Writing.

Govanhill; no single-ends by Ian R. Mitchell

The Talk Govanhill is almost certainly the most intact area of working-class tenement housing left in Glasgow. Apart from on its north-eastern fringes, very few of the four storey blocks dating from the later nineteenth century have been demolished, and the grid-plan of the streets remains exactly as it was laid out over 100 years […]

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Tarnished Jewels, U.S.A.’s Public Lands Under Trump by Ian R. Mitchell

Ian R Mitchell, author of Encounters in the American Mountain West, examines the issues facing the USA’s public lands under Donald Trump’s presidency MANY PEOPLE, both in the United States and abroad, view the country’s National Parks as the jewel in its somewhat tarnished environmental crown. Travelling through the USA – especially in the staggeringly […]

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Reading Palms by Stephen Watt

Reading Palms As child, I conceptualised trolls beneath where the tolls were stationed, swiping seaweed-sticky fingers at cars commuting from Erskine, dragging all inside to the bottom of the Clyde then gorging on their bones. Such a little monster’s vision. Growing, the creatures faded leaving the bridge to sketch an impression on my young mind. […]

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Poetry: Lahore, I am coming by Rizwan Akhtar

Rizwan Akhtar works as an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan. He completed his PhD in postcolonial literature from the University of Essex. His poetry has been published in the the UK and countries throughout the world including:   Canada, India, New Zealand and U.S.A. Poems from Rizwan Akhtar’s first collection ‘Lahore, […]

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Autumn Makes Me Sad by Muriel Baker

Autumn Makes Me Sad   Seasonally Associated Disorder Referred to as SAD by those who think they know, that a little lack of sunshine makes us feel like forty degrees below. It’s a chemical imbalance. Think of hibernating mammals. We have the same inclination. So until the clocks change to longer days. It will be my […]

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A Story for International Day of Peace by Katie Stepek

I’d learned something of the incredible history of the Stepek family when I heard Martin Stepek speak at the Sikoski Polish Club in Glasgow a number of years ago.  This year on International Day of Peace, 21st September, 2018,  I read a very moving article written by his daughter Katie it brings home the plight […]

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Three Haibun by Robin Lloyd-Jones

Autumn Trail I walk a narrow track under miles of beech and oak. Strands of gold and red flare like forest fires amongst the greens. Bark steams when touched by the long-fingered sun. But the sky is darkening.      Canyons, cliffs, mossed walls      Submerged in wooded gloom      Fathoms from the […]

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The Indian Shawl a poem by Muriel Baker

Exotic birds of fantasy from the dyers vats of colour tamed by the hand of the weaver. Creatures from the imagination unreal and like no other. The silk worms die in boiling vats. The plants give up their colour to make a scarf, a shawl, a wrap for someone else’s mother. I hope the skill […]

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Plum Stone Throat a poem by Jen Gray

(For Helen X, c 1910-1967, who died of throat cancer) In Chinese medicine plum stone throat describes the feeling of a plum stone stuck at the top of the back of the throat. It is associated with stagnation of liver energy (liver chi). The liver is said to control the flow of emotions. Plum stone […]

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Crohn’s or: How I’m Learning to Stop Worrying and Love the Bag by Calum Maclean

The ninth of October 2013 was a big day for me. On that morning I felt the chill of porcelain against my bare thighs for the very last time. It was also my final day with all my original internal organs as that evening I underwent a surgery known as a Pan-proctocolectomy, which is digestive […]

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Autumn Visit to USA by Leela Soma

Fall in Washington DC As my friends in Glasgow are getting into their Autumn woolies, here in the Fall in DC it is still 90 degrees during the day and humid. Shorts and flimsy tops are de riguer. My summer has been extended by a few more weeks and I am relishing it, in air […]

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Lochwinnoch – a poem by Lindsey Stewart

Lochwinnoch Yachts sit silently on still water Soft white sails await life giving breeze Crew sit idly, breathing slowly Waves lap gently at the hull Seagulls circle overhead, beaks wide Screeching mockingly into stillness. Small child crouches by the water Finger points towards the reeds Jackdaw lands, tilts head in recognition Its yellow eye staring […]

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Living in Shoes – poem by Gail Winters

Living in Shoes New shoes, true shoes, even Clarks’ school shoes, wedges, sometimes no shoes, clean shoes, smelly shoes, fading away at the seams shoes, travelling shoes, fashionable shoes, kicking in the goal shoes, losing the sole shoes whilst singing the blues shoes, making your dreams come true shoes, safe shoes, dangerous shoes, mind the […]

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The Big Chair – Autumn Voices – Robin Lloyd-Jones

Robin Lloyd-Jones And what a big chair it was! Robin Lloyd-Jones looked like a pixie – size wise that is! Loved the concept of the Big Chair. Looking at six photographs selected from your life would really tax anyone methinks. Probably reveal a side of you never before realised. Robin started with a photo of […]

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Corn Dollies by Mary Irvine

Corn Dollies ‘Corn dollies, made from the last sheaf of corn, go back thousands of years.‘ Dressed in Edwardian attire, complete with straw boater I was attending a Mayday celebration. I watched a man working straw into intricate designs. He smiled, ‘I know just what your hat needs.’ Taking a long piece of straw, heads intact, […]

