peace. Leave the knocked door. Orientate yourself like a spoon Exhale one deep current. stirring circles in a coffee cup. A progress is in silence.

Imagine a snail's voyage This area must be kept clear. across the continent Exam quiet, without test. What matters is what remains

Sit down and shut up; after every thought and feeling somewhere a leaf trembles has been extracted on the edge of a runway. from the rush of its making.

Stillness is its own reward. Rare lucidity without appointment.

In February, we are running a four-week Mindfulness and Expressive Writing Course. The and Mindfulness Meditation practitioner Colin McGuire will lead each session. PRESCRIPTION: POETRY The popular any literary activity (writing, to help us to develop an invited the public to explore the therapeutic qualities of reading or storytelling) that action plan for the future of poems we had selected private expressive writing for perception of helps people to assume Creative Words for Wellbeing and displayed. Participants their own wellbeing and the is of a trade where more control of their health in . Once we’ve could choose to use guided wellbeing of others.’ its practitioners live and wellbeing, has a long gathered this information, short, intense lives history that goes as far we’ll have a better picture poetry; they could make The course provides back as Ancient Greece. In of the current bibliotherapy their own selection of poetry participants with an that don’t often the latter part of 2019, the landscape locally and will be or simply enjoy a cup of tea experiential introduction end well. Or as Library chose to examine in a position to think about in a different space. to Mindfulness Meditation Wordsworth put it more closely how we could what happens next, which and Expressive Writing. use our collections to help might include creating a Starting in February, we’re Each Mindfulness Practice in ‘Resolution and people. national network providing following up last year’s is explained, practiced and Independence’: opportunities for support exploration of bibliotherapy Libraries, including our and collaboration cross- with a four-week We Poets in our youth own, as well as public sectorally. Mindfulness and Expressive Writing activity. begin in gladness; organisations and Writing Course. The poet But thereof come in practitioners across In addition to Creative Words and Mindfulness Meditation ‘Participants will be the end despondency Scotland, are collaborating for Wellbeing in Scotland, practitioner Colin McGuire encouraged to journal, and madness. on Creative Words for will lead each session, which Wellbeing in Scotland, a new the Library partnering with is two hours long. expressive writing exercises,’ While one hates to project using reading and the University of McGuire says. ‘Participants contradict Wordsworth, writing to improve the health on its ‘Prescribe Culture’ ‘Mindfulness and Expressive are also encouraged to there is a growing body of project, which aims to tackle Writing are valuable for a practice their meditations evidence that writing and was to get a better picture of low-level mental health poet,’ says McGuire. ‘Writing at home over the four - week reading poetry can play what forms of bibliotherapy problems, social isolation takes place in the present- period in a way that is a part in maintaining or are already taking place in and loneliness by being a moment and sometimes comfortable for them.’ restoring mental equilibrium. Scotland. The Project Co- place of referral for people the written-moment can be Naturally, the Scottish ordinator Ruth Stevenson to explore poetry as a way of a daunting place. I believe The course costs £100. More Poetry Library is doing its spent last summer evidence- supporting wellbeing. Mindfulness and Expressive information can be found on part to secure the nation’s gathering: collecting and Writing can help release the Library’s website, where wellbeing. collating existing evidence, During the same period, the writers block, support you can also reserve places useful information and a Library hosted a ‘Prescribe creativity as well as allow on the course. ‘Bibliotherapy’, which can be range of personal opinions Culture’ exhibition, which poets and writers to explore MINDFULNESS CAN RELEASE WRITERS BLOCK AND SUPPORT CREATIVITY SIGNS & WONDERS New Scottish Titles at the SPL Congratulations to Janette Single collections Anthologies Ayachi whose debut collection Neil Leadbeater, River Hoard Martha Kapos, Smile Variations Hand Over Mouth Music won Veronica Aaronson, Nothing About (Cyberwit) After Curfew: Neu! Reekie! ed. (Happenstance) The Scottish the Birds is Ordinary This Morning Michael Pedersen and Kevin Poetry Book of the Year on (Indigo Publishing) Neil Leadbeater, Penn Fields Williamson (Penkiln Burn) , A Stream’s Tattle: St Andrews Day last year at a (Littoral Press) new poems (Mariscat Press) ceremony held at the National Juana Adcock, Split (Blue Diode High Tide: the 2019 anthology of Museum of Scotland. Ayachi Press) Neil Leadbeater and Monica poetry and prose, Federation of Ross McCleary, Endorse Me, You launched her collection at Manolachi, Brasilia (PIM) Writers (Scotland) (New Voices Cowards! (Stewed Rhubarb) the Jane Aldous, Let Out the Djinn Press) in June. At the same prize- (Archne Press) Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh, Bogha- Audun Mortensen, footballers who giving ceremony the Callum frois san Oidhche / Rainbow in the The Laureate’s Choice Anthology: rhyme (If a Leaf Falls) MacDonald Memorial Award Jennifer Allan, Winter Light (Mòr Night (Handsel Press) twenty poets chosen by Carol Ann was presented to Tapsalteerie Media) Du#y (smith|doorstop) Derek Parkes, Cherry Blossom (Red for their pamphlet Glisk by Iain M. Macleod, 10 Seconds Squirrel) Sarah Stewart. The Callum Margaret Armour, Songs and that Changed my Life (IndieGo Poems from the Age of Extinction: MacDonald Memorial Award Shadows (Heliea Publishing) Publishing) an anthology of poetry in Tom Pow, Is (Roncadora) was jointly run for the !rst time endangered languages ed. Chris last year by the Saltire Society Janette Ayachi, Hand Over Mouth Calum L. Macleòid, Bhon Phlateau McCabe (Chambers) Finola