Scottish Poetry News: September 2022

With Fringe over, it’s time to sit down, take a breath, and read some new poetry. Luckily for you, Dean Atta’s new collection, There is (Still) Love Here, is coming out with Nine Arches Press on 8 September. This is a beautiful collection, accessible and relevant, with hugely personal poems composed by Atta. 

Through the flurry of festivals, you may have missed Jay Gao’s debut collection, Imperium, published last month with Carcanet. Imperium is a debut to be reckoned with, sure to cement Gao as a new, leading contemporary poet in the UK. A reimagining of Homer’s Odyssey, the collection is all things lyrical and mythological, while also calling into question power: who holds it, why, and how can it be taken and held on to. 

If you’re keen on non-stationary events, take a look at William McGonagall – Walking with Smart Phones & Bad Poems. Show up in a team of 2-10 people to Levenmouth Academy on 3 Sep, download the free app, and discover some of McGonagall’s finest (terrible) poetry. Once you’ve had enough of that, stick around for the Community Fayre Day for more food and fun (there’s an ABBA tribute band, if you needed further persuading).

The Lanternhouse in Cumbernauld is hosting In Verse; a shiny, new showcase of poetry and spoken word taking place on 15 September, hosted by one of Scotland’s favourite spoken word artists, Victoria McNulty. With a mix of local writers and established voices taking to the stage, there will be something to suit everyone’s tastes. And, if you’d like a five minute performance slot of your own, visit the Lanternhouse website to find out more details.