Outside, it's tipping down. In here, I'm enjoying this clip which
records two sessions I did with the Stewartry U3A poetry group
earlier this summer. The group's poetry was recorded, and then expertly
edited by Ken Smyth. It also draws for images on work done by Hugh Bryden, and all was organised and funded via National Scenic Areas Dumfries and Galloway. Thank you the Scottish Book Trust too.
Monday, 27 August 2012
Monday, 20 August 2012
The Dark Skies at Wigtown Book Festival
Two exciting pieces of news: my new poetry pamphlet 'The Dark Farms' (Roncadora Press) will be launched at Wigtown Book Festival at my reading there on Wednesday 3 October, as part of the Dark Skies theme for this year's Festival.
The Night Horses
are stalled between sleep and dreaming.
In the steading they lower their massive heads
to the earth’s nod. In darkness
white-faced Clydesdales lip at nothing.
And secondly, I met with artists Jo Hodges and Robbie Coleman, who have been appointed artists in residence for the Galloway Dark Skies Park and Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere.
Robbie and Jo are planning a variety of curious and interactive ways to introduce the Dark Skies Park to festival-goers, and we're developing a collaboration which looks really exciting. Find out more here.
I spent eight months of 2011 walking in the Forest, exploring ruins, talking to residents, poring over old maps and books and (while dodging some of last summer's rain) delving in Newton Stewart Museum. I became completely absorbed by this remote, roadless place where hill farming is shrinking back off the high ground, and farms are abandoned, in some cases disappearing completely, except for a placename on a map, under the commercial forest plantings that have been put in during the second half of the 20th century.
The nights are very black, and very starry.
 | ||||
| Lunkie Hole, Silver Flowe |
The Night Horses
are stalled between sleep and dreaming.
In the steading they lower their massive heads
to the earth’s nod. In darkness
white-faced Clydesdales lip at nothing.
And secondly, I met with artists Jo Hodges and Robbie Coleman, who have been appointed artists in residence for the Galloway Dark Skies Park and Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere.
Robbie and Jo are planning a variety of curious and interactive ways to introduce the Dark Skies Park to festival-goers, and we're developing a collaboration which looks really exciting. Find out more here.
I spent eight months of 2011 walking in the Forest, exploring ruins, talking to residents, poring over old maps and books and (while dodging some of last summer's rain) delving in Newton Stewart Museum. I became completely absorbed by this remote, roadless place where hill farming is shrinking back off the high ground, and farms are abandoned, in some cases disappearing completely, except for a placename on a map, under the commercial forest plantings that have been put in during the second half of the 20th century.
The nights are very black, and very starry.
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