Scott, Much Left Unsaid and the Scottish Poetry Library. Music ( University Press) dhan a'Chladach (Bradan Press) (Red Squirrel) Scotia Extremis: poems from the Given that it’s 2020 now, it’s Aileen Ballantyne, Taking Flight Beth McDonough, Lamping for extremes of Scotland’s psyche ed. Maria Sledmere, lana del ray appropriate that the theme (Luath) Pickled Fish (4Word Press) Brian Johnstone and Andy Jackson playing at a stripclub (Mermaid for this year’s National Poetry (Luath) Motel) Day will be ‘vision’. The Forward Tessa Berring, Bitten Hair (Blue Donald E. Meek, Shore Lines: word- Arts Foundation, who run Diode Press) pictures from an island (Acair) Try to Be Better ed. Sam Buchan- Jock Stein, An Iolaire, trans. National Poetry Day, hope that Watts and Lavinia Singer (Handsel Press) the theme ‘inspires a national Robert Burns, Tam O’Shanter, Marion F. Morrison, Adhbhar Ar (Perspective) conversation about the power adapted by Richmond Clements Sòlais / Cause of our Joy (Bradan Jock Stein, Swift (Handsel Press) of the imagination to renew with art by Inko (Cranachan Press) Words Work Well for All: a ways of seeing, and maybe a Publishing) collection of writing and art from Katharine Towers, The Violin Forest range of gorgeous picture- Elaine Morton, Hamethochts the Lapidus Scotland project ed. (Happenstance) poems too’. National Poetry Jim Carruth, Bale Fire (Polygon) (Evertype) Frances Ainslie (Playspace) Day takes place on October 3 Barnaby Tydeman, Vitamin Shrine this year. The Scottish Poetry Thomas A. Clark and Laurie Clark, Anne B. Murray, The Colour Shop Single collections - (If a Leaf Falls) Library is the lead agency for Of the Wayside (Lawn Editions) (Terra Firma Press) NPD in Scotland. pamphlets Sam Weselowski, I Love My Job (If Jo Cli#ord, The Gospel According Jon Plunkett, A Melody of Sorts a Leaf Falls) Scotland’s poetry festival to Jesus, Queen of Heaven: tenth (Red Squirrel) Patricia Ace, In De!ance of Short StAnza has assembled another anniversary edition (Stewed Days (Fair Stranger Press) Jay G. Ying, Wedding Beasts (Bitter line-up that commands Rhubarb) Tom Pow and Hugh Bryden, My Melon) interest. The festival has Dad was a Cowboy (Cacafuego Sheena Blackhall, Goodbye to a revealed a host of prize- G.W. Colkitto, Brantwood: that Press) Soul: poems and tales in Scots and Alan Young, notes along the way: winning poets among next place of little green poems English (Malfranteaux Concepts) 22 (Elizabeth Simon) year’s line-up as it launches (Cinnamon Press) Sheenagh Pugh, Afternoons Go its core festival programme Nowhere (Poetry Wales Press) Sheena Blackhall, Green Man Reference for 2020. Jen Had!eld, the Stewart Conn, Aspects of Rising (Malfranteaux Concepts) youngest winner of the T. S. Edinburgh (Scotland Street Press) Hannah Raymond-Cox, Amuse Girl Kirstie Blair, Working Verse in Eliot Prize, is among those (Burning Eye) Sheena Blackhall, A Scottish Victorian Scotland: poetry, press, appearing as is editor and Anne Connolly, Once Upon a Pilgrimage (Malfranteaux community (Oxford University human rights advocate Carolyn Quark (Red Squirrel Press) George C. Robertson, Another Concepts) Press) Forché. Jay Bernard, the author Anthology in Various Voices: in of the acclaimed Surge makes Robert Crawford, Strath: Scots English and Scots (self-published) Sheena Blackhall, Why Give John Burnside The Music of Time: their StAnza debut, while one versions of Song dynasty Chinese Nuts to a Man with No Teeth? poetry in the twentieth century of Scotland’s best-known crime poems (Easel Press) Edward Rogers, Fallen Leaves (Malfranteaux Concepts) (Pro!le Books) writers Val McDermid will share (Tuba Press) her favourite poems at a Desert Molly Donachie, Icarus (SPM Sheena Blackhall and Tom Fifty Fifty: Carcanet’s jubilee Island Poems event. Publications) Tracey S. Rosenberg, Secondary Hubbard, From Gweedore to in letters, ed. Robyn Marsack (Red Squirrel) Skibbereen: Irish poems, ballads (Carcanet) We celebrated the Jenni Fagan, Truth (Tangerine and pieces (Malfranteaux appointment of Simon Press) James P. Spence, Willow Pattern Concepts) Tom Mole, What the Victorians Armitage to poet laureate Haiku (Otherwise Poetry) Made of Romanticism: material on the cover of our last issue. Callie Gardner, Naturally It is Not Elspeth Brown, Starling and Crane artefacts, cultural practices, and Since then he has announced (The 87 Press) Jock Stein, Jock’s Journey: memoir (Indigo Pamphlets) reception history (Princeton one of his !rst major initiatives, of a minister and (Handsel University Press) an award which he has set up Linda Goulden, Speaking Parts Press) Tim Craven, Lake E#ect to encourage poems written (Half Moon Press) (Tapsalteerie) Heather H. Yeung, Spatial about the environment. Anne Stewart, The Last Parent Engagement with Poetry (Palgrave Armitage will donate his Archana Goyal, Life Within: travel (Second Light) Claire Crowther, Knithoard Macmillan) £5,000 salary as poet laureate moments (self-published) (HappenStance) to help fund the Laurel Prize, Steve Urwin, Laughter to Split which will be run annually. Rosemary Hector, A Quickening Glass (Red Squirrel) Peter Esslemont, Passing Hours Armitage hopes it will promote (Muddy Pearl) (self-published) discussion about the impact Stephen Watt, Fairy Rock: a crime on nature of issues like climate Philip Hutton, These Are They, novel in verse (Red Squirrel Press) charlotte geater / GPT-2, against change. The winner will receive That’s Them (self-published) my own feelings (If a Leaf Falls) £5,000 and will be announced , Ceum air next May. There will also Alastair Jackson and Kenneth Cheum: cruinneachadh de Harry Josephine Giles, moon, sun be a second prize of £2,000 Steven, The Spirit of the Hebrides: dhàintean nas fhaide (Acair) & all things ( Press) and a third prize of £1,000. images and words inspired by The prize will be run by the Sorley Maclean (Saint Andrews Robin Lindsay Wilson, Backstage in Mai Iv$äll, Into Longing Vast Rose Poetry School, which also runs Press) Paradise (Cinnamon Press) (If a Leaf Falls) the annual Ginkgo Prize for ecopoetry. The prize will be judged by Armitage, fellow poet Moniza Alvi and author Robert Macfarlane. FROM My First, THE My Last, My Everything

