Reading Poetry Handbook - Scottish Poetry Library

Reader in Residence for Edinburgh City Libraries & Information Services and the Scottish Poetry Library

Poetry Sessions Handbook rewarding discussion session formats for use in branch libraries

Edinburgh City Libraries & Information Services & the Scottish Poetry Library supported by Scottish Arts Council / Creative Scotland

Edinburgh City Libraries

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Contents Introduction ……….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 General Set-Up Guidance ….………………………………………………………………….……………………………….4 Types of Poetry Session 1. Poems Aloud ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..5 2. Nothing But The Poem ………………………………………………………………………………………………….8 3. Poetry With Teens & Young Adults: Poetry Montage .………………………………………………………………………………………………….11 Graffiti Walk …………………………………………………………………………………………………………11 ‘Bad Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal’ ……………………………………………………………………12 Text Poems ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………13 Writing Workshops & Zine Making ……………………………………………………………………….14 4. Novel Approach ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16

Poetry Sessions Handbook

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Introduction Ryan Van Winkle has been Reader in Residence in the Edinburgh City Libraries and the Scottish Poetry Library from 2008-2011, encouraging readers to explore and enjoy poetry through library resources. Every library I visited had a diverse and dedicated group of regular users who, to their surprise, enjoyed the poetry sessions I delivered. These groups ranged from children participating in the Chatterbooks programme to elderly users who made use of the Library Links service. In between were teens, writing groups, book clubs, care workers and many more. During this residency, we developed ways to engage these groups and to get them interested in and comfortable about reading poetry. The following are simple, cost-effective ways to expand the library sessions you can offer – these will not replace author visits, but will complement them by making your regular library users more prepared and confident when reading poetry. We know readers may be more wary of poetry titles or events than fiction: offering friendly, informal sessions tailored to groups helps tremendously. While staff time is involved, these workshops can be run by confident group leaders or volunteers once they feel comfortable with the model. The most important thing to remember is that these sessions are simple, make a great change of routine and can be enjoyable and rewarding for you, the librarian. It is my hope you'll agree with a librarian we met at a training session who, when we asked afterwards what was most helpful, said: Knowing I do not require an English / Poetry degree; lots and lots of ideas; actually feel much more confident and full of ideas. Great. Below you'll find ideas for: Book Groups Nothing But the Poem is extremely adaptable and works with almost any adult group using the library, from your regular monthly book groups, to groups of longterm carers, or those working to develop their literacy skills. It is really a one-size-fits-all session. Older Users Many libraries use a bus service to bring less-mobile users into the library. In Edinburgh, there is typically tea and biscuits and chatting while books are selected, collected and checked out. The Poems Aloud model suits these users best – often their memories are sparked and conversation and requests for favourite poems flow as if you were a poetry DJ. Teens and Young Adults A notoriously hard group to attract. We found that working with teens means doing more than just reading poems (though we have ideas for that too, loads of young people aspire to be writers) and have crafted a few workshops to get teens thinking about poetry while making 'zines, or doing collage. Please feel free to adapt these ideas in any way you feel comfortable, to suit you and your groups’ interests and dynamics. We hope you have fun.


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General Set-Up Guidance Each session contains a unique set of simple set-up instructions and a list of what you'll need to make the session enjoyable. Most sessions, however, don't need much and can be adapted to what you have. Generally, however, it is best to: Use a quiet and comfortable space. Most libraries already have a regular meeting table or area where users feel comfortable. Let the group know in advance that you'll be doing something different on their next visit. As much as people like surprises, this will save time and confusion on the day and will give people a chance to accept any disruption to their regular activities. We recommend using already existing groups. But don’t be deterred from trying these ideas in a more public and accessible way – it just takes a little more work. Make sure to make a poster and to put details of the event online. Keep small flyers near the issue desks. And, most importantly, tell regular users that there is something happening – for free – which they might enjoy. You know your clients! Tell those who tend to come to events that they should definitely be there, they'll love it. Useful books to have to hand include: The Rattle Bag (Faber) Being Alive, Staying Alive or Being Human (all Bloodaxe) 100 Favourite Scottish Poems or 100 Favourite Scottish Poems to Read Aloud (both Luath Press) Poems to Take Home (The Reader Organisation) Carry a Poem (Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature) Useful websites to bookmark include: Scottish Poetry Library, www.spl.org.uk Poetry Archive, www.poetryarchive.org Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org


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Types of Poetry Session 1. Poems Aloud Goal: To stimulate discussion and memory, to share favourite poems, to enjoy the sounds of poems being read aloud. For: Works perfectly with Library Links users but one-off events which are open to the public have also been successful. People who are curious about poetry, or like to hear it aloud, tend to come along when advertised properly. Perfect for people who are not sure if they can say something ‘clever’ about a poem; all you’re asking them to do is share the poem and tell people the story of how/when/why they learned it or first read it. All people need to say is ‘I like that’ or ‘that reminds me of..’.

