Believe in Scotland Virtual Burns Supper

Saturday, 23 January, 2021 6.30 p..m. – 7 p.m. Start £15 – Buy tickets The Believe in Scotland Virtual Burns Supper will take place on Saturday, January 23. All proceeds will be spent on campaigning for Scottish independence – a stellar line up to entertain and enlighten you, ranging from the best Burns and folk […]
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Monday, January 18, 2021 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Burns Events, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, Poetry, Zoom and online events
This is not the time to be the bad angel by Jim Byrne

This is not a poem – it is just some Sunday ruminations that might become a song lyric. This is not the time to be the bad angel. this is not the time this is not the time to be the bad angel to break the rules to celebrate the dark side of life to […]
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Sunday, January 10, 2021 | Filed under: Coronavirus, Coronavirus stories and poems, Pat's Home Page Blog, Poetry, Writing
Poetry by Hafsah Bashir

Hafsah Bashir – Author, Poet and Social Counsellor Rain in NewYork It rains in NewYork and all I crave is the scent of soil I hold the dirt and smell fruit and fortune rich and fertile it is corporeal in texture earthly in odor doesn’t smell like soil ships me aback to the dirt, I […]
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Thursday, January 7, 2021 | Filed under: Poetry, stories and poems
Conal Doherty – Vision and Peace Be Me

Peace be me A minute after midnight, from another world I woke The door slammed hard behind me And the earth below me shook I saw the little boy… that night, drop a pebble in the molten light The earth below rippled hot and slow lit the world with bitter glow My eyes adjusted to […]
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Tuesday, November 10, 2020 | Filed under: Poetry
Kayus Bankole & Kei Miller: Edinburgh Book Festival

Kayus Bankole & Kei Miller: Outriders Africa from East to West Mon 31 Aug, 2020 11:30 – 12:30 The New York Times Main Theatre Online Free, online As part of the Book Festival’s Outriders programme exploring the shifting landscapes of contemporary Africa, hear from award-winning writer Kei Miller, whose barnstorming latest poetry collection, In Nearby Bushes, was tipped […]
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Ghazal: the phone – poem by Rizwan Akhtar

Ghazal: the phone –for Tammara Claire Pacing up and down you looked so calm holding the phone Aren’t we connected? So, why this fuss about the phone? Eunuchs inside harems giggle running errands for lovers Now they text and delete; amor changed with the phone my ghazals are messages wrapped in all kinds of rhymes […]
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Tuesday, June 16, 2020 | Filed under: Poetry, stories and poems, writers
In Times of Self-Isolation poem by Rizwan Akhtar

In Times of self-Isolation I have just discovered that there is a world outside still a touch away from us we used to be so familiar coming each morning the sun bloats carelessly even shadows of all possible sizes remain alone no one comes out to sue time for being too slow […]
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Friday, June 12, 2020 | Filed under: Coronavirus stories and poems, Pat's Home Page Blog, Poetry
Corona Virus Stew – poem by Leela Soma

FiveRings at English Wikipedia / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0) Recipe May 2020 Ingredients: Shopping list flour, toilet rolls, food, food, Stock pile, no space, greed, look after number 1 Stay home, save lives, save the NHS Watch TV, social distance at 2 metres, daily update Ventilators, nightingale hospital, PPE Care home deaths, scientists graphs, flatten the […]
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Saturday, May 23, 2020 | Filed under: Coronavirus, Coronavirus stories and poems, Leela Soma writing and blogging, Poetry, stories and poems, Writing
Poetry by Jim Doolan

O to see again Across the fields and meadows, I cast a cautious eye, Perchance to catch a fleeting glimpse Of fairies, O so shy. For many years I’ve watched forlorn, To catch a further view Of what I saw one Summer’s morn Upon the sun-kissed dew. Their wings were as gossamer, Their form […]
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Sunday, October 6, 2019 | Filed under: Poetry
National Poetry Day 2019 – Glasgow Poets