DIRECTOR Sheila Wake!eld is a poet, editor and publisher The passing of Alasdair Gray at the turn of the year saw Gray praised based in South Lanarkshire. Since founding Red for his role in the renaissance of and art in the Squirrel Press in April 2006, she has published 1980s and the contribution of writers to contemporary Scottish over 200 titles, mainly poetry, launched politics. As a child, Gray was an avid user of his local public library in Postbox Press, the literary !ction imprint of Red Scottish Squirrel Press in 2015, and Postbox, Scotland’s Border Ballads and Tillyard’s The English Epic as volumes of poetry International Short Story Magazine in 2019. poetry by the writing of Coleridge, Blake and Pound. My First

I was obsessed with reading and writing from an early age. Before I said nothing about Scottish culture…. In Scotland, was taught as if no started school, I would go to a weekly group with my grandmother Scot had contributed to it.’ Thankfully, Scottish arts and culture, and increasingly Scots and on a Monday afternoon. I realised when I was older that it had languages, are better appreciated in our schools. Since its inception, the been a forerunner of what we now describe as a creative writing Scottish Poetry Library has sought to provide learning resources to teachers and pupils; group. I was lucky in that when I went to what was then junior indeed, our company’s founding object is to ‘advance the education of the public’. school and later, grammar school, poetry was taught and even though it had to be recited, after being learnt by heart, as I read Towards this end we launched a Teaching Fellowship programme in the autumn of and re-read, it calmed me and !red my imagination. My earliest 2019, which received many applications. Teachers representing schools and colleges in memories of poetry at junior school include Shakespeare’s ‘When Kilmarnock, , , Dunfermline and Edinburgh formed our inaugural intake. Icicles Hang by the Wall’ and Belloc’s ‘Matilda’. This included a Gaelic language secondary schoolteacher. The fellowship opportunity includes participating for free in themed workshops run by the Library and a week’s My Last residency at Moniak Mhor. Each of the fellows will contribute three units of work on poetry to the SPL’s online resources and three professional development sessions within I get very little time to write and it gnaws away at me. Every year their school and wider regions. The themed workshops are also available more widely to at this point, I say that I’m going to try to !nd more time to write teachers outside the fellowship programme. These workshops address tackling racism, but this time, I’m really going to try to do so. Most of my reading is celebrating the Scots language, health and wellbeing, ’s centenary and submissions but I do my best to keep up to date with new poetry creative writing. See over the page for more details. collections and Gerry Cambridge’s The Light Acknowledgers (HappenStance) is exactly what you’d expect from a poet, editor Returning to Gray, he wrote in his memoir, Of Me and Others, that he regarded a well- and essayist of the highest standard. It’s in six sections and I’m stocked public library as ‘the pinnacle of democratic . That a good dull place like particularly enjoying the island poems of the ‘On Papa Westray’ Riddrie had one was proof that the world was essentially well organized.’ I believe that this section, the relationship poems of the ‘Departures’ section as well analogy is also true with regard to Scotland’s possession of a national poetry library. as the Scots poem, ‘The Visitor’.

Asif Khan Director AFTER BEING LEARNT City of Edinburgh Council – Libraries www.capitalcollections.org.uk BY HEART, AS I READ AND RE-READ, POETRY CALMED ME AND FIRED MY IMAGINATION AT SCHOOL My Everything

The Scottish Poetry Library is a unique resource and space, a vital platform for poetry of every genre. We are extremely lucky to have it and it is essential that it is allowed to continue to develop. Tessa Ransford told me at StAnza one year that I was like her in that I get things done, I don’t always succeed but when I fail, I remember her words and try harder. I’m very grateful for all the help and support o#ered by the Scottish Poetry Library for events and projects and I’m going to spend more time there next year researching and writing. Please become a Friend of the SPL.

If, like Sheila Wake!eld, poetry is your !rst, last and everything, you should become a Friend of the SPL. To join and enjoy bene!ts including the Poetry Reader delivered to your door, call us on 0131 557 2876, email [email protected] or visit scottishpoetrylibrary. org.uk/about/become-our-friend.

