Scottish Poetry Library Podcast

Commonwealth Poets United is an international exchange between six Scottish poets and poets from six Commonwealth nations: Canada, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa. It will establish relationships between artists, organisations and communities through a culturally enriching poetry exchange. You can read more about Commonwealth Poets United at commonwealthpoetsunited.com/ Tanya Shirley, who lives in Jamaica, came to Scotland as part of the exchange trip. She visited the Scottish Poetry Library in early March 2014. While visiting, she spent time discussing her work with SPL programme manager and fellow poet JL Williams. Tanya read poems about her great-grandmother's funeral and her gun-toting grandfather. The poems, like Tanya's conversation, are full of life and laughter. The poetry opens the door on facets of Jamaican life.

Commonwealth Poets United is an international exchange between six Scottish poets and poets from six Commonwealth nations: Canada, India, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa. It will establish relationships between artists, organisations and communities through a culturally enriching poetry exchange. You can read more about Commonwealth Poets United at commonwealthpoetsunited.com/ Tanya Shirley, who lives in Jamaica, came to Scotland as part of the exchange trip. She visited the Scottish Poetry Library in early March 2014. While visiting, she spent time discussing her work with SPL programme manager and fellow poet JL Williams. Tanya read poems about her great-grandmother's funeral and her gun-toting grandfather. The poems, like Tanya's conversation, are full of life and laughter. The poetry opens the door on facets of Jamaican life.

Mark Doty speaks with Ryan Van Winkle about daring to do the things in poems that others are scared to do and bringing aspects of your own personality into your writing and your readings. In this wide ranging discussion we cover such topics as Alec Baldwin, dogs, celebration and the importance of reading widely to develop as a writer. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable and produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions http://www.culturelaser.com @culturelaser.

Mark Doty speaks with Ryan Van Winkle about daring to do the things in poems that others are scared to do and bringing aspects of your own personality into your writing and your readings. In this wide ranging discussion we cover such topics as Alec Baldwin, dogs, celebration and the importance of reading widely to develop as a writer. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable and produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions http://www.culturelaser.com @culturelaser.

Mark Doty speaks with Ryan Van Winkle about daring to do the things in poems that others are scared to do and bringing aspects of your own personality into your writing and your readings. In this wide ranging discussion we cover such topics as Alec Baldwin, dogs, celebration and the importance of reading widely to develop as a writer. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable and produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions http://www.culturelaser.com @culturelaser.

In this podcast the poet and artist MacGillivray (http://www.macgillivray.org.uk/) reads from and discusses her new book, The Last Wolf of Scotland (Pighog http://www.pighog.co.uk/authors/MacGillivray.html). The collection is an exploration of connections between Scotland and the American Frontier whose form brilliantly reflects the subject matter of the poems. MacGillivray joins SPL Programme Manager Jennifer Williams in a conversation that maps the rich web of influences from which her poetry emerges, taking in Doors frontman Jim Morrison, mock ancient Scottish bard Ossian, and the mysterious ‘Man with Fourteen Lives’. Plus a debate about whether poetry works better on the page or read aloud, or memorised and recited. Image courtesy of Christian Thompson.

In this podcast the poet and artist MacGillivray (http://www.macgillivray.org.uk/) reads from and discusses her new book, The Last Wolf of Scotland (Pighog http://www.pighog.co.uk/authors/MacGillivray.html). The collection is an exploration of connections between Scotland and the American Frontier whose form brilliantly reflects the subject matter of the poems. MacGillivray joins SPL Programme Manager Jennifer Williams in a conversation that maps the rich web of influences from which her poetry emerges, taking in Doors frontman Jim Morrison, mock ancient Scottish bard Ossian, and the mysterious ‘Man with Fourteen Lives’. Plus a debate about whether poetry works better on the page or read aloud, or memorised and recited. Image courtesy of Christian Thompson.

