OCT — DEC 2013

autumn programme

This autumn we are delighted to announce we are lowering ticket prices, with Friends of the SPL still receiving the concession price. There will also be an early bird discount code released on our website which will give you a significant discount on tickets booked before National Poetry Day – Thursday, 3 October 2013.

We’re consolidating our main programme with a focus on providing a collection of intimate, high quality poetic experiences that bring poetry and poets to you in new and inspiring ways, and that foster the community of poets and poetry in Scotland and beyond.

I look forward to seeing you in the coming months as we revel in the gilding of the leaves and the shoring of resources, gathering together at this home of poetry to share what we’ve learned of light.

FinD me when summer enDs

anD the lamps are everythinG

Amor Vincit Omnia - John Burnside -

Programme Manager - Jennifer Williams -

1

eventsCelebrate NatioNal Poetry Day!

With C.K. SteaD & KaPKa KaSSabova

Thursday, 3 October Reading SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4

Celebrated author of poetry, novels and memoir, C.K. Stead has published over 40 books and has as many awards to match. He will be reading from his fifteenth and latest collection, The Yellow Buoy (Arc Publications). Joining him is poet, novelist and tango enthusiast Kapka Kassabova who was born in Bulgaria, began her writing career in New Zealand, and lives in the Scottish Highlands. The name of her latest collection? Geography For the Lost (Bloodaxe). Lose yourself in great poetry this NPD!

lugS tae arthur’S Seat

Saturday, 5 October Walk SPL /Arthur’s Seat, 10 am £7 / £6 (includes breakfast)

The SPL reaches new heights as we feed you and lead you up Arthur’s Seat. Exercise mind, body and soul with a walk that begins at the SPL and concludes with a breathtaking view of the capital. The journey will be guided by Andrew Sclater, poet, actor, garden historian, and editor of Darwin’s letters and Wounded Knee, creator of stripped-down, soul-saturated folk balladry.

2

MSlexia: hoW to get MagaziNeS to PubliSh your PoeMS

Thursday, 10 October Talk SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4

Debbie Taylor, writer as well as founder and Editorial Director of Mslexia, talks about how to submit to literary magazines and how to establish oneself as a writer of both poetry and prose. This event is the first in an occasional series of Poetry Magazine Showcases in which we bring you face to face with the people who make literary magazines and journals. The talk will be followed by questions from the audience.

the WorDSWorth truSt PreSeNtS JuDy broWN aND Carola luther

Thursday, 17 October Reading SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4

The Lake District is home to The Wordsworth Trust, which brings art and literature to tens of thousands of people every year, not least through its stewardship of William Wordsworth's Dove Cottage in Grasmere, and its internationally renowned contemporary poetry programme. Judy Brown, the Wordsworth Trust’s Poet in Residence for 2013, and Carola Luther, who held the residency in 2012, will read poems and discuss what it is like to write in the abode of one of our greatest poets.  Both are joined by Andrew Forster, Literature Officer at The Wordsworth Trust and poet himself.

3

he saw them as leaves

FillinG the

winDow in summer in autumn GolDen abunDant showers

- C.K. Stead -

4

out of bouNDS

Thursday, 24 October Reading SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4

Featuring Vahni Capildeo, Bashabi Fraser, Irfan Merchant and Tawona Sithole, the SPL and Bloodaxe bring you an alternative A to Z of the British Isles. Our guests have all contributed to the new anthology, Out of Bounds (Bloodaxe Books), which was co-edited by Jackie Kay. The collection is an inventive reworking of the map of Britain as viewed by its black and Asian poets and is a vital contribution at a time when we are debating the political future of Scotland.

by leaveS We live fair

Saturday, 26 October Fair SPL, 11 am – 6 pm Free

Join us for our lively annual artists’ books and small press fair with stalls, displays, workshops and talks. All welcome. Drop in to browse, buy, listen or stay all day! View the full programme at scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/library/exhibitions.