3

Alasdair Gray reading from his work photo by Dean Atta A Meet the new co-Chair With Jane Ryder stepping down as chair towards the end of last year, the Scottish Poetry Library LONG began the search for a replacement. We didn’t have far to look: we ENGAGEMENT are pleased that Board As far back as 1942, poets have been accused of inhabiting ivory towers. In that year, critic member Gordon Munro Randall Jarry wrote an essay, ‘The End of the Line’, that accused poets of abandoning a (pictured), who is a common readership for an ‘ivory tower’ of elitist composition; they were writing for each councillor for the Leith other, not readers. This jibe has proved remarkably resilient over the years. During 2019 Ward in Edinburgh, was and into 2020, however, the Scottish Poetry Library has been using and will continue to able to take up the role use poetry to diminish the harm caused by discrimination and to promote self-care. of chair, albeit with a Our Engagement and Learning Coordinator Hannah Lavery is key to the delivery of Library time, the position will be projects supporting poets while helping communities traditionally marginalised to access a Co-Chair: currently, we the Library’s resources and to see poetry as a tool to enrich their lives. One area she has are looking for someone been active in is the Library’s Career Long Professional Development (CLPD) for teachers. to share the role with Munro. ‘Born in Leith and immigrated to Edinburgh’, Munro has poetry as a tool to support literacy, creativity and wellbeing. These Teaching Fellows, or a long history with the Library – and with poetry. As a ‘SPL Ambassadors’ as they’re also known, are reviewing our learning resources and helping child, he read Stevenson’s A Child Garden of Verse and Dr us shape our offer to teachers. Seuss, moving onto Burns later in life. Regular readers of the Poetry Reader will recall that some years ago, Munro They will be trained and encouraged during a free residential place at a short Moniack was the subject of a ‘My First, My Last, My Everything’ Mhor course for teachers and across a series of Library workshops which will develop fresh feature (see page three) where he namechecked a diverse ways to teach poetry; they will encourage not only pupils but also colleagues to get over range of poets he was reading including Mayakovsky, a ‘fear’ of poetry often cited as hindering classroom engagement as well as reading poetry Hollie McNish, Walt Whitman and Luke Wright. for enjoyment. We plan to offer new Fellowships every year going forward.

These Teaching Fellows will also be present during the series of CLPD days we’ve I THINK OF THE SPL AS AN EMBASSY FOR POETRY ‘Poetry as a tool to support and promote anti-racism in the classroom’ on St Andrews Day, where writers Nadine Aisha Jassat and Dean Atta (pictured above) held workshops that Apart from involvement in the recruitment of a new Co- gave teachers the tools to use poems to grow empathy and awareness in their pupils with Chair, Munro plans to prioritise making the Board more regards to race. representative and to update the Library’s governance Asif Khan, the Director of the SPL, says, ‘Increasingly, poetry is used for purposes in century. As a member not only of the Library’s Board but also of the Board of the Edinburgh International Festival, poetry to promote diversity – of race, of language – and to encourage their colleagues Munro’s experience will prove invaluable. to be open to what a well-chosen poem can do in terms of bringing lessons alive and for ‘My experience of local government,’ Munro says, ‘tells me that the arts have taken a disproportionate hit from INCREASINGLY, POETRY IS USED FOR PURPOSES IN cuts in local government budgets. One of the tasks of the ADDITION TO READING FOR PLEASURE Board will be to help the Library navigate its way through the cuts that will be coming.’ Another project Hannah Lavery has led on for the Library is our support for and partnership with the Scottish BAME Writers Network, whose monthly meetings take place in the ‘I think of the SPL as an embassy for poetry, which has Library. In November, the Scottish BAME Writers Network won a Creative Edinburgh given more than it has received. A few years back I Award in the Social category, which recognises projects that engage communities, marked my celebration of Burns by becoming a Friend of the SPL and I renew each year on the same date. There it’s worth celebrating.’ Poets Alycia Pirmohamed and Jay G. Ying were nominated for their work on establishing the Scottish BAME Writers Network. The Scottish BAME Library. It’s a real sanctuary in the city where you can rest, Network was established to provide ‘advocacy, peer and community support, professional hide, read, listen, chat, laugh, and discover each time you development, and networking and literary opportunities for BAME / POC writers with a go.’ connection to Scotland.’

Run by writers of colour, the Network was co-founded by Pirmohamed and Ying in 2018. In 2019, the Library partnered to offer free monthly workshops to BAME writers across Scotland. The Network went on to receive funding from the Royal Society of Literature to Professional Development for Teachers host a series of Visiting Writer Workshops with Raman Mundair, Nadine Aisha Jassat, Leila 18 January Aboulela and Theresa Munoz. In addition to the writers group, the Network supports an Poetry and Wellbeing online discourse community, publication opportunities, and networking events. 25 April Director Khan says, ‘Hopefully this is the start of recognition for the great talent Edwin Morgan Day represented by the Scottish BAME Network. The award strengthens the work we do to deliver to our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion programme. The Scottish Poetry Library is 27 June an open, accessible venue, with more to come in the future.’ Celebrating Scots in the Classroom Lavery also played a role in the recent publication of When Women Speak I Hear…, an £25 per day anthology of poems and prints from nine women, the result of the Building Equality Book Project, a collaboration between Edinburgh Women’s Aid, Shakti Women’s Aid and the For more information and to book places on these Scottish Poetry Library. Linda Rodgers, CEO of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, said, ‘I can’t think courses visit: https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/ than through their own words and images, brought together in this beautiful book.’ resource/professional-development-for-teachers The Library facilitated poetry-writing workshops led by poets Jenny Lindsay and Nadine February 15, March 14, April 4, May 9 Aisha Jassat, while Leena Nammari facilitated workshops in art and printmaking to Poetry Writing for Teachers and learning new skills along the way such as writing, storytelling, printmaking and Entire course £100 presentation skills. Additionally, they learnt how to develop and market their work. In Individual days £30 each November, we were delighted to learn that the book had been shortlisted for the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize. When Women Speak I Hear… costs £7 and can be ordered For more information and to book places on these from the Library’s website or bought in person from the SPL Shop. courses visit: https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/ Ivory tower? With its work on fostering resilience and combatting prejudice, the Library is resource/poetry-writing-course-for-teachers demonstrating that poetry is far from just talking to itself. Best Scottish Poems 2019

