MEET SCOTLAND'S NEXT GENERATION YOUNG MAKARS! The SPL is proud to announce the appointments of the 2026 Next Generation Young Makars: Autumn Walker, Fearghas MacLugh, Harry Ledgerwood, Lexi Ashcroft, Neave Scott and Robert Thorne. Meet them here: www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/scotlands-ne...

In support of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Festival, we have produced a poetry anthology on the theme of the Right of Rivers. These will be read at an event at The Briggait in Glasgow on 1 Aug with Commonwealth Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/river-poems/

It's 'Gies a Scots Poem Day 2026', in partnership @handsupfortrad.bsky.social @royalscottishacad.bsky.social We've commissioned 10 poets to respond to MacDiarmid’s 'A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle' for the poem's 100th birthday! www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/gies-a-scots... #Giesascotspoemsday

It's 'Gies a Scots Poem Day 2026', in partnership @handsupfortrad.bsky.social. We've commissioned 10 poets to respond to MacDiarmid’s 'A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle' for the poem's 100th birthday! Find the poems and videos here www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/gies-a-scots... #Giesascotspoemsday

“It was a real honour to be in Charleston to explore the connections – historic and present, difficult and creative – between Scotland and South Carolina.” Peter Mackay, Scotland’s Makar www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2026/06/from...

Gie a Scots Poem Day is coming ... share your favourite Scots verse on social media on Wed 10th June with the hashtag #GieAScotsPoemDay projects.handsupfortrad.scot/handsupfortr...

RESIDENCIES AT LITTLE SPARTA Deadline: Mon 29 June A @ptbopoetry.bsky.social residency to support the creation of new poetry-led work, responding to the work of Iain Hamilton Finlay, the gardens at Little Sparta and this year’s festival theme The Space Between. pushtheboatout.org/residencies-...

ICYMI - Part 3 ⚽

ICYMI - Part 2 ⚽

ICYMI - Part 1 ⚽

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 GIE IT LALDY - SCOTLAND DREAMS OF THE WORLD CUP A poem written by the Tartan Army and the people of Scotland to send the team on its way across the Atlantic. Put together by Peter Mackay (Makar) from lines submitted. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/gie-it-...

The Scotsman Poem of the Week 'Darlings -' by Tom Pow

Mischief Night is a celebration of the late great Roddy Lumsden in what would've been his 60th year. The Mischief Night website lists the 500 records Roddy left behind: www.corblimeybadges.co.uk/MischiefNight/ Event at Waverley Bar in Edinburgh on Fri 12 June: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mischief-n...

⚽️ NEW! IN OFF THE BARD SPL commissioned 4 poets - from Brazil, Haiti, Morocco & Scotland - to respond to the men's World Cup that kicks off next week. Here's Scotland's Group C featuring 🇯🇲 OCotta! 🇲🇦 Mouna Ouafik 🇭🇹 Bertony Louis and 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Julie McNeill www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/in-off-the-b...

SHEILA TEMPLETON BURSARY "Our aim with the Sheila Templeton Bursary is to promote new and emerging young writers who might struggle to attend the Wee Gaitherin Festival in Stonehaven (3-5 Sep) without financial support, and to champion their work." www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-sheila...

⚽ Below is one of the SPL's exclusive World Cup poetry projects/publications. We have 3 more this week to get folk in the mood for next week's kick off.. Today: IN OFF THE BARD (feat. poets from all 4 Group C nations) Wed: GIE IT LALDY (The people's poem). Thurs: LA COPA DE VIDA (The dissenter)

🎙️ NEW POETRY PODCAST Our regular podcast host Samuel Tongue rolls up his sleeves for one of his favourite poets, Selima Hill, examining two poems from her 1997 collection, Violet (Bloodaxe) @samueltongue.bsky.social @bloodaxebooks.bsky.social www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/podcast/noth...

The summer's festival season has kicked off and no self respecting festival is complete without poetry. Our SPL display (this is part of it) salutes the sunkissed season of tunes and tents. Come in and borrow the books!

To Scotland With Love A Moroccan poet, Mouna Ouafik, looks forward to the World Cup and writes of her love of playing football, and for all things Scottish #worldcup www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2026/05/to-s...

🎙️ NOTHING BUT THE FILM POEM - EPISODE 1 Brand new SPL podcast with Samuel Tongue in convo with poetry film-maker Steve Smart. They talk film poems - or poetry films - what they are - and discuss interesting examples (links to the films in link). www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/podcast/noth...

At the Impossible by Scottish Makar, Peter Mackay. The Scotsman's Poem of the Week. Q: Is this the greatest football poem of all time? (Nil Nil by Don Paterson could be a contender...) Either ways, it is as truly magnificent as the goal that inspired it. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #WorldCup2026

CAROL RUMENS RIP The Scottish Poetry Library would like to extend our thanks to Carol Rumens for all the great poetry she wrote over the years. And for her essential column in @theguardian.com which was an absolute treasure, where she analysed and promoted almost 1000 poems. She'll be missed.

UNDER 30s RELIGIOUS POETRY COMPETITION Poems may be written in English, Gaelic or Scots, and be on one of the following themes – a biblical quotation, character or event; a notable figure from Christian history; a response to a religious image. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2026/02/youn...

SCOTLAND WORLD CUP POEM Our net is fair bulging with submissions. Deadline is 21st May so keep em coming. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/scotland-wor...

