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Mary Irvine’s Blog: Two Successes

Recently I received complimentary copies of two anthologies because I had had a submission accepted for each. The first was ‘Glasgow City of Music’. I have to admit I’d forgotten I’d sent a piece in as I didn’t really think it was all relevant. However I understood more when I read the dedication.

‘For the musicians who play/have played Glasgow City.’

Musical Musings

Some years ago a friend of mine, who’d worked in the industry, died unexpectedly and left me his collection of LPs, CDs, cassettes and music themed books. I’d learned a lot about music from our friendship so when I moved back to the UK I was pleased to be living so close to a great city of culture with an eclectic and vibrant music scene – Glasgow.

Since then I have been lucky enough to see, hear and enjoy not only musicians of world renown but also the plethora of local talent. I could wax lyrical on so many but will confine myself to but a few.

Tore Sætre, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The RCH hosted Jimmy Webb on one occasion. His poignant rendition of ‘Galveston’ can still reduce me to tears. The ‘warm-up’ act was one David Scott who, me thought, displayed influences not only of Jimmy Webb but also of Jackson Browne. A word here about, and to, those people who only arrive in time for the main act. Not only do they cause disturbance for people already seated it is also rude to the artist performing. In addition they may lose the opportunity to hear very good singing and musicianship. As with David Scott. So I was pleased the RCH ‘ushers’ held late-comers back until the actual singing/playing wasn’t interrupted.

Jim Byrne Brel

Another very memorable evening was at the Cottiers Theatre. The event was the culmination of a unique fifteen month project, ‘Ten Writers telling Lies’, of local authors and some very talented musicians fronted by accomplished musician/singer/songwriter, Jim Byrne. The professional presentation of this combination again reflected the talent that abounds in Glasgow.

My final mention goes to Dylan but not for the very professional show at the SEC, but for one song I believe he hasn’t sung since the 60s and of which he was not particularly fond. Although he has taken poetic licence with one or two facts it resonates with a political situation that has once again been brought to the fore. I wrote my poem before I became aware of Dylan’s so no plagiarism there. I could never find a title for it until now.

How far have we come? (In memory of George Floyd et al)

The boy was born in 1941

In Chicago

In the North

The boy was one when his father left

And four when his father died

The boy received his signet ring

A signet ring with the initials LT

The boy was happy and fun-loving

In Chicago

In the North

The boy and his mother had a good life together

In Chicago

In the North

In 1955 the boy was fourteen

In August he went for a visit

A visit to see his relations

His relations

In the South

His mother came from the South

She told her boy how to behave

She told him how things were different  

In the South

But her boy knew only Chicago

In the North

The boy dressed smartly

He flirted   

He was fun-loving

In Chicago

In the North

This boy was different from

The boys in the South

Bobo wasn’t like a Southern Boy

Bobo came from Chicago

In the North

Bobo was just a boy like the Southern boys

All the boys were fun-loving

But Bobo came from Chicago

In the North

The boy did nothing wrong

But the wrong he did

Down South

Cost him his life

A boy taken by night from his uncle’s house

In the South

A boy’s body pulled from the Tallahatchie 

In  the South

A river full of niggers*

In the South

A signet ring with the initials LT

Only a ring told us it was Bobo

A mother crying

In the North

A brave mother shows her boy’s body to the world

A brave uncle points to the guilty

In the South

‘Thar he’

Yet still they walked free

In the South

Two men walking free

In the South

Two men laughing

In the South

But Bobo lit a spark

Which grew into a roaring flame

In the North                                                                                                                                                                     And in the South                                        

* The Emmett Till Book p 5, M Susan Klopfer, 2005.

I don’t think we’ve actually come very far.

Mary Irvine © June 2020

A Playground in Beijing

The second anthology was ‘A Playground in Beijing’ produced by the Federation of Writers Scotland** and again comprising both poetry and prose. This collection had more pieces in Gaelic and Scots than the one above. My contribution was a short story ‘A Story of Bones’, a biographical piece dealing with the Greek burial ritual!

Opening paragraph:

The sombre look of the lady sitting on the other side of the desk froze into disbelief.  Em could almost imagine her hand reaching for a panic button under the desk.

“Bones.”

It was neither a statement nor a question…

“Yes!”

Em’s resolve to keep it simple somehow dissolved. She tried to maintain a serious tone, as the subject matter demanded.

“Well, not actually a skeleton as such. Just…bones – a dismembered skeleton, in fact.”

There was both poetry and prose in both collections, all of a very high standard. Although I have favourites I suggest you choose for yourselves. Any would reflect the talent of both local and national talent.

*Edited by Linda Jackson, available from Seahorse Publications

** Available on Amazon

Mary Irvine, August, 2024

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