This spring, Best task. In recognition of that, In December, we handed certainly continued this we’ve lightened the editor’s trend. The winter months magazines and anthologies. Scottish Poems burden. From now on, from which she has chosen are for burying under, returns, rounding editors will read a longlist been featured by the Scots up the best poems Best Scottish Poems warm; I could think of no Language Centre and the published by a Scot chosen by Library staff and 2019. It’s our intention to Haud BSP 2019 in March. than through reading the Yer Tongue. He is also a or a poet living in Scotland last year. has collaborated with the It’s a return to the And there’s more. For the Best Scottish classic form of BSP; Poems will have Gaelic and you may recall that at Scots editors too. We’re the start of 2019 we delighted to announce our Gaelic language editor will asked broadcaster be Niall O’Gallagher, while THE and author James Derek Ross is our Scots ANTHOLOGIES Naughtie to edit a editor. They will each choose ‘greatest hits’ version, OF PREVIOUS Watt’s shortlist, showcasing selecting ‘the best of YEARS ARE the best’ of a decade Scots. and a half’s worth of TESTAMENT Niall O’Gallagher received Best Scottish Poems. a New Writers Award from TO THE the Scottish Book Trust / Returning to a more Gaelic Books Council to QUALITY OF traditional variety of BSP, we’ve asked Roseanne Beatha Ùr SCOTTISH Watt to edit a selection by Clàr in 2013. This was followed by Suain nan Trì POETRY Latha collection is due in 2020. In Ross says, ‘A wis delichted during the course of 2019. 2019 he was named Bàrd tae be asked tae be the Baile Ghlaschu, the city BSP 2019. It’ll no be easy, but a’m from Shetland. In 2018, her laureate. lookin forrit tae it. The Scots debut collection Moder Dy won the Edwin Morgan O’Gallagher says, ‘It’s a academics, it is a leevin leid, Poetry Award; Moder Dy was rich, vibrant time for Gaelic also nominated for the 2019 we are.’ Saltire Society Poetry Book writers breaking through of the Year Award. She lives We’d like to thank each and works in Edinburgh. doing some of their most of our editors and the ambitious work. Choosing volunteers without whom For this latest iteration, Watt says, ‘It is a huge between them won’t be we could not bring you the way in which the guest honour to be judging this Best Scottish Poems editor selects her shortlist of immensely grateful to our year’s Best Scottish Poems, watching the website and volunteers for the time and though I am very aware that our social media for further effort they’ve committed a daunting task lies ahead news of BSP 2019. of me. The anthologies of Derek Ross is a Gallovidian and literary magazine in from Stranraer but has search of great Scottish manageable amount. to the quality and vitality lived in Dumfries for many years. His work Cataloguing the Catalogues

In Jorge Luis Borges’ short story ‘The Library of Babel’, the boon: it gives those not familiar with our work another opportunity to discover the Library and its collections. Now, as a member of the NBK, Argentinian short story writer and poet conceives of an international users can discover the Scottish Poetry Library during a search for a particular volume. For example, a researcher working on the poet on Borges’ concept, but it does bring together online Thomas A. Clark would see from using Library Hub Discover that the Library over 100 UK and Irish academic, national and special actually has more items than the British Library by Clark. Being a member of the NBK gives the Library a far greater reach, not least because we also now have our own page on the Library Hub Discover website. well as open access content, by connecting and making USERS WON’T HAVE TO SEARCH VARIOUS

