Articles categorised as Poetry

New Scots poetry site

A new web site containing Scots translations of English language poems has been set up by Gavin Falconer, the well known Scots writer and researcher. The site contains a selection of poems...

New Centre for Robert Burns Studies

The University of Glasgow has recently launched a new Centre for Robert Burns Studies devoted to the many facets of the bard's life an intended to act as a 'hub' for research and study on an...

Songs and Rhymes from Childhood

Ewan McVicar has written the first comprehensive book regarding the lore, songs and rhymes of Scottish children, collected form the street and playground during the last 150 years. People are sure...

Bards in praise of Edinburgh

Lizzie MacGregor, of the Scottish Poetry Library - in conjunction with Polygon (an imprint of Birlinn) - has published a new work entitled 'Luckenbooth.' As editor, MacGregor selected and put...

McLellan Competition Winners

The winners of the McLellan Award 2007 have now been announced. The first prize was awarded to Sheila Templeton (for 'Ripening'), followed by Kenneth Steven as second prize (for 'The Illuminated...

Rab and Tommy talk Burns

Tommy Sheridan will discuss Burns poetry with Rab Wilson on the MSP's Sunday Morning with Citizen Tommy show this week. In the Talk107 show which is broadcast thoughout Edinburgh and the Lothians....

Joe Dugg

In spring Joe Dugg the gairdener Plants raws and raws o leeks. At Christmas time he pous them oot And stuffs them doon his breeks. Kirsty Grieve

Tartan Army Football Battalion

Once again Scotland's football future hangs in the balance with it's place in Euro 2008 decided by the forthcoming crucial match against Italy. 100 Favourite Scottish Football Poems edited by...

Doric Cabaret Evening

As pairt o the city o Aiberdeen’s St Andra’s Weekend, the Associe o Grampian Storytellers is haein a Doric Cabaret Eening on Seturday 1 December at Union Terrace Gairdens, Aiberdeen, fae 7.30pm...

Perth Burns Club

The Perth Burns Club is tae haud its fowert Yearly Day o Scots Culture in the theatre o the AK Bell Leebrary, York Place, Perth. Stertin aff at 1pm, the will be fower 40-meenit papers gien bi the...

Banffshire Field Club

The Banffshire Field Club will be host tae J Derrick McClure on Seturday 8 December at the Community Centre, Banff Road, Keith, stertin at 2.15pm. Mr McClure will be speakin aboot the follaein...

Supper Wi Burns

The Scots Centre for Storytelling is haudin a Supper Wi Burns on Wadensday 23 an Thursday 24 Januar. Linda Bandelier, David Campbell an Donald Smith is tae interteen fowk wi stories, poyems an...

Clarinda

Clarinda will be shawin at St Andrews in the Square, Glesca on Monanday 4 an Tuesday 5 Februar at 7.30pm. Tickets costs £9.50 (or £8.50 less-sillert). For mair parteeclars please see as abuin.

Christmas poetry for bairns an ithers

Enjoy some seasonal poems from Tom Scott and Sheena Blackhall.

Happy Valentine's Day

We're continuing our Burns theme by celebrating Valentine's Day with one of his most famous poems, My Luve is like a Red Red Rose. We hope you'll enjoy Isla St Clair's bitter sweet version of the...

The Spring Three

Winter’s windy sentence in the mooth o March the ranter. March comes wudd and wantons, and flegs the dowff auld dranter. Gang yere ways, Winter! March is swack and March is swank. April aye has...

Aye write in Glesca

As pairt o Glesca's Aye Write fest the will be a day gien ower tae the Scots leid, cryed 'Writing in Scots: A series of three linked workshops', sponsored bi the Langage Comatee o the Associe for...

The StAnza Fest

The Shetlandic poyet Robert Alan Jamieson will be takkin pairt in the StAnza Fest in Saunt Aundraes, Fife on this date. Mr Jamieson will be pairt o a Maistercless anent owersettin on Sunday 16...

Entries invited for Doric Competition

Entries are now invited as part of the Doric Festival writing competition. Competitors must either write a poem, short story or one-act play to be submitted by the deadline of 19 September 2008....

