Set fair for Callander Poetry Weekend, Scotland

Sally Evan the poet and editor of Poetry Scotland is the force behind the Callander Poetry Weekend. Poets come from all over to take part in this special event.

This year you can hear Elizabeth Rimmer, Sheila Templeton, Judith Taylor, Fred Beake, Colin Donati, Sheila Wakefield, Kevin Cadwallender, Ann MacKinnon, and that is pretty much just some of Day 1. Bridget Khursheed of p&g is reading at Callander this afternoon.

Alastair Cook is also talking about the making of filmpoems, Alan Gay leads a group from the Edinburgh Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra and Colin Will on sax backs Bryan Johnstone.

What is not to love. Events at King's Bookshop (open all year round) and the Kirk Hall and elsewhere all weekend. Find out more at http://www.desktopsallye.com/page22.htm

Colin Will poem Bubble Sort

To get you in the mood for Colin Will's appearance at Stowed Out on the Roxxap Roar stage plus saxophone; here is a concrete code poem that disguises its texture and depth as a piece of code.

Click to read:

We love this!

You can find out more about Colin here https://sunnydunny.wordpress.com/

Line up revealed at Stowed Out Roxxap Roar stage 29th August Stow, Scotland

The full line up is revealed for the first ever Roxxap Roar Stage at Stowed Out boutique festival.

Feast your eyes...carefully planned so you can get your poetry and music fix.

And all this for a tenner. U18 £5 U12 free. Plus there is a ukele workshop.

More information here https://www.facebook.com/stowedoutfestival

Calum Bannerman wins the inaugural Stowed Out Poetry Slam 2015

Calum Bannerman was a clear winner today in what is perhaps the first competitive spoken word slam in the Scottish Borders. He wowed with poems on his addiction to his girlfriend, a sweet and violent revenge and why we should write poems about him. A no paper performer - p&g is very much looking forward to his set at the Stowed Out Festival . He will be joining Harry Giles, Colin Will, Rab Wilson, Sara Clark, Bridget Khursheed, Dorothy Alexander and Thomas Clark on the Roxxap Roar Stage on the 29th August along with runners up Stuart Jones (with his memorable poem The Kidnapping of Gary Linker) and David Hendry.

The event took place at Mac Arts in Galashiels - a really memorable venue for spoken word. And respect to all the contenders - the standard was excellent. p&g looks forward to more and more slams...

You can find more on Calum here @Bannerbean and, if you want to come along, details on Stowed Out Festival here http://www.soundout.org.uk/stowed-out/

The Stowed Out Poetry Slam 16th August Galashiels Scotland

Competitive performance poetry comes to the Borders.

Roxxap Roar Spoken Word stage proudly presents the first ever Stowed Out Poetry Slam. As well as great cash prizes, winning poets will have the chance to perform at the superb Stowed Out Festival on August 29th, on a bill alongside headliners such as the inimitable Harry Giles, Rab Wilson and Colin Will.

Entry to the event is only £1 - come along and enjoy the best of Borders poetry! 2-4pm mac Arts Centre, Galashiels.

More here https://www.facebook.com/events/951051291607808/

Delighted to be at #StAnza15

Having a pause after visiting the pamphlet sale or poetry market - curated by Alan Gay - in the town hall here in St Andrews and I can report that StAnza is every bit as good as people say - maybe the streets aren't paved with poets (not even after kicking out time at the pubs as Ian Duhig naughtily suggested on Twitter) - but the population density is certainly high.

This is heightened by the fact that the festival venues are close together in the three streets - with the result that you can mix fantastic and imaginative events with the constant joy of running into old friends.

I went straight into a great reading on arrival last night- the place is packed out - and I was lucky to pick up a returned ticket for Helen Mort and J L Williams (replacing Liz Berry) and then on into a (not so quiet) open mic (Colin Will reading in the picture) at Zest - where, yes, I read my first poems at StAnza. Fab.

Tonight it is Ian Duhig, Kei Miller, Ilya Kaminsky, the slam and Simon Armitage.

Launch of The Book of Ways 4th October 2014 Edinburgh, Scotland

Scottish poet, Open Mouse headwrangler and allotmenteer Colin Will's new book is released from Red Squirrel Press at the Scottish Poetry Library. And an added bonus Red Squirrel Press are also launching the Double Bill anthology (the follow-up to the much praised Split Screen).

From 3-5pm and the event is free and fabulous with lots of different readers in addition to the inimitable Colin - p&g would be there but sadly likely to be shuffling through an airport. So much nicer to be chilling with new poetry...

You can find out more here https://www.facebook.com/events/602356753209251/ or order the book here http://www.redsquirrelpress.com/

Open Mouse (Poetry Scotland)

Can I encourage you to take a look at Open Mouse over the weekend?

Scottish poet Colin Will edits this almost daily offering of a poem (the virtual form of Poetry Scotland) and you can submit your own work too. A win win situation.

You can read my poem Boundaries from May 8th here inspired by Zhang Zao’s In the forest (of which I have written often on p&g http://poetandgeek.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/in-forest.html) and find out how to submit your own work http://www.poetryscotland.co.uk/.

Projection of wonder, Melrose Scotland 21st January 2014

Come along to this look at the rise and rise of contemporary Scottish and Scots poetry from 7.30pm in the Ormiston Institute. There will be some sounds and stuff but I cannot promise not to sing! Thanks to Colin Will for letting me borrow from his poem The ascent of magic for the title.

Small charge for visitors. Full programme here http://www.melrose.bordernet.co.uk/literary-society/

Poets n 'Pans *A Tapestry of Poets*, Prestonpans, Scotland 3rd June 2012

3 writing groups team up to bring you a brand new collaborative poetry performance event in celebration of the 3 Harbours Arts Festival. Tall tales, banter poetry, wild stories and writing of every description, this extra special performance afternoon will be featuring writers from all walks of life from 3 writing groups:

• Tyne and Esk
• Craigmillar Writers Group 
• Inky Fingers 

All hosted for your delectation by the inimitable poet and gardener Colin Will from 1 until 7pm at the the award winning supporter of community arts venue Goth. Tickets which are free are available here http://poetsnpansatapestryofpoets-efbevent.eventbrite.co.uk/ .

Find out more here http://www.facebook.com/events/301252026618978/ and here http://www.3harbours.co.uk/

Calder Wood Press sampler

Treat yourself to a walk in the woods.

Forthcoming titles. Sampler updated with new poems from 2010 authors. New catalogue also available now. And all CWP's books to peruse.

And btw the sampler volume, containing poems by all Calder Wood Press authors, is available as a free downloadable pdf file (195KB - good stuff, quick download).

More information here http://www.calderwoodpress.co.uk/