🎙️ NEW SPL PODCAST! The May episode of our regular Nothing But The Poem podcast sees @samueltongue.bsky.social go in deep on two poems from Nick Makoha's much acclaimed collection The New Carthiginians. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/podcast/noth...

ICYMI 🎙️ This was our April podcast in the Nothing But The Poem series. These podcasts eschew biography and go to work on the poems. Tomorrow is the 1st of the month so check in tomorrow for our May NBTP podcast. #RobinRobertson

SHOOT! Scotland's Makar Peter Mackay has launched a callout for a collective poem by the Tartan Army & the people of Scotland to send the national men's team on their way to the 2026 World Cup. You can submit 1 or 2 lines via the SPL website below. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/scotland-wor...

📢 5 YOUNG MAKARS WANTED! The Scottish Poetry Library seeks submissions to the fifth year of its talent development scheme for poetry writers aged 16 to 25 years. 3 writing in English, plus a poet writing predominantly in Scots and Scottish Gaelic. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/scotlands-ne...

📢 5 YOUNG MAKARS WANTED! The Scottish Poetry Library seeks submissions to the fifth year of its talent development scheme for poetry writers aged 16 to 25 years. 3 writing in English, plus a poet writing predominantly in Scots and Scottish Gaelic. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/scotlands-ne...

YOUNG RELIGIOUS POETS COMPETITION Following a successful launch in 2025, the Edinburgh Sacred Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the SPL, is pleased to announce a second competition for Scotland’s young (under-30) religious poets. Details: www.edinburghsacredartsfestival.org/poetry-compe...

BUDDING WRITERS 1st–20th May. Budding Writers is a 20-day sequence of daily writing workshops, which aims to inspire & enthuse, as well as raise awareness of the work of Lapidus Scotland. Each workshop is a stand-alone activity led by a different facilitator. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/budding-wr...

Places are limited but there's still a few left #wildwriting

We've worked with the Scottish Poetry Library ( @byleaveswelive.bsky.social ) for many years. Their website is a treasure trove, and their socials are a beacon. Follow, and find a little peace amongst the noise.

The Scotsman's Poem of the Week on Saturday was 'sonnet in roots' by Eve McIntosh, from her debut publication 'Digital Prophet' (@guillemotpress.bsky.social) which launches this week. Eve was a former SPL Young Makar.

WILD WRITING IS BACK! No experience is necessary, just a desire to write about (your) life, with no fear of criticism, with the support of likeminded souls. A six week generative writing course at the Scottish Poetry Library. Starts: Tues 5th May www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wild-writi...

'A poet and two translators' by Chris McCabe The Scotsman's Poem of the Week (from 'Hedonism' published by @ninearchespress.bsky.social )

🖋️ NEW SPL BLOG POST! Taylor Strickland writes on the Corbenic Poetry Path which "meanders through uplands, woodlands, and riverside, featuring some of the country’s most notable poets, among them Kathleen Jamie, Peter Mackay and John Glenday." www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2026/04/corb...

🎙️ NOTHING BUT THE POEM - ROBIN ROBERTSON Our regular poetry podcast is published at the start of each month. Today @samueltongue.bsky.social goes under the bonnet of 2 vintage Robin Robertson poems: 'Cat, Failing' and 'Swimming In the Woods' www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/podcast/noth...

A day late but coming in a few minutes...

🎙️ NOTHING BUT THE POEM Our much loved poetry podcast hosted by @samueltongue.bsky.social will be published on 1st of each month. Last 6 poets featured have been: 🔥 Jane Hirshfield 🔥 Jack Gilbert 🔥 Andrea Gibson 🔥 Isabelle Baafi 🔥 Thomas A Clark 🔥 Juana Adcock Who's next? Clue: Booker nominated...

'Foreigners' by Alastair Reid was Poem of the Week in The Scotsman magazine on Saturday. Not just a prescient poem for these divided times but also to mark the centenary of the poet's birth (22 Mar 1926).

Featured poems by Jane Hirshfield: - Mathematics - For What Binds Us

🎙️ NOTHING BUT THE POEM - JANE HIRSHFIELD A brand new NBTP podcast, where our usual host @samueltongue.bsky.social goes in deep on 2 poems by American poet Jane Hirshfield. #poetry www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/podcast/noth...

Happy St Patrick's Day to all our Irish friends. The ones we've met and the ones we've still to meet. 🇮🇪 #ReadIrishPoetry

The Scotsman's Poem of the Week 'How to Behave With The Ill' by Julia Darling

For this week’s #LiftToTheSky I’m highlighting the #Poetry Library, #Scotland. A fab resource with the aim of ‘bringing people and poetry together’ check their online resources, visit if in Edinburgh, or borrow books by post. A treasure. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk Discover more than Burns

@samillingworth.com must by now be something of a legend in the world of poetry and science - an excellent primer on how science and poetry can come together from @byleaveswelive.bsky.social below...

NEW! Points of Intersection: Science and Poetry What happens when scientists pick up pens instead of pipettes? When researchers trade data for dactyls? This anthology offers one answer - Dr Sam Illingworth The 36 poem anthology now on SPL website: www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2026/03/poin...

BBC Scotland were in the SPL today filming poet Len Pennie in conversation with film-maker Ashley Dick. The chat was great. Well worth keeping an eye out for the prog when it's aired. #Scotslanguage

StAnza Poetry Festival Byres Theatre, St Andrews Fri 13th - Sun 15th March Full programme: stanzapoetry.org/festival/sta...