Moorland Spring

There’s no a muir in my ain land but’s fu’ o’ sang the day, Wi’ the whaup, and the gowden plover, and the lintie upon the brae. The birk in the glen is springin’, the rowan-tree in the shaw, And...

from Caller Water

As simmer rains bring simmer flow’rs, And leaves to cleed the birken bow’rs, Sae beauty gets, by caller show’rs, Sae rich a bloom As for estate, or heavy dow’rs Aft stands in room. What makes...

Night of poems in Ayr

Well-known writer Liz Niven, along with Alastair Paterson, will be giving readings from their poems at the Carnegie Library in Ayr, beginning at 7.30pm.

The Greenock Man

“ Saft a wee, ” says Erchie. “ Saft a wee! ” says I; “ I’m draiglet an’ I’m drookit, An’ ma sark’s no dry. It’s rainin’ like a skailin’ bine, It’s stottin’ frae the street, The sheuch is rinnin’...

TS Law Book Launch

There will be a launch of a new book of the poems of T.S. Law – entitled ‘At the Pynt o the Pick and Other Poems’ – on Tuesday, 17 June, at 7.30pm, in the Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s...

A braw nicht, thanks tae the SLC

Hello aw, howp ye hae been makkin the maist o wit braw simmer...or the twa-thrie braw hours we hae been gettin. Michael wis sayin this wad be the year fer a bonnie simmer - but sae faur it's...

Catch

And whiles, hunkert on the strand, we catched eels, cauld fingers ploitert in broon gritty sludge or they heaved up a hefty dreepin lump that dreebilt throu spaces till nocht wis left save a...

Reading Bus launches Doric books

In 2007 Aberdeen City Council’s ‘Reading Bus’ sent out an appeal for writers to contribute poems in North East Scots – the Doric – for children aged 8-14 years. The venture turned out to be a...

Launch of Doric Book

Aberdeen City Council's 'Reading Bus' will be launching a new book of poems in North East Scots - the Doric - at a day event at Fyvie Castle. The book, entitled 'Fit Like, Yer Majesty?' contains...

Hugh MacDiarmid – A Portrait

To celebrate the anniversary of Hugh MacDiarmid’s birth in August 1892, the Scots Language Centre is pleased to give visitors the chance to enjoy Margaret Tait’s fil, Hugh MacDiarmid – A Portrait....

Margaret Tait

Margaret Tait was one of Britain's most individual artist filmmakers. Over the course of 46 years she produced over 30 films including one feature, Blue Black Permanent (1992) and published five...

A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle

Listen to Hugh MacDiarmid read, A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/MacDiarmid.html

The Hugh MacDiarmid memorial Langholm

Simmer Sang

The Scots Language Centre is marking midsummer with this reading of the Shetland dialect poem, Simmer Sang. Simmer Sang was written by Vagaland, the pen name of well-loved Shetland poet, Thomas...

New Translations

Translations of two medieval Scots language texts have recently been published. 'The life and miracles of St Ninian' is a translation of an anonymous early 15th Century Scots poem. Set in...

Photography inspires poetry

Derek Ross from Stranraer and Dumfries writes poetry using photographs as a foundation for much of his work. We have here two of his Scots language poems which have come from photographs he took....

Childhood memories in poetry

Childhood for some poets is a rich source of ideas, particularly when using Scots language. For many of these writers, childhood was a time of uninhibited language use, a time when Scots voices...

Walking on the Moon

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the moon landings the Scots Language Centre has put together a couple of features, along with some poems in Scots, about the moon and space. It was on 21 July...

Burns not a manic depressive

Recently a controversy erupted over claims that Scots language bard Robert Burns might have been a manic depressive. Joan Charles, who has provided ‘intuitive readings’ of handwriting for over...

The Final Frontier

The moon had always been a symbol of the impossible but, in 1969, the moon landing represented man overcoming this final frontier. The word moon appears in Anglo-Saxon in the form ‘mōna’ and is...

From 'On seeing a butterfly in the street'

DAFT gowk, in macaroni dress, Are ye come here to shew your face, Bowden wi' pride o' simmer gloss, To cast a dash at Reikie's cross; And glowr at mony twa-legg'd creature, Flees braw by art, tho'...

