Delighted to have four poems (‘Dress’, ‘Flag’, ‘Move Things Around’ and ‘Something Almost to Outlast’) published in the new edition of the Edinburgh Review, alongside work from Paul Bachelor, Rachael Boast, Russell Jones, David Wheatley and a whole bunch of great folk. Available at respectable outlets where you are.
My poem ‘Translation for Weather’ has been published in Colony Literary Magazine.
Delighted to invite you to the basement of the Forest Café to warm your toes and treat your ears for the Decemberest Culture Laser Live of 2014, A Winter Warmer.
A Winter Warmer for your Dark Dark Ears
3 December
18.30
The Forest, eh3 9jz
FREE FREE FREE
Jo Clifford — reads from her award-winning, fringe-smashing, heretic-sounding ‘Gospel According to Jesus Queen of Heaven’.
Nick Holdstock — the writer opens his cockles for your auditory pleasure.
GOL — a rare live session from one of our favourite Scottish / Iranian bands — electronica & hiphop jazzed up with Persian influence.
Zap Pow Zap
+ special guests & tunes from the Culture Laser Band O’ One — Jack of Diamonds!
William Letford & Ryan Van Winkle
Ryan Van Winkle & William Letford
William says: The idea for this collaboration began when I was on an island off the east coast of India. I was drinking a lot of coconuts, and listening to the thud as they fell beside my hut in the middle of the night. A loud thud. I began to get paranoid. I’d look up at palm trees swaying as I walked beneath. I sent Ryan two words, ‘Fuckin Coconuts,’ and he took it from there. Strange how things get started. I’m back on that same island right now. Had a near miss yesterday. Still looking up at the palm trees. Fuckin coconuts.
Fuckin’ Coconuts
how did the monkey get here?
He came to Glasgow
and left the water
for the organ grinder
even the monkey
wants money
but settles for scratching
moist temporal flesh
and gets stuck in
how else did he get here?
last night I went to sleep
and woke up in a tree
beside the fuckin’ monkey
we were in the tree
and down below us
was a family sittin’
in their conservatory drinkin’
lemonade
so I leant close to ask
the monkey what he
thought about the family
sittin’ in their conservatory
drinkin’ lemonade
the monkey told me
he thought about
bananas
then the monkey
asked me
what i thought
when i looked at the family
sittin’ in their conservatory
drinkin’ lemonade
I said I wished I didn’t
walk in my sleep
I said I wished I wasn’t
a sleepwalker
how else did the monkey arrive?
zagged
as the leaves
on a tree
how else did he get here?
I was minding my own business
just having a whiskey because
the bar was neon and there was the snow
and the monkey wants another mojito
but the lady says they’re out of mint. The season
and all the rest. Well, I don’t like to get involved
but that monkey wasn’t talking right to a lady
so I says he should watch his mouth.
Man-alive, his breath smelt like peanut butter
and those claws dug right into my shoulders.
I don’t often feel like a mouse, I don’t often
pass out thinking of owls and the full moon.
When I woke up the monkey was gone
the barmaid, applying a towel still sticky with beer
said ‘how did that monkey get here?
An old man lifted an eyebrow like
he was lifting a heavy wooden chest.
Stories folded on his forehead. Flecks
of regret cracked the corners of his
lips. A smile spread like a beer
stain on a tattered armchair and this
is what he whispered,
Monkey see monkey do
brass monkeys cheeky monkeys
the monkey fuckin’ stole
ma shoe. Monkey shoulder
monkey rum the monkey
licks its fuckin’ bum
monkey wrench monkey’s uncle
the monkey on ma back
monkey business monkey suit
couldn’t give one
couldn’t throw one
chances are you’ll fuckin’ know one
how else did the monkey come?
we don’t know
how our actions
may appear to others
one man’s underground wank
is another man’s nightmare
how else did the monkey get here?
Now, I hear he’s getting divorced
sold the holiday home in the keys
and the Porsche, of course – sold
all those beautiful trees
they say he spends all day inside
with a colour tv on mute
listening to the air conditioner hummm
wearing a tie like he was going
up the tower again
how else did you get here?
i built my life around monkey
monkeysaymonkeydo
you know the one about the tortoise
and the alligator, the one about
the pea on the chair, well
the sea moves forwards
the coast moves back
inspired, in trouble
all the people, their houses
doctors, lawyers, executives
babies, daughters, fathers
how else did the monkey get here?
it was some kind of nature
not the dark
which filled his eyes
his ears filled
with the words of charlie
darwin: from so simple
a beginning
Ramapithecus
Australopithecus
Homo habilis
there’s a monkey in everyone of us
a red-arsed baboon in some
how did the monkey get here?
it came from the sea
it came from space
from somewhere in the twinkling dark
it came from Centaurus A
it came from void
i am the fuckin’ monkey
i am australopithecine’s ape like urge
and culture
is killing my hormonal surge
tear down the buildings
plant the trees
empty the ginger bottles
stop shaving
let your underwear fall to the floor
run, run
climb
feel the sun
listen to the leaves
and there’s a monkey
in everyone of us
the monkey is life
how did the monkey get here?