5

fright Night! SPl halloWeeN Poetry Party

Thursday, 31 October Party SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4

An event to get your fangs into! ‘Tam O’Shanter’, ‘The Listeners’, ‘Goblin Market’, ‘The Raven’ – poetry and Halloween are made for each other. While the forces of darkness gather, join us for games, music, blood-red wine and spooky films. We’ll be inviting partygoers to recite Halloween poems, a classic or one of their own; playing horrible hits from ‘Thriller’ to

‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’; dooking for apples and other traditional Halloween games and much, much more. Fancy dress is optional (and fun!). And unlike other devilish entertainments, a ticket won’t cost you your soul.

robert Wrigley aND JohN burNSiDe

Thursday, 7 November Reading SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4

Two giants on one bill. Robert Wrigley, whose most recent book, The Church of Omnivorous Light, is published in the UK by Bloodaxe, is one of America’s greatest living poets, an acute and unsentimental observer of a natural world he finds both beautiful and brutal. As influenced by Keats as it is by Wallace Stevens, Wrigley’s writing embodies his belief poetry should reach beyond the confines of academia as it stretches to ‘tell all the truth, but make it sing’. John Burnside, who has also written penetratingly about the natural world, is one of only two poets to have won both the T.S. Eliot and Forward Prizes with the same collection (Black Cat Bone, Jonathan Cape). Please also see NbTP Sessions on 5 and 9 November.

6

Dusk Fell anD we walkeD

on.

this is the only worlD, this is the only measure. - Kapka Kassabova -

7

‘DaNCiNg uNDer the beloveD’S SWorD’: War aND Poetry iN MoDerN iraN

Thursday, 14 November Talk SPL, 6.30 pm Free

Classical Persian mystic poetry, which advocates non-violence and a philosophy of love, was transformed during the Iran-Iraq war to fit the bloody realities of conflict. Dr Ali-Asghar Seyed-Gohrab, Associate Professor, School of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Leiden, examines the application of classical mystic concepts in modern Iran, and especially the use of medieval ideals of mystic love to convince people to offer their lives in defence of their country. In partnership with the Alwaleed Centre, University of Edinburgh: www.alwaleed.ed.ac.uk.

roxaNa vilK: PoetS of ProteSt

Wednesday, 20 November Poetry & Film SPL, 6.30 pm £5 / £4 / Free for PAS members

A British / Iranian filmmaker based in Scotland, Roxana Vilk was commissioned by Al Jazeera to make the six-part series Poets of Protest, which examined the soul of the Arabic world through its contemporary poets. Taking in leading lights from Egypt, Iraq and Palestine, Vilk’s films offer a glimpse into the lives of writers struggling to lead, to interpret and to inspire. We host a discussion with Vilk about the region and its poets following a showing of two of the Poets of Protest films. In partnership with the Poetry Association Scotland.

8

a raNDoM hiStory of SCottiSh Poetry aND SoNg

Thursday, 21 November Poetry & Music Voodoo Rooms, 7 pm £5 / £4

A cabaret-style performance of poetry and music in Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms that aims to recapture the rumbustious spirit of readings of yesteryear. A Random History..., curated by poet Alexander Hutchinson, features Andrew Greig, Michael Pedersen, Tessa Ransford, Elspeth Murray, Kevin Cadwallender, Lila Matsumoto, Ian Stephen and more reading their work and favourite Scottish poems, with musicians chiming in. Part of Previously.... Scotland’s History Festival.

WalKiNg With PoetS: a CelebratioN

Thursday, 28 November Party Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 6.30pm, Free

This summer, the SPL has placed poets and their iPads in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s four Gardens across Scotland in a project that re-invents nature-writing for the 21st century. In Benmore, Edinburgh, Logan and Dawyck, the poets have used blogs, Twitter and Facebook to give voice to nature. At this celebration, Sue Butler, Mandy Haggith, Jean Atkin and Gerry Loose will read poems inspired by their residencies and share stories about their time in the RBGE’s four Gardens. This project has been made possible thanks to: Year of Natural Scotland funding from Creative Scotland, and additional support from the Big Give donors and Cove Park.