Library Hub Discover is the public face of the National Biographical INSTITUTIONS’ SITES IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT IS Knowledgebase (NBK), a new service where libraries collaboratively AVAILABLE manage their collections to improve access to print and digital resources. We have contributed our knowledge as part of a drive towards creating A great deal of work went into the process. We had to check our records a single online place where library staff and researchers can search were compatible, that we could extract them in a way that suited the NBK’s multiple institutions. The ultimate aim is to ‘make a positive contribution Site Index. It was a learning process but one we accomplished. Last autumn, to the overall quality of data that circulates around the bibliographic data we uploaded 24,200 records to the site. We plan to update our records on the site on a quarterly basis. Hearteningly, the site doesn’t charge; it is free to search various institutions’ sites in order to see what is available. The and globally available to all with an internet connection. The only costs the support of the institutions involved should lead to a more joined-up national Library has incurred is the time our librarians have invested in placing our strategy around retention of print materials and improve access to e-books, records on the NBK Base. It’s a great collaborative project that shows what digitised books and journals. our digital era is capable of when institutions pull together. The era of the Those taking part include Tate Britain’s Tate Library, the Victoria and Albert Museum libraries, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, and the Henry Moore Institute Library. Our catalogue is already open to the public and accessible https://www.jisc.ac.uk/library-hub-discover 5 online via our website, it’s true, but Library Hub Discover provides another EDWIN MORGAN POETRY AWARD 2020 © www.edwinmorgan.com The 2020 Edwin Morgan Poetry Award is Prize for First Full Collection. Shortlisted in now accepting entries from young Scottish 2014 and 2016, Harry Josephine Giles went poets or poets living in Scotland. With a on to be nominated for 2016’s Forward prize of £20,000, the Edwin Morgan Poetry Prize for Best First Collection for their debut Award is one of the largest in the UK. The collection Tonguit (Stewed Rhubarb) and a Edwin Morgan Trust was established in Saltire Society Poetry Book of the Year Award in 2019 for their second collection. poet laureate, Edwin Morgan (1920–2010), particularly the foundation of a new award for THE PRIZE HAS ESTABLISHED young Scottish poets. In the short time the biennial prize has been running (in 2014, 2016 ITSELF AS A PLATFORM FOR THE and 2018), it has already established itself as a DISCOVERY OF NEW POETS its winners and runners-up include poets who In 2018, Roseanne Watt won the third went on to be nominated for a Forward Prize Edwin Morgan Poetry Award with her for Best First Collection, the Saltire Society collection Moder Dy, which was subsequently First Book of the Year Award and the Seamus published by Polygon. She has also performed Heaney Centre Prize for First Full Collection on Radio 6 and was asked by the Library to edit as well as poets who have been published by its online anthology Best Scottish Polygon, Bloodaxe, Granta and the prestigious Poems 2019 Princeton Series of Contemporary Poets. up Daisy Lafarge has signed a two-book deal with Granta. The shortlisted Nadine To enter, poets must submit an unpublished brought up in Scotland, or have a Scottish Aisha Jassat was included in Jackie collection of poetry; it can be submitted if it parent. Kay’s International Literature Showcase has been accepted for publication so long as Selection of Ten Compelling BAME Poets the collection doesn’t appear in print by the Working in the UK, while her debut time of the announcement of the Prize, which the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award. After winning poetry collection Let Me Tell You This (404 will take place at the Edinburgh International the Award, his debut collection Moontide went Ink) won praise. Book Festival in August. The runner-up will on to win the Saltire Society’s First Book of receive £2,500 and other shortlisted poets the Year Award and was shortlisted for the Could you be the next winner of the Edwin £1,000. Forward Prize for Best First Collection. Morgan Poetry Award? Or do you perhaps know someone who could be? The EMPA Poets should be no older than 30 years of age In 2016, Penny Boxall won the second Edwin is now open for submissions and wishes all Morgan Poetry Award with her collection Ship entrants the best of luck. Award, i.e. 1 January 2020 for the 2020 Award. of the Line, which was published by Eyewear. Furthermore, those taking part must either Runner-up in 2014, Claire Askew saw her The deadline is Monday, 2 March. have been born in Scotland, or continuously This Changes Things go on resident in Scotland for the last three years, or to be published by Bloodaxe and also be shortlisted for the Centre

GETTING TO KNOW…EDWIN MORGAN

2020 is shaping a building which is more was published by William Dragon. It took until 1999 for cancer. Nevertheless, he than a building’ – the Library MacLellan of Glasgow in Morgan to feel comfortable kept writing, earning a T.S. up to be quite the has them printed on its own 1952, to low sales and few to discuss his sexuality Eliot Prize shortlisting in year for Edwin entrance. reviews. The ensuing decade in public, ‘coming out’ in 2007 for his collection A Morgan, despite in which Morgan’s poems in an interview with poet Book of Lives (Carcanet). His story began on 27 April dying a decade struggled to get into print and translator Christopher In the same decade, he 1920 in Glasgow’s West End, marked the young poet, Whyte. collaborated with rock band earlier. The biennial when Morgan was born, to the extent that upon his Idlewild on a track for their competition named only child of Margaret and MORGAN WAS 2002 album The Remote Stanley Morgan, a director in his honour, the prize set up in his name be ENDLESSLY Part. He opened the Edwin for Scottish poets under the Morgan Archive of printed Edwin Morgan Poetry steel merchants. He was age of 30, remembering too INVENTIVE, and recorded material at the Award, is currently brought up in Pollokshields INTERNATIONALIST Scottish Poetry Library on and Rutherglen, and was open to entries that age. AND COMMITTED his 89th birthday. His death the following year provoked (see above), while the High School of Glasgow TO HIS HOME CITY much sadness in the Scottish we will celebrate Magazine. to make an impression, OF GLASGOW poetry community, with Morgan scored a creative many of its leading members his centenary in success when he published During his working life, acknowledging their debt Scotland and beyond a conscientious objector in his follow-up 16 years later. Morgan taught, wrote at a special event at the 1940, horrifying his parents, throughout 2020. The Second Life brimmed poems, many of which Edinburgh International Morgan went on to serve with linguistic coups, Book Festival held a with the Royal Army Medical Morgan’s entry on our humour and a sense of twin interests in science fortnight after he died. Corp, spending the war in website’s biographical Performers included Douglas Egypt, the Lebanon and section will tell you he earlier, in 1963, Morgan had translated poetry from Dunn, Janice Galloway, Palestine. After leaving the begun a transformative Russian, Hungarian, Latin, Hamish Whyte, army in 1946, he returned Makar in modern times, relationship. As a gay man French, Italian and Old and . that he was ‘endlessly to Glasgow where he living during a period when English. Winning the Soros inventive’, ‘internationalist’ homophobia was common Award in 1985, As the home of the Morgan and ‘committed to his home Honours degree in English and enshrined in law, Morgan spent the prize Archive, the Scottish Poetry city of Glasgow’. He was Language and Literature Morgan had to continue to money on a day trip to Library will be marking awarded an OBE in 1982 and before taking up the offer be careful. And yet poems Lapland by Corcorde. He was the poet’s centenary in a the Queen’s Gold Medal in of a Lectureship in the like ‘Glasgow Green’ came to also an early practitioner 2000. He was asked to write Department of English at be seen by Morgan himself and advocate for Concrete modern makar. Keep in a poem to mark the opening Glasgow University, where as ‘a gay liberation poem Poetry. He retired from the touch with our website for of the in he remained for the rest of written before that term University in 1980. an announcement later in 2004, his words so inspiring his working life. was invented’, as Morgan’s the year. biographer James McGonigal Morgan began the last – ‘Open the doors! Light of The puts it in his account of the decade of his life with the day, shine in; light of the Vision of Cathkin Braes, mind, shine out! / We have poet’s life, Beyond The Last a diagnosis of prostate FROM MAKAR TO MACH 1