The monkey is in a wet green field
not a tree on any horizon
The monkey is in the desert
watching a snake die
on a cactus, a horse
running off, a cow
shrinking into her ribs
a sheep licking sand.
The monkey lives
with no oasis.
Where did you leave your monkey?
On the fire escape, Halloween
everyone agreed, it was the best
costume and they drank monkey
and talked monkey until monkey
just about had enough
How did the monkey get escape?
Monkey wakes in a haze
of new bougainvillea
every door is locked
the air is tepid as tea
somewhere a drum
and all his hairs quiver
Fuckin’ Coconuts live at Summerhall, Edinburgh
William Letford has received a New Writer’s Award from the Scottish Book Trust and an Edwin Morgan Travel Bursary. His first collection Bevel (Caracanet) was published in 2012. A chapbook of his poems, translated into Slovakian, was published by Vertigo in October 2014.
—-
Commiserate is a monthly experiment in poetic collaboration.
Inspired by SJ Fowler‘s ‘Camarade’ project which pairs poets to create new work, I’ve stolen the notion and begun to collaborate with friends and writers of interest. You can read about the project and see 2013’s poems here.
Delighted once again to be a part of Highlight Arts! We’re very excited to be working with four poets on a poetry translation project in Lahore, Pakistan together with Sang-e-Meel publishers and supported by British Council.
We are coordinating a week of poetry translation workshops with two poets based in Lahore, and two poets based in Glasgow. Following the workshops new poetry produced will be presented in the beautiful Al Hamra Hall, on the evening of Wednesday 26th November at 5.30pm
Afshan Sajjad is an educator and poet. She is currently the Head of the Urdu Department at Lahore American School, where she has been teaching High School students for the past eight years. She has widely published her poetry in Urdu magazines, and is the author of an Urdu poetry book by the name of ‘Jo Dil Pe Guzarti hai.’ She has also served as a judge of poetry recitation competitions, participated in various Mushaayeras and has written Urdu songs as well as scripts for some plays in school. She holds a masters degree in Urdu from Punjab University, Lahore. https://afshansajjad.wordpress.com/
Dr. Khalid Javaid Jan is a writer and documentary filmmaker who was born in Lahore. He is the author of 5 books of poetry and 15 books on medical and political subjects. He also writes a column on political and social issues in the largest Urdu-language newspaper — “Daily Jang”. His book “Main Baghi Hoon” was translated in India into Hindi, Punjabi and Manipuri Languages. A graduate of 
Rawalpindi Medical College, with a degree in Law and a master degree in Political Science and Urdu Literature, he was a known student leader, political activist and poet. His poetry took a turn when the military dictator, Gen. Zia Ul Haq, imposed Martial Law in Pakistan in 1977. At the time when Zia hanged the elected Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Dr. Jan wrote his best known poem – “Main Baghi Hoon” (I am a rebel). This soon became a poem of resistance against oppression and social evils. As a result he was imprisoned and tortured by the military regime, with his arm and leg broken. This poem is still widely read among students, labourers and political activists. http://tribune.com.pk/story/370390/dr-khalid-javed-jan-dare-to-think-dare-to-write/
Jim Carruth was born in 1963 in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, and grew up on his family’s farm near Kilbarchan. He has had six well-received pamphlet collections of poetry since his first, Bovine Pastoral in 2004. He has won both the James McCash poetry competition and McLellan poetry prize and was awarded a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship in 2009. In 2005 he was one of the founder of St Mungo’s Mirrorball, the network of Glasgow poets which he chairs. He is also the current artistic adviser for Stanza – Scotland’s International Poetry festival. He has been involved in many poetry projects, including editing an anthology for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and having his words etched in stone as part of Andy Scott’s Kelpies sculpture. He was appointed Glasgow Poet Laureate in July 2014 in succession to Liz Lochhead and Edwin Morgan. His most recent collection was Prodigal which was published by Mariscat in 2014. www.jimcarruth.co.uk
Kathrine Sowerby is a Glasgow based poet with a background in fine art. A graduate of Glasgow School of Art’s MFA programme and Glasgow University’s MLitt in Creative Writing, her poems and translations have most recently been published in Gutter, Northwords Now, New Writing Scotland, Poetry Salzburg Review, Aesthetica,Yonder Awa, A Bird is not a Stone and online at Anomalous Press and her book length poem ‘Unnecessarily Emphatic’ was transcribed for theatre and performed in New York. She has been a runner up in the Edwin Morgan and the Wigtown Poetry Competitions and received a 2012/13 New Writers Award from the Scottish Book Trust. Kathrine co-runs tell it slant, Glasgow’s poetry bookshop, and curates and makes fourfold, a pocket-sized publication.http://kathrinesowerby.com/
In addition to the poetry translation event we will be taking part in the following events in Lahore:
Nov 21st
The Last Word, in collaboration with the British Council, is proud to present “Poems in a time of Conflict: A collection of short poetry films from Syria, Iraq and Lebanon“.