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Chinese Autumn by Mary Irvine

‘Ancient Chinese philosophy says humans should live in harmony with the natural cycles of their environment.’ A preparation for winter, a time to reflect and organize your life, a time to pay attention to the lungs and large intestine, for they deal with the process of purification and elimination. The lungs take in oxygen. We […]

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The Last Leaf – a poem for Autumn by Catriona Malan

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Leela Soma: ‘Vermillion’ a poem for Autumn

‘Autumn’ in the broadest sense. It is how Indian widows had to undergo a ritual  in olden days to give up all their ornaments, even the red dot on their forehead wear only white. Life stopped if their husbands passed away. Vermillion Leaves fall down, blown away in the autumnal blitz Gold strewn paths crunch and crackle underfoot A […]

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Janet Paisley: Scottish Author, Poet and Playwright

Janet Paisley is a Scottish writer, poet, playwright, performer, publisher, editor, lecturer and teacher.   Writing in Scots and English, for children and adults, her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages.  She has written for radio, television and cinema. First published in 1979, she has since gained numerous awards, held fellowships […]

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Glasgow Writer: Stuart Cosgrove

Stuart Cosgrove’s new book ‘Harlem 69’ – the final part of the #SoulTrilogy  is out in early October, 2018, Watch out for signing events throughout the UK.  Available to Pre-Order at Amazon. Stuart’s expertise in the world of soul made him a clear choice to comment on the death of ‘Queen of Soul – Aretha Franklin‘ 16 August, […]

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Louise Welsh: Glasgow Writer

Louise Welsh Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow King Keich by Louise Welsh review Pat Byrne, October, 2018 Louise Welsh in China with First Minister University of Fudan, Translation of Prime of Miss Jean Brodie into Mandarin (April, 2018) Aye Write! 2018 – Louise Welsh introduces Laura Carline and Imogen Hermes Gowar […]

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Mary Irvine’s Blog: A Sad Day – Murder of Martin Luther King Jr

A Sad Day Fifty years ago, on April 4th 1968, Martin Luther King Jr was murdered  on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee. For MLK I am afraid of them They’re black I am afraid of them They’re foreign I am afraid of them They’re disfigured I am afraid of them They’re crippled […]

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Home Grown In Glasgow – a poem for International Women’s Day by Ruby McCann

Home Grown In Glasgow I am woman  a sister of Glasgow a pale skinned, freckled-faced Scot a she-child fae the sou’ side a native Glaswegian Mither Glasgow shaped me   I am a child of many born into this city I am Pict, I am Celt I am Irish, Scottish, and Glaswegian a city born, […]

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Off Balance by Magi Gibson – a poem for Valentines

Off Balance   You have knocked me off-balance! I walk like a drunk, tripping Over dogs, falling off kerbs, walking out in front of cars and trucks. This is so physical, this disorientation, this disintegration. A woman is at the door returning a leg I left at the local store. I look in the mirror, […]

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Love Stories by Glasgow Writers. Sticky Love by Pauline Lynch

Sticky Love by Pauline Lynch No denying it, times were rough. Sadie was only seven, with limited life experience, but even she knew times were rough. Last night, someone had knocked on their door asking to borrow dog food. It was late and she was meant to be asleep, but she’d heard the knock, and […]

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The Carrbridge Rose – Brian Whittingham

A poem about love: THE CARRBRIDGE ROSE The Packhorse Bridge arches its back like a grey stone rainbow over the hard flowing river hurtling past banks of snowy ice. We explore chatting holding hands ever so slight as if young love though we are not. Our pasts ensure we tread warily. Not knowing where these […]

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Love Sticky Lick by Jim Byrne, a poem for Valentine’s Day

Love sticky lick You, me, sticky toffee pudding Runny honey, salt and pepper Chocolate creams and tea Tart, tacky, treacled fingers Shandy, candy, juice and jelly Sticky licks, ice cream and lemonade…. Fuck. With you and me, everything rhymes. Jim Byrne, February, 2016.

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Valentine Haiku by Leela Soma

Haiku The gurgling feadan beside us We watch the landskein paint the sky Last kiss shared, she left. Leela Soma, Glasgow Writer

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A Poem for Valentine’s Day: I’m Counting by Rona Fitzgerald

I’m counting the crocuses are out, purple and yellow, encircled with slender snowdrops, soul lanterns on the Ganges. the sparkle is back in your eye, another spring taking bloom. I’m glad we weathered twenty one. that even when the wolf gnawed my soul, I could see light, feeling the consolation of words I still hear […]

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Denise Mina at Creative Conversations review Pat Byrne

Denise Mina in conversation with Zoe Strachan. University of Glasgow Chapel Denise Mina was in sparkling form talking about her latest book ‘The Long Drop’, – based on true crime the subject being the serial killer Peter Manuel, who created terror in Glasgow and Lanarkshire in the 50s. She kicked off by telling the audience […]

Read the full article: Denise Mina at Creative Conversations review Pat Byrne