In this podcast the poet and artist MacGillivray (http://www.macgillivray.org.uk/) reads from and discusses her new book, The Last Wolf of Scotland (Pighog http://www.pighog.co.uk/authors/MacGillivray.html). The collection is an exploration of connections between Scotland and the American Frontier whose form brilliantly reflects the subject matter of the poems. MacGillivray joins SPL Programme Manager Jennifer Williams in a conversation that maps the rich web of influences from which her poetry emerges, taking in Doors frontman Jim Morrison, mock ancient Scottish bard Ossian, and the mysterious ‘Man with Fourteen Lives’. Plus a debate about whether poetry works better on the page or read aloud, or memorised and recited. Image courtesy of Christian Thompson.

Actor-writer-director-singer-songwriter, Gerda Stevenson recently added another string to her bow with the publication of her first book of poetry If This Were Real, which came out on Smokestack Books last year. In interview with the SPL, Gerda discusses how her other life as an actor has influenced her poetry, performing Edwin Morgan’s words on stage, and her rhythmical inheritance from her composer father. She also gives poets tips on how to get the best out of their live performances.

Actor-writer-director-singer-songwriter, Gerda Stevenson recently added another string to her bow with the publication of her first book of poetry If This Were Real, which came out on Smokestack Books last year. In interview with the SPL, Gerda discusses how her other life as an actor has influenced her poetry, performing Edwin Morgan’s words on stage, and her rhythmical inheritance from her composer father. She also gives poets tips on how to get the best out of their live performances.

Actor-writer-director-singer-songwriter, Gerda Stevenson recently added another string to her bow with the publication of her first book of poetry If This Were Real, which came out on Smokestack Books last year. In interview with the SPL, Gerda discusses how her other life as an actor has influenced her poetry, performing Edwin Morgan’s words on stage, and her rhythmical inheritance from her composer father. She also gives poets tips on how to get the best out of their live performances.

Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable talks with Luke Wright @lukewrightpoet about his first collection Mondeo Man in this interview recorded just after his sell out event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Luke reads a couple of his poems and discusses how he has evolved as a poet, why he felt the need to publish a collection now and how becoming a parent changed his attitude to his own work. http://www.lukewright.co.uk We also feature the track 'Gospel According to the Purple Cotton Dress' by C.R. Avery. http://www.cravery.com Produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions @culturelaser http://www.culturelaser.com Photo: Steve Ullathorne

Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable talks with Luke Wright @lukewrightpoet about his first collection Mondeo Man in this interview recorded just after his sell out event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Luke reads a couple of his poems and discusses how he has evolved as a poet, why he felt the need to publish a collection now and how becoming a parent changed his attitude to his own work. http://www.lukewright.co.uk We also feature the track 'Gospel According to the Purple Cotton Dress' by C.R. Avery. http://www.cravery.com Produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions @culturelaser http://www.culturelaser.com Photo: Steve Ullathorne

Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable talks with Luke Wright @lukewrightpoet about his first collection Mondeo Man in this interview recorded just after his sell out event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Luke reads a couple of his poems and discusses how he has evolved as a poet, why he felt the need to publish a collection now and how becoming a parent changed his attitude to his own work. http://www.lukewright.co.uk We also feature the track 'Gospel According to the Purple Cotton Dress' by C.R. Avery. http://www.cravery.com Produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions @culturelaser http://www.culturelaser.com Photo: Steve Ullathorne

In this podcast SPL Programme Manager Jennifer Williams talks to two Hawthornden Fellows Lynn Davidson and Alyson Hallett about where they come from, loneliness versus aloneness, and their current and upcoming work. Lynn Davidson’s fiction and poetry has appeared in journals and her short fiction has been broadcast on national radio. Davidson has received several grants and fellowships to develop her work, including the 2003 Louis Johnson New Writers' Bursary from Creative New Zealand. Alyson Hallett's work spans different continents and art forms. She has a poem carved into Milsom Street pavement in Bath, words etched into glass in a library in Bristol, and she runs the international poetry and public art project The Migration Habits of Stones. She currently works as a Fellow with the Royal Literary Fund. Suddenly Everything is her second full volume of poetry.