Basia Palka I am beginning to doubt the existence of Human beings, for they seem to me Not altogether there, whereas for angels I can safely say that they are either there Or not there Everyday angels Walk Byres Road With Wings Folded up Angels have no need of lips For they kiss with their […]
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Thursday, October 3, 2019 | Filed under: Poetry
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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Monday, October 22, 2018 | Filed under: Poetry, stories and poems
The Last Leaf – a poem for Autumn by Catriona Malan
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Thursday, August 30, 2018 | Filed under: Poems and Stories for Autumn, Poetry, Seasonal Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers, stories and poems, Writing
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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Sunday, August 26, 2018 | Filed under: Poems and Stories for Autumn, Poetry, stories and poems, writers
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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Wednesday, March 7, 2018 | Filed under: Poetry, stories and poems, Writing
Silence a poem inspired by snow by Leela Soma

Silence And still it snows Gently fall the snowflakes Stars of crystalline perfection Earth yielding to soft abundance Enveloped in a cocooning white silence Leela Soma, March, 2018
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| Filed under: Leela Soma writing and blogging, Poetry
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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Monday, February 12, 2018 | Filed under: Leela Soma writing and blogging, Love Poems, Stories and Tales from Glasgow writers, Poetry, Valentines Day Glasgow
Glasgow West End: Poetry and Writing
Bohemian Chemistry by Stephen Watt Saxophone jazz swanks out from the Oran Mor barwhere toy school kids on tightrope wallstry not to fall; plucking air guitars.The instrument does not seem to matter. Streetlights spark bonfires in dying, west end heavens –a half crescent moon is fish-hooked on university buildings,brimming with assiduous students’ laughter. Traffic cones […]
Out of Sight by Ciara MacLaverty: a poem about love.

Out of Sight The best thing You do for me is to let me be as I am (better than I do for myself, I add) and when necessary you meet my what if it doesn’ts with a what if it does… You teach me more than you know- though I don’t always tell you […]
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Thursday, February 11, 2016 | Filed under: Love Poems, Stories and Tales from Glasgow writers, Poetry, Valentine's Day Glasgow 2016, What's On Glasgow West End: cinema, clubs, theatre, music, events, festivals, community and more
Two Cities – a poem by Leela Soma

Buffalo NY and Glasgow, so much in common. Tartan & Turmeric Two cities The two could be twinned, history so familiar Niagara River, and Erie Canal made this city As grain silos rose up in the sky, men worked hard To get the grain ashore, milled and built steel. The city of light, the Niagara […]
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015 | Filed under: Poetry, stories and poems
Spoken Word Events in Glasgow

Listings Courtesy of Stephen Watt Last Monday At Rio Cafe Rio, Hyndland Street, Partick – held on the final Monday each month (c/o Robin Cairns) 27 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, G11 5QF. 0141 334 9909 Seeds Of Thought CCA, Sauchiehall Street – held on second Saturday each month (c/o Tawona Sithole)350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD […]
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Saturday, February 28, 2015 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Events, Fairs, Festivals and Fundraisers, Poetry, Stephen Watt, Poet.
Poetry by Stephen Watt