New Writing Scotland 27 published

The latest volume of 'New Writing Scotland', from the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, is about to hit the streets. Entitled ' In the Line of Fire' this will be number 27 in the series...

Calling Doric writers

The Annual Doric Writing Competition is calling for entries. Writers may submit up to three entries in all categories. The categories are Short Story (£50 prize, £25 runner-up), Poem (£50 & £25),...

Doric Writing Awards

The winners of the Doric Writing Competition will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held in the Gordon Arms Hotel, Huntly, beginning at 7pm. There will be entertainment by various artists....

Poetry Workshop

Liz Niven will be holding a Poetry Workshop from 2-3.30pm at the Writers' Retreat as part of the Edinburgh Book Festival. She will be giving tips about writing poems and editing your work.

Writing Poetry in Scots

As part of the Edinburgh Book Festival Liz Niven will be holding a class in writing poetry in Scots from 11am to 12.30pm, at the Writers' Retreat. Liz will discuss dialect variation, spelling and...

A Sober Student Looks at MacDiarmid

Weil, first aff I maun say "weil duin" tae Billy Kay on gettin his honorary degree frae the University of the West of Scotland (read about it i the news section o the site). He ralley deserrs...

A Song of Life and Golf

THE thing they ca' the stimy o't, I find it ilka where! Ye 'maist lie deid—an unco shot— Anither's ba' is there! Ye canna win into the hole, However gleg ye be, And aye, where'er ma ba' may roll,...

Still time to enter poetry competition

Poets have been told that there is still time to enter this year’s McCash Scots poetry competition. In a message issued today, Duncan Jones from the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, has...

Sangschaw 2009

The Scots language Society has announced its yearly literary competition, called Sangschaw. The Society administrator, John Law, commented that this competition contributes to the status of the...

SLS Annual Collogue

The Annual Collogue of the Scots Language Society will take place on Saturday 10 October 2009 at the A.K. Bell Library, York Place, Perth. This year’s theme is ‘The Interaction between Scots and...

"Words of support" for Scots Language Centre from Roseanna

The Scottish National Party's Ms Roseanna Cunningham MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perth, visited the Scots Language Centre at their base at the AK Bell Library in Perth on Friday. ...

EXCLUSIVE - ChielMeister talks to SLC

Nae Mince in Moray has been this year’s surprise Scots language hit on youtube. Writer and singer, The Chielmesiter, talks exclusively to the Scots Language Centre about mince, rowies, French...

Back Again

Twa traivlers gaed ance to the Hielans awa I' the hairst: ah ! it’s then that the Hielans are braw ! The tane he gaed — to be like the lave ; The tither his ane he’rt’s greinin’ drave. An’...

Brownsbank open to public

The farm labourer's cottage at Brownsbank, Candy Mill in South Lanarkshire, where Hugh MacDiarmid and his family lived from 1951 to 1978, will be open to the public on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13...

Remembering Wee Willie Winkie

On 2 September a new memorial was unveiled on the wall of Tennents’ Brewery, Duke Street, Glasgow, to Scots language writer William Miller (1810-72) and his most famous composition ‘Wee Willie...

Remembering William Soutar

William Soutar (1898-1943) Scots language poet, writer and diarist, died in October 1943 and this month, upon that anniversary, the Scots Language Centre visits the Soutar Hoose in Perth and...

Launch of 'For A' That'

The launch of a new book entitled 'For A' That' will take place at the Dundee Rep Theatre at 7pm. The University of Dundee has commissioned various wriers to put together an anthology celebrating...

Shetland poetry at the Winery 2009

The annual poetry event at the Cairn O'Mohr Winery near Perth will this year feature two Shetland based poets, Jen Hadfield (2008 TS Eliot prize winner) and Gordon Dargie. Coming to live in...

Annual Collogue of Scots Language Society

The Annual Collogue of the Scots Language Society will take place on Saturday 10 October 2009 at the A.K. Bell Library, York Place, Perth. This year’s theme is ‘The Interaction between Scots and...