The event will feature screenings of short films from Highlight Arts featuring contemporary poets from Syria, Iraq & Lebanon. These films, by award-winning Scottish-Iranian director Roxana Vilk, showcase the resilience, humour and talent of poets working in regions of conflict and provided the inspiration for Al Jazeera’s acclaimed ‘Poetry of Protest’ series. Highlight Arts organise festivals, events and workshops to uncover stories about people and places affected by conflict. They have collaborated with artists from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq & Afghanistan in order to present a different perspective on those countries and cultures beyond the common coverage of them in traditional media. Tonight there will be a showcase of short films featuring poets from Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, followed by a discussion and Q & A with Highlight Arts coordinators Ryan Van Winkle and Dan Gorman.
Venue: The Last Word, Lahore
Nov 25th
Highlighting Different Perspectives: Art & Culture in Regions of Conflict
Highlight Arts organise festivals, events and workshops to uncover stories about people and places affected by conflict. Since 2007 they have collaborated with artists from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq & Afghanistan in order to present a different perspective on those countries and cultures beyond the common coverage of them in traditional media. They cross borders to challenge stereo-types, encourage dialogue, facilitate empathy and understanding which can be shared and felt by audiences around the world. In this conversation Highlight Arts organisers Ryan Van Winkle and Dan Gorman will discuss our work with artists from around the globe.
Venue: Punjab University, Lahore
Very pleased to announce that a collaborative piece with Ragland will be included in the Another Athens exhibition and one-day symposium at the Forest Centre+ in Edinburgh. This interdisciplinary symposium invites speakers to investigate the city, its space(s) and how its people interact with it on a daily basis: the city as a score, the imaginary city, strategies of drift and assemblage. Speakers include – Peter Burnett / Mirja Koponen / Neil Gray / Jane Hyslop / nick-e melville / Gerry Smith / Michael Gallagher, among others – from within and without the arts and literature, will reflect the rich polyphony of views which span experience and interpretation of the city.
The symposium will run from 10am-5pm on Thursday 4 December, and is totally free.
The exhibition will run from Wednesday 26 November – Saturday 20 December (Wed-Fri 4pm-7pm; Sat 11am-2pm), and is also free. Hope to see you there.
Very pleased to announce I’ll be doing some online teaching through the Poetry School, taking a course titled ‘Write What You Don’t Know: Research, Writing and the Apparently Confessional‘. The course is five fortnightly online chat sessions every Friday at 7pm, if that sounds like your kind of thing please do sign up! Here’s the blurb:
It is a common misconception that poets write autobiographical works which centre solely on their own experiences. In this course we aim to challenge that notion and will work on writing poetry through research, quotation and character. The course will involve a wide-range of assignments asking students to research science, history, political events, and even to imagine a distant future. We will attempt to write about countries we’ve never been to, wars we’ve never experienced, theories we don’t understand, disasters we had no part in and photos in which our faces don’t appear. The course will use journalism, photographs, streaming audio and video to offer a broad range of inspiration and source material.
CAMPUS group: http://campus.poetryschool.com/groups/write-what-you-dont-know-research-writing-and-the-apparently-confessional/
Please note: All our online courses take place on CAMPUS, a unique social network and learning platform created by The Poetry School. These courses are open to all students but a basic level of digital literacy is essential. The Poetry School can help you with technical issues, but you also need to be a confident user of digital platforms to take part in these classes. To find out whether an online course is right for you, please email online@poetryschool.com
Register for your free CAMPUS account here: http://campus.poetryschool.com/
Christopher Brett Bailey discusses his unique show This Is How We Die, a motor-mouthed collage of spoken word and storytelling. tales of paranoia, young love and ultra-violence. He talks about the origin of the project, why it eschews easy narrative and we get the chance to hear a few excepts from the show.
Find out more about Christopher on his website: christopherbrettbailey.comPresented by Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable and produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions www.culturelaser.com @culturelaserTheme by Mikel Krumins. We acknowledge the financial assistance of Creative Scotland in the production of this podcast.
This episode was recorded as part of the VERSschmuggel project at the Poesie festival in Berlin this year. The aim of this cross-cultural collaboration was to pair Scottish and German language poets together to produce “cover versions” of each other’s poems, where you can hear the original but you also appreciate the new voice too. As organiser Aurelie Maurin says of the process it shows how “it’s possible to have two tongues in the mouth of one poem.” Featuring Don Paterson, J.O. Morgan, Katharina Schultens, Peter Mackay, Dagmara Kraus, Björn Kuhligk, Odile Kennel, Michael Donhauser, Anna Crowe and Ryan Van Winkle. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable and produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions @culturelaser http://www.culturelaser.com
Highlights from our live event in Dundee on 24 October as part of the#dundeelitfest. Featuring the winner of the Dundee International Book Prize Amy Mason discussing her prize-winning book The Other Ida, the marvellous Ian Sansom on why he wrote an elegy to paper and Welsh donkey walking expert Hannah Engelkamp on why she is a donkey walking expert. With music by Jack o’ Diamonds. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle @rvwable, recorded by Ed Broughton and produced by Colin Fraser @kailworm of Culture Laser Productions www.culturelaser.com @culturelaser