9

the SPoKeN iMage

Wednesday, 4 December Poetry & Art Event location and time will be announced on SPL website. Free

Edinburgh Printmakers and the Scottish Poetry Library teamed up in mid-2013 to launch a project fostering collaborations between printmakers and poets; those taking part include Kathleen Jamie, Robert Crawford, Tom Pow and Norman McBeath. The results of these collaborations form the Edinburgh Printmakers Winter Show entitled The Written Image. We invite you to join us for a glass of wine, view the prints and hear one poem from each of the poets involved in the project.

the MagiCiaNS of eDiNburgh – SPl aND eDiNburgh librarieS PreSeNt roN butliN

Thursday, 5 December Poetry & Music Central Library, 7 pm Free

Magicians do it with mirrors; poets with words that hold the mirror up to nature. Ron Butlin was appointed Edinburgh’s Makar in 2008, his brief to chronicle the capital’s heroes and villains, triumphs and follies. The playful

‘Edinburgh Love Song’, for example, was written using place-names as adjectives, as well as Scots, to generate a homely image: ‘Ye’re richt Dalmahoy whenever ye see her, / fair Bingham fer aa the Pleasance ye’ll gie her.’ Many of these poems were featured in his latest collection The Magicians of Edinburgh (Polygon). This year he reads at Edinburgh's Central Library, joined by Dick Lee on bass clarinet and Anne Evans on flute.

10

there will always be

the FlaminG Gulmohors

11

when cuckoos pierce eternity

with tremblinG crescenDos

- Bashabi Fraser -

12

reaDinG sessions & workshops

SPl Poetry WorKShoPS

Tuesdays: 17 September, 15 October, 26 November SPL, 6 pm, £5 /£4

Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL programme manager, facilitates this writing workshop suitable for writers at any stage in their career. We’ll read, discuss, write and workshop poems at each session.

NothiNg but the PoeM reaDiNg SeSSioNS

SPL, £5 / £4

Tuesday, 1 October 6 pm & Saturday, 5 October 11 am Poems from the Forward Poetry Prize Shortlist (free printed anthology included in ticket price) Tuesday, 5 November 6 pm & Saturday, 9 November 11 am Robert Wrigley, celebrated poet of America’s northern Rocky Mountains (please also see event on 7 November) Tuesday, 3 December 6 pm & Saturday, 7 December 11 am Poems from the T.S. Eliot Prize Shortlist

Nothing but The Poem poetry reading sessions with our Reader Development Officer, Lilias Fraser. We will read out and talk about a selection of poems by the poet(s), who will be there in print only. No previous knowledge or experience necessary!

notes

further DetailS & tiCKetS

For more details on events, directions to the library, podcasts and poetry, please see scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk or call us on 0131 557 2876.

Friends of the SPL receive the concession rate for events and workshops.

Please go to scottishpoetrylibrary.eventbrite.co.uk for event booking (required).

For updates on events inside and outside of the SPL, as well as links to our latest podcasts and blogs, subscribe to the SPL’s fortnightly e-newsletter by emailing colin.waters@spl.org.uk.

thaNK you

Thank you to our Patrons – The Binks Trust, Dr David Summers Charitable Trust and the Edwin Morgan Trust – and Friends, Partners and Sponsors for their generous support.

To support the SPL by becoming a Patron, Companion or Friend, please see scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/about/become-our-friend.

14

www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk design: www.everyonelovescake.co.ukavailable iN large PriNt

ROYAL MILE

HOLYROOD ROAD

CANONGATE

CR

ICH

TON

’S C

LOSE

ST M

ARY

S ST

REE

TJE

FFY

REY

ST

REE

T

NEW

ST

REE

T

OLD

TO

LBO

OT

H W

YN

D

People’s Story

Museum Of Edinburgh

HemmaSco�ish Parliament

Sco�ish Poetry Library

CanongateKirk

to Holyroodto Castle

Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate Edinburgh, EH8 8DT.

loCatioN