Stephen Watt is a poet and performer from Glasgow. Stephen’s debut collection of poetry “Spit” was published by Bonacia in 2012. His poetry has been described as ‘kitchen sink film noir’ (which he admits he hasn’t a clue what it means either), punk, gothic, surrealist, and, on occasion, fantastical. Buy Spit Online Stephen will be […]
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Friday, February 13, 2015 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Poetry, Stephen Watt, Poet.
Things I`ve Learned In France, Stuart Paterson
There are no taxis in Fontainebleau You gather a group of pals for a good night out in a local, buzzing tourist hotspot. Some pizza cooked in front you by a handlebar-moustachioed Italian lunatic, followed by a couple of top gigs (Cyrille Aimee & Les Doigts de l’Homme, since you asked) at a beautiful old […]
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Monday, December 29, 2014 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Poetry, Stuart Paterson: Writer's Blog
Ayah a poem by Leela Soma
Ayah My child eye watches,Ayah’s Rangoli patterns bright, on the newly washed verandaThe dots threaded together like pearls of life’s experienceCultural traditions handed down in perfect symmetryThe opalescent sky shimmers anewA visual joy starts the day. My child ear hears,Her quiet, broken piece by pieceThe coffee machine, grinds beans, the aroma rich.Golden sun beats down noon […]
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Monday, December 8, 2014 | Filed under: Christmas Poems , Stories and Winter Tales, Poetry, stories and poems, Winter 2014
Stuart Paterson, blogging from Grez sur Loing: Science fiction poetry
Techni-quarks – what are they? Where did they come from? Where are they going? Do they even exist? Is the God Particle aware of them? The answers to all of these questions can be found below by my guest blogger Techni-Quark Googolplex 23b56x000. Unfortunately, since it`s a techni-quark, which can exist at any given point […]
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Saturday, November 22, 2014 | Filed under: Poetry, Stuart Paterson: Writer's Blog
Stuart Paterson, blogging from Grez sur Loing: Tuned In.
Without wishing to sound like a Big Brother House inhabitant, I`ve been living at Hotel Chevillon for nigh on 3 weeks now. 3 weeks ago this coming Saturday, just after midday, I fell out of the Paris-Montargis train at Bouronne-Marlotte, completely unaware of what to expect, still a bit groggy from 3 days […]
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Thursday, November 20, 2014 | Filed under: Poetry, Stuart Paterson: Writer's Blog, Travel
Poetry by Maria Venditozzi
The Gift of Tulips What I admire about tulipsis their optimism.When freshly cut,their bodies are taut, tightas a nubile girl.Heads pert, faces shyly pretty. But, after time,like most of us, they geta bit soft round the middle.Loyal leaves wrap round,close as a sari, to spareblushes about their sagging stems. Colour becomes more vibrant,lush green, cupped […]
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Tuesday, September 30, 2014 | Filed under: Books, Talks, Poetry and Creative Writing Events, Poetry
Stories of Love and Love Poems: No Dust Settles by Paul McCafferty
No Dust Settles by Paul McCafferty No dust settles on that place.The old place,the new one.Though trees have stretched and grass has grown around flowers openedto the sun. No other feet have walked there.Often I hear the song of wee birds that tweetabout our ancient home.I have seen so many cities come and go. Sudden […]
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Friday, February 14, 2014 | Filed under: Love Poems, Stories and Tales from Glasgow writers, Poetry, stories and poems
Love Stories and Poems by Glasgow Writers: Sound of the Wind by Paul McCafferty
Sound On The WindFor Claudia Accosta Fernanda Beccera by Paul McCafferty Sound carries on the wind.Funny thing. It gets tane upin the sail of breeze or brutal gale.The mumble of a Love you.The shout of a Fuck off.The drunken echoesof slow 3:am wanderersalways lookin for ‘Malky’.On some still afternoonsI’ve found ma self standinwi a fresh […]
Tuesday, February 4, 2014 | Filed under: Love Poems, Stories and Tales from Glasgow writers, Poetry
Tell it Slant Poetry Bookshop Glasgow
Fleming House, 134 Renfrew St, Glasgow G3 6ST Review by Pat Byrne, Book Launch, Tell it slant, 2nd June, 2014: (Review of A Bird Is Not A Stone /) A bookshop specialising in poetry in all forms and in all languages: printed, audio and visual, including pamphlets, rare, out-of-print, and second-hand. Tell it slant poetry […]
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Sunday, December 8, 2013 | Filed under: Poetry
Poem: Mrs McBoo and Mrs McShoe
In a Glasgow flatIn a very nice street, Lived Mrs McBoo and Mrs McShoe. They were very tidy,And every Friday,They scrubbed and cleanedUntil the whole place gleamed.They cooked and bakedUntil their poor arms ached.Then sat back and sighedWith a cup of tea, And said to each other –“a good job done,Now let’s have some fun.” […]
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Saturday, May 25, 2013 | Filed under: Poetry