Last year, the Scottish to offer opportunities look forward to working thrilled to have won the Maria Carnegie, Head Poetry Library was for a young writer and a together in the near Mach 1 commission. This Librarian of the Scottish honoured to be asked photographer, both of future.’ is a landmark project and Poetry Library and one by developer and whom will respond to I can’t wait to work with of the judgers, added: investor Parabola to the construction activity PLUMMER’S RE- Parabola to explore David ‘The Library is delighted on site, and exhibit in Mach’s unique building to partner with Parabola for a project soon to the marketing suite. IMAGININGS OF design through poetry.’ on providing this very come to fruition in Their work will offer ARCHITECTURE special commission. It’s Edinburgh. Parabola, opportunities for outreach Commenting on the exciting to be involved who owns 43 acres of with local schools. We AS LIVING, decision by the panel in this opportunity for undeveloped land to the were delighted when of judges, Matthew an early career poet, and south of the capital’s Parabola, looking for a BREATHING Jarratt said, ‘Over the , was poet, turned to the Library. BEINGS SANG next 10 years Edinburgh the quality and range of working with the Turner Over 50 poets entered the Park plans to deliver submissions. The Parabola Prize-nominated David competition. Once the OFF THE PAGE some major public commission for the Mach Mach who they judges had deliberated, a sculpture together with 1 building recognises commissioned to design a winner emerged: Rachel Plummer will write opportunities for emerging the role poetry has in unique multipurpose Plummer. a long poem, which writers, photographers bringing architecture and building made from will be performed at and visual artists based our surrounding built and shipping containers. The judges commented, Mach 1 in early summer in the local area. A key natural environment to Named Mach 1, it will ‘While so many entries 2020. Plummer, who is part of our Arts Strategy life.’ stood out, Rachel based in Edinburgh, is a is to build creative building, an eye-catching Plummer’s re-imaginings recipient of the Scottish links with Edinburgh’s We would like to thank of feats of architecture Book Trust’s New Writer cultural venues so it all of the poets who 30 shipping containers. as living, breathing Award for Poetry in 2016, has been great to work submitted their work beings truly sang off the and was a Troubadour with the Scottish Poetry to the competition Under the direction of page. Plummer’s keen prize-winner in 2014; Library to attract over 50 and to congratulate Arts Curator Matthew interest in exploring the earlier this year she applications from poets Rachel Plummer on Jarratt, Parabola has geometry and metallurgy published Wain: LGBT being selected for this been developing an arts of the Mach 1 landmark Re-imaginings of Scottish write a poem for Mach 1.’ commission. programme. As part of installation particularly Folklore on The Emma that, Parabola wanted impressed us and we Press. She says, ‘I am

Found in Translation

Our Found in Translation feature brings you poems in their original language and in English with the translator’s thoughts.

Deborah Moffatt was born and raised in Norwich, Vermont, in the USA. She spent several years in Latin America, living in Argentina, Uruguay, and Mexico, where she worked as a journalist, ultimately becoming the Finance Editor at The News in Mexico City. In 1982 Deborah travelled to Scotland, and settled there, having married a Scot. She now lives in Kingsbarns, a small village near St. Andrews. Her second collection of poetry in English Eating Thistles was published by Smokestack Books in 2019. She is reading at Stanza 2020, together with Sandy NicDhomhnaill Jones, Niall O’Gallagher, and Eòghan Stiùbhart. Recently she has been translating O'Gallagher's Gaelic poetry into English. 'Thig a chluich, a chlàrsair dhoill' is taken from Suain nan Trì Latha (Clàr).

Thig a chluich, a chlàrsair dhoill The Long Dream

Thig a chluich, a chlàrsair dhoill, Come, blind O’Carolan, play a bed-time melody fonn na h-oidhche dom mhac òg; for my young son; with your skilful hand cuireadh e a chadal leis on strings of gold, send him to sleep. an làimh dheis air an teud òir. Oh, if you could but see his eyes, his dark hair Ò, nam faiceadh tu a shùil, and sunny countenance, the sweetness donn a chùil is grian a chlàir, of his mouth as he laughs! b’ aoibhinn dhut, a fhir nach feuch gur binn a bheul ’s e ri gàir’! But there is no need to pity the blind harper: The child loves your music, and it is your joyful tune Ach, cha mhairg an duine dall which banishes all sadness from his face, oir is annsa leis an ceòl agus ’s e ur n-oirfeid aoibh as to the strains of your sweet music he raises fhèin a chasg caoineadh a bheòil; his young voice, giving to all who hear his little song the long dream of three nights sleep. b’ ann a thog am mac a ghuth, a chuir, leis a’ cheòl as àill’, gach neach a chluinneadh a dhuan ann an suain nan trì latha.