Mither tongue in fine fettle, say Doric fans

Doric Festival report from the Press and Journal. www.pressandjournal.co.uk

A Chat with Ajay

Ajay Close is the Writer in Residence at the Soutar House in Perth and has been for the past couple of years. Ajay is an established writer who has published several works. The Soutar House is...

A Tour With Soutar

Living in the very house where William Soutar lived, wrote, and died, has given Ajay Close an intimate knowledge of the life and work of the man. There are various momentos and items of furniture...

The Friends of Soutar

In 2007 a group called 'The Friends of William Soutar' was established in Perth to do more to promote the life and work of the poet. The President of the Friends is Iain Mackintosh. In this short...

A Soutar Poem

In the following audio file, Iain Mackintosh, President of the Friends of William Soutar, reads s short poem by William Soutar. Please click your mouse on the file to hear it. Black Day A skelp...

Merrier Christmas and Brawer Hogmanay at SLC

With December only weeks away, the Scots Language Centre is putting the finishing touches to what should be its best ever Christmas and New Year programme. There are many old favourites – the...

New RLS Website Now Live

A new website about the life and work of Robert Louis Stevenson is now live on the internet. With full information about RLS’s life, pictures never before seen by the public and downloadable...

The Fairy Man

The nicht is mirkThe house is toomO, gowls the wundAtour ma room.   The house is deidDaith’s sib tae sleepThe rain dings dounThe nicht is deep.   ‘Come ben,  ma dearWi the glentan ee,Why...

Scottish Poetry Library Poet of the month

The Scottish Poetry Library have highlighted Rab Wilson as their poet of the month in December 2009. The well known Scots language poet from Ayrshire will be promoted through the library's website...

Rab Wilson's Yule poetry

Rab Wilson from Ayrshire writes in Scots about a wide range of subjects. Here we have two links to some of his Christmas...

Glamourask Gloss

Allan Harkness has kindly provided us with his translation of Yves Bonnefoy’s ‘Lieu de la Salamandre’. We reproduce it here along with his glossary and commentary.            Glamourask* Gloss  ...

The Hamecomin

Norma-Ann Coleman has written a poem inspired by a painting - La Rue du Tramway by Paul Delvaux.  Entitled The Hamecomin, it was written after viewing the painting at the Dean Gallery in...

Janet Paisley on Hugh MacDiarmid

Poet Janet Paisley follows in the footsteps of Hugh MacDiarmid in episode 5 of BBC Scotland's radio series In the Footsteps. Paisley tries to make sense of MacDiarmid's reputation. Who was the...

Tae a louse

Performances of Tae a Louse.

Tae a moose

Performances of Tae a moose.

Burns poetry on Youtube

Some more Burns poetry.

Burns Songs

Performances of some weel kent tunes.

Further online Burns information

Robert Burns WebsiteRobert BurnsRobert Burns World FederationFederationBurns resources on SCRAN ScranNational Trust for Scotland Robert Burns birthplace museumNTSRobert Burns Centre Dumfries

Keltickev on youtube

Have a look at keltickev’s selection of Burns songs on youtube - some have the words in the accompanying information panel. Keltickev’s own web site has more information on Burns. Visit it at

Carry a Poem

A poetry promotion campaign has revealed a widespread love of Scots language poetry. The 'Carry a poem' initiative is a project aimed at developing literary culture, partners include The Scottish...

James Hogg songs

A major research project about the early 19th century Scottish writer James Hogg is culminating in the creation of a growing and valuable online resource. It currently contains articles and talks...

James Hogg poetry about love

James Hogg lived in the Borders, Dumfries and Edinburgh in the early 19th century. A contemporary of Burns and Scott, his work was somewhat overlooked at the time and is now being reassessed by...

Scots language fowk pey tribute tae John Law

John Law, ane o the best kent Scots language steerers o raicent times, deed aa a sudden on Seturday. Cllr Law wis ane o the bodies that set up the Scots Language Resource Centre in 1993  - SLRC...

Literature Working Group

The Scottish Government's literature working group has published its policy proposals. The report contains recommendations concerning literature and publising in Scots. This page collects Scottish...

Year of Orkney Dialect

Orkney Heritage Society is leading a year of celebrations of the islands dialect. Activities will include a poetry competition and events in schools and the community. The dialect year has its...