How it Works: Most people have a favourite poem, or at least one they remember. These can be A A Milne poems, Wordsworth's ‘Daffodils’ or any number of Burns' verse. Often they were learned at school or read to children or grandchildren. Once people start talking it is easy to keep the ball rolling, but here's what you'll need to start: Bring a few of your own favourite poems to start. The important thing is the story about your personal relationship with the poem, not having to say anything scholarly about it. It helps to have a computer, iPad or laptop with an internet connection If you don't have a computer (and even if you do) I recommend bringing a copy of an anthology like The Rattle Bag. This anthology has hundreds of memorable poems and poems just plain enjoyable to read aloud. Other useful titles include Being Alive, Staying Alive or Being Human (all Bloodaxe), 100 Favourite Scottish Poems or 100 Favourite Scottish Poems to Read Aloud (both Luath Press).

To Start: Say a little about what you are doing. I'd normally say, 'We're going to share some of our favourite poems, poems which we've carried with us for one reason or another. Don't worry about having a whole poem memorized or anything, I'll do the reading, and even if you only know just a line I can probably find the poem.' Poetry Sessions Handbook

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Start the session by talking about one of your favourite poems – why do you like it? Where or how did you find it? Was it part of a gift, was it taught, was it something you found when you were young, when you were older? Read the poem. Try going around the group and ask if anybody else remembers a poem. There is always someone who has a poem or two in their head, and that prompts others to remember. Don't worry if the first person or two says they can't think of one (rare) – bring out something they might remember, like 'Daffodils,' 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' or ‘A Red, Red Rose'. During the discussion: It really is simple: people name a poem, you read a poem or they recite what they can remember. Remember to have fun – it is OK if people digress into talking about family, friends or their school days. In fact, encourage them to talk about the person or place they associate with a poem, if they’d like to. But be aware that poems are often associated with emotional occasions (weddings, funerals) or with somebody they may have since lost; people can be surprised by strong feelings as they read or talk, and may want a moment to recover. Make sure everyone who wants to speak gets the chance. Also, don't forget to steer the conversation gently back to poetry and how to find more poetry in the library – often these sessions end too soon. Sometimes it can take a while to locate a poem, either online or in a book. Ask someone for help in looking things up, if you can. Keep a couple of poems aside to read if the hunt for a particular poem becomes too time-consuming. That said, most of the poems people remember are easily found online or in anthologies of well-loved poems. Some Recommended Poems to Start A Session, Or Keep Up Your Sleeve These poems are particularly popular with older groups, but not exclusively so. Many people had to memorise these poems, particularly Burns and Wordsworth, and can often still recite them from memory. Robert Burns: ‘Tae a Mouse’ or ‘A Red, Red Rose’ William Wordsworth: ‘Daffodils’ W.B. Yeats: ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’ Robert Service: 'The Shooting of Dan McGrew' – a fast-paced one. It helps to have an American accent, and/or a sense of melodrama. Alfred, Lord Tennyson: ‘The Lady of Shalott’ – long, but many people love it. Lewis Carroll: ‘You Are Old, Father William’ – always gets a laugh. Poetry Sessions Handbook

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Mary Campbell Smith: ‘The Boy in the Train’ Alexander Anderson: ‘Cuddle Doon’ Walter Wingate: ‘The Sair Finger’ John M Caie: ‘The Puddock’ Liz Lochead: ‘Kidspoem/Bairnsang’ – Great for someone who can read a fun bit of Scots and particularly of interest with Liz Lochead being Scotland's current Maker. Ogden Nash – Has some short, silly poems about animals in 'The Rattle Bag'. They make for good material if you need to lighten the mood or if you've just read a long poem. And there are hundreds more! You’ll soon be able to find a number of poems like these on the Scottish Poetry Library website, marked as particularly useful for reading with older groups. Using Themes We've always found this model endlessly entertaining and worthwhile. Even if you are seeing the same group members once every four months, new poems always come up and old ones are always enjoyed when heard. However, you might want to change things a little and offer themes. These can be based on the season, or on a theme lots of people will have in common like 'work' or ‘childhood’ or ‘going out’. The Read Aloud scheme, which visits people in carehomes in Edinburgh, is run by Edinburgh City Libraries and the Scottish Poetry Library, and can particularly recommend poems on themes to read with older groups. Contact Annie Bell, [email protected], or Lilias Fraser, [email protected] to ask for poems and themes that are popular with older Scottish readers. The Scottish Poetry Library is able to help you find poems that will suit any theme, or track down half-remembered poems. Contact Assistant Librarian Lizzie MacGregor, [email protected].


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2. Nothing But The Poem This session format helps you run a rewarding discussion about two or three poems, with more detail than the Poems Aloud. It’s suitable for book groups and readers (and facilitators) who like to get to grips with novels, but might not be initially comfortable with the idea of talking about poems – not sure where to start, or what to say. Don’t I need to know about things like iambic pentameter? Shouldn’t I be ready with information about the poet, and be prepared to answer the group’s questions? Nope. You’re there not as a ‘teacher’, but to start and shape the discussion, make sure everybody has plenty to think about and a chance to speak if they want, and to create a friendly, safe atmosphere. Of course you will want to prepare, but only so you can make the discussion easy and interesting for the group – and for you, too.

Preparation: Pick a poem that interests you and makes you ask questions! Trust us... try picking the poems you don’t grasp immediately, they’ll be the best to discuss. Where to find poems quickly and easily? Grab one of the anthologies listed at the start of the handbook, browse one of the websites. You’ll find there are some poems that always, always provide discussion, for example Carol Ann Duffy’s poem ‘Prayer’. But as soon as your group feel comfortable talking about poems, they will be able to talk about almost any poem.

Prepare just enough to be comfortable As you read the poem through, note the questions you want to ask yourself. Start simple; what’s happening here? What does that word mean? Who’s talking? Where are we? Check any words or references that could be difficult, so you feel comfortable – but your group will enjoy exploring this themselves, rather than have you tell them (have a dictionary ready for them). Find out about the poet so you can tell your group at the start or end – but remember you’re not teacher. Ask them if they’d like to know about the poet first, or would prefer just to read the poem; often people prefer to read the poem first. Have up to 4 poems ready for a 1 hour session – but don’t be surprised if you only discuss two. Copy or print in a good size of font, with the poet’s name, and a note of the book it came from; respect poets’ copyright, and encourage people to borrow or buy books when they can.

Decide on a good opening question. ‘What sounds / words caught your attention?’ All sorts of things will come out of this. ‘What did that feel like to read?’ Strong rhythms, tongue-twisting phrases, luscious or ugly sounds? ‘What do you think is happening?’ – sometimes you just need to sort out the story.. Or make it more about the particular poem: ‘What kinds of journey are there in this poem?’ ‘What’s your first reaction to this – is it a poem about love, or a poem about golf?’ (At this stage, avoid ‘did you like this?’ or ‘how does this make you feel?’ Leave those till later!) Poetry Sessions Handbook

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Have some further questions up your sleeve... Help people explore the sounds and shape/look of the poem. Easy to rush past these! Is there another important idea in the poem – as you read it more, what does it make you ask? ‘Does this poem seem to change direction anywhere? Where does it start to change?’ and towards the end, ‘What do you think is the question we should be asking about this poem?’ Listen to people’s comments, and encourage them to explore their ideas. Emphasise that everyone’s responses to these questions will be different. Everyone is likely to change their minds as they go along. And that’s the real pleasure of reading together. To feel confident about shaping the discussion, you only need to prepare questions to keep the discussion going – not answers, which will close it down.

Nothing But the Poem: The Rules Stick to the poem. Avoid outside references! (keep the playing field level..) The facilitator is just here to help discussion along. Take your time, listen and look at the poem: don’t feel you have to speak straight away. If you don’t want to read aloud, that’s fine. Somebody else will help. You never need to start a response with ‘I’m probably wrong’ or ‘I expect this sounds stupid’.

The Etiquette Ask your group to: Speak directly to each other, not to you Listen to each other’s points, and be aware there will be more than one interpretation Enjoy arguments! But disagree with an opinion, try not to criticise the person expressing it.

The discussion, and after. Explain The Rules. This is simply so you can quickly create a structure for discussion that everybody can agree to and understand. Ask someone to read the poem aloud. (If they’d rather not – any number of reasons, from dyslexia to needing reading glasses – make no fuss about it but just ask somebody else.) Thank them, and ask your opening question. Have the poem read again, by somebody different, so everyone can listen with your question in mind. Speak less and less during the session, except to keep discussion moving with new questions. If anyone asks you directly to tell them what you think, bounce it straight back to the group; embrace these Poetry Sessions Handbook

10 responses: ‘that’s a great question, why do you ask it?’ ‘what does everyone else think?’ ‘I don’t know, does anybody else know?’ ‘I honestly haven’t made my mind up yet – what do you think?’ Be a referee – keep discussion focused on the poem, make sure everyone gets a chance to speak, gently invite comments from people who are cautious about speaking, and encourage everyone companionably to consider the ‘Rules’ when you feel conversation is wandering off too often (groups often keep these for you, jokingly, because it is helpful to have a structure).

Finally... Move discussion to a close by asking about the final line(s) and the title, and what question they think is the most important one to ask. Try to recap some of the discussion; you can mention interesting points that were made, but in that case try to note and commend observations from as many people as you can. At the end, you can: ask whether people like the poem or not; ask your opening question again (‘so now we’ve discussed it, do you think this poem is more about love, or golf?’) ask what they think is the most important question about the poem ask if they liked it or not, or which of the poems they liked best. Avoid asking this at the start: it often gets people entrenched in positions, and closes down discussion. Keep a note of the poems discussed at each session, so you don’t repeat a poem you’ve read before. Make sure your group know what poetry books and events are on offer in your library. Look out a poetry book for each of them to borrow at the end of the session – it’s great to think someone has chosen a book for you personally. And it improves your issues... Things to keep in mind: You do NOT need to feel you have all the answers. You must let readers provide their own answers – they will enjoy it much more! Go for detail – everything a reader notices about a poem gives them more and more material to express what they feel about it, and why. Detail is only ‘breaking a poem down’ if readers feel they’re just having senseless details drilled into them; discovering details for themselves will help them build up a great pile of ideas. If discussion covers different points from what you’d prepared, don’t worry! It means the readers got to ask/discuss the questions that interested them. By all means read up on the poet or collection, so you feel comfortable. But resist temptation to add this information to the discussion – if this is information that the readers don’t have, you will instantly be in a privileged position and become the ‘teacher’. If you display the knowledge that makes you feel more confident, you may be scaring off readers who are unconfident in their own abilities/knowledge. You do NOT need to foresee every question – it’ll be a much more exciting discussion if you can honestly say, ‘that’s a really interesting point, I hadn’t thought about it. Tell us more / what does everyone else think?’. Poetry Sessions Handbook

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3. Poetry With Teens And Young Adults 1. Poetry Montage: ‘Writing is Fifty Years Behind Painting’ (William Burroughs) Goal: build confidence in writing creatively and working as a group You can find poetry in anything. In newspapers and magazines, graffiti, the back of cereal boxes. Create poems using collage. I’ve used this technique in teenage workshops and it works well – easy to adapt to what you have available, too. You'll need: Newspapers, books, magazines, cereal boxes, posters, flyers scissors, blu-tak, glue, poster board internet access to look at the Global Poetry System, gps.southbankcentre.co.uk, with loads of examples of found poems, lyrical lines sprayed on walls or scanned from posters etc. internet access to this YouTube clip of William Burroughs explaining his collage method of writing

CoLL@ge After looking at GPS and Burroughs ask: where might you unexpectedly find material for poetic lines? (newspapers, loos, on desks etc) Offer participants montage materials and suggest they cut up either using Burroughs’ folding method or just by finding poetic lines Make a giant poem – it might look a bit like a ransom note! Consider it as both visual and poetic, something aesthetic that can be read.

2. Graffiti Walk Goal: to find and write poems – of all sorts – to do with the place you live The Global Poetry System uses Google Maps and the hyper-local web to map where poetry is found. Through Graffiti walks, people are able to see that poetry is not an abstract idea or dead medium, but something living and real that exists all around us. Construct a walk around your school or library that encompasses history as well as modern markers such as Poetry Sessions Handbook

12 murals, advertisements, shop signs and graffiti. Research existing poems, find poems around you, and plan a walk around where you live. Start by making a list of poems visible in the area you live in - lines inscribed on gravestones, buildings, monuments and landmarks. Then find poems that have been written specifically about your area, its landscape, history or people. Or, if you know a burn with ducks in it, it’s easy to find a poem about ducks... search for poems on any subject on the Scottish Poetry Library’s online catalogue But there are also poems you will find which didn’t start life as poems – roadsigns, graffiti , shop names, happy accidents that create a poem. Read Sophie Hannah’s ‘No Ball Games’, inspired by a sign: ‘Honestly, do we have to spell it out? / No tents, space-hoppers, orgies, Brussels sprout / enthusiasts...’ (in Pessismism for Beginners, Carcanet 2007) Photograph the poems and places you have found and upload to the GPS website to put your town, library, landscape or school on the poetry map! You can use the Graffiti Walk idea as the basis for more reading and writing inspiration. Encourage people to write poems using three shop names, for example, or make a ‘found’ line the start of a poem. Use what’s around you... and publish on the GPS site.

3. ‘Bad Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal’ (Pablo Picasso) Goal: To read poems for what you can use in your own writing... ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling Have one group member read the poem aloud. Start with an easy opening question, like:  What is happening in this poem?  Is there repetition of any words or phrases?  Does it relate to you? (it is OK if the answer is “no”) Readers will quickly note that the poem is giving advice to a son or younger person, and that there is repetition of the word IF. To start off the writing exercise, ask:      

Who would you like to give advice to? (Parents, boyfriends, pets, future-