metre and rhyme which are not easily copied in English. In my of his poems, I write in free verse, changing the format and the rhymes to suit the change of chlàrsaid dhoill,’ O’Gallagher writes, as he often does, of love for a young child, a timeless topic which infuses the older bardic format with new life. Fittingly, O’Gallagher references two enduring traditions from Ireland: the music and poems of the blind harper O’Carolan (1670 – 1738), and a tale concerning the mythical Aonghas Óg, of the Tuatha Dé Danann, whose singing, it was said, would put anyone who heard it to sleep for three days and three nights. Both Aonghas Óg and O’Carolan feature in modern Irish folklore and music, and, in Scotland, a remainder of the myth of Aonghas Óg is found in the lullaby ‘Dream Angus’.’ 7 Spring into Events Throughout 2020, between 27 January and 14 consider questions on the workshop that asks ‘what comedy show, every night February, the Fire Starter relationship between poetry kind of a Scotland do we will be different and unique. the Scottish Poetry Festival encourages the and power. The event takes want to live in’ through Slamprov takes place on Library will continue empowerment of individuals place on Wednesday, 12 readings and creative Wednesday 5 February and to stage events that and communities to become February. writing. On Friday, 22 May, 11 March. support the poetry involved in designing the Poetry AF gang return public services. The idea The Library will host readings with Ferrero & Loathing, Perhaps, however, you have community and bring behind the events held by a series of some of the a twist on the whodunnit in mind a performance of pleasure to poetry across Scotland by various best contemporary poets. In featuring poetry and your own and have the lovers. We’ll reveal institutions as well as partnership with the Poetry chocolate. And we’ll be Fringe in August pegged grassroots organisations is Association of Scotland, we hosting artist Guy Begbie as the moment to stage the full line-up for to deepen the ‘knowledge shall be welcoming Imtiaz as he leads a Book Making your show. If you require an spring later in the year and skills that underpin Dharker on Wednesday, 25 workshop on Saturday, 13 affordable venue in town (keep watching our transformation’. March, Aonghas MacNeacail June. particularly well suited to on Wednesday, 29 April, poetry and spoken word website for details). To that end, the Library will and Vahni Capildeo on Our events programme events, might I suggest In the meantime, we host a series of Nothing but Wednesday, 27 May. Denise takes a funny turn starting the Scottish Poetry Library can reveal a few juicy the Poem reading groups Riley headlines an event at in February when we host itself? As of January, we titbits to arouse your for public service workers. the Library we’re partnering re-opened the page on We shall also host an event on with the Poetry Book night hosted by the our website where artists curiosity. called – with reference to Society on Friday, 3 April. award-winning Men With can apply to book a slot John F. Kennedy – When Coconuts. Slamprov mixes on our mezzanine-level We shall be participating Power Corrupts, a panel We’re also holding several performance poetry and in the Fire Starter Festival, discussion featuring events that dig deep into improvised comedy. Poems details here: https://www. with which the Scottish poets John Burnside, the imagination of their and stories will be used as scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/ Government celebrates Harry Josephine Giles and performers and audience. inspiration for completely festival-programme. creativity and innovation Samantha Walton, chaired On Saturday, 25 April, poet improvised scenes, sketches in public services. Held by Henry Bell. The panel will Andrés N. Ordorica leads a and songs. Part-slam, part-

THE LAST POST At lunchtime every Wednesday, the Scottish Poetry Library hosts interpretation of the reader, we can disagree about what we see in a poem or how we a poetry-focused Open Book shared reading group. While other interpret it. It’s these di#erences in insight that help to make the discussions so vibrant. Open Book reading groups across Scotland look at a variety of And if you need even more poetry, the Library hosts another Open Book session on the materials (!ction, non-!ction and poetry), this weekly drop-in !rst Saturday of the month, from 11am to 12.30pm. This group focuses on the work of a session focuses solely on poetry, often working through a single speci!c poet and takes a deep dive into their work. These events are linked to the Library’s event programme, so you’ll often !nd you’re prepared for an upcoming book launch or author collection or anthology alongside individual poems. a reading by the same poet. It’s not all serious: we always close the door to the room we meet in because the group gets a little rowdy at times! We spend the hour reading poems aloud, going over them a few times and then talking about them at length. (No previous knowledge of poetry or the poems being discussed Whether it’s the weekly Wednesday group or the monthly Saturday group, our Open is required.) The close reading and discussion that follows helps us to learn as much as Book sessions are open to everyone, writers and non-writers alike, providing an open, we can about the poem. While we try and focus on what we see on the page, we also supportive, and welcoming place to explore poetry. We hope you’ll join us! encourage re%ection and contemplation, often asking what else the poem brings to mind. Sometimes a poem about sailing becomes an allegory for life, for example, where Miriam Huxley participants share their own experiences. Because so much of poetry is open to the

about us Many of our services are also the SPL. Our Friends have always available by post or online at been the mainstay of the SPL, from The Scottish Poetry www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk: its creation to its future. Friends’ membership supports the SPL and Library is a unique brings great bene!ts including national resource free postal borrowing, discounts reservation on events and books, and a and advocate for the subscription to the Poetry Reader. enriching art of poetry, To become a Friend of the SPL service particularly Scottish email [email protected] or visit poetry. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk listings to !nd out more. Our building in the heart of Edinburgh’s literary quarter bene!ts including free postal ISSN 1755-3377 Poetry Reader is o#ers free reference and lending borrowing published by the Scottish Poetry facilities. Visit us and explore: Opening hours: Library. All articles are edited and Tuesday to Friday 10-5 written, unless stated otherwise, including our Edwin Morgan Saturday 10-4 by Colin Waters. © Scottish Poetry Archive Library and individual contributors 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, 2020. Printed on recycled paper. Edinburgh EH8 8DT contemporary Scottish poetry T: 0131 557 2876 The SPL is grateful to funders for E: [email protected] their support of this publication. Director: Asif Khan Co-Chair of Board: Gordon Munro Poetry Reader is the newsletter of the Scottish Poetry Library and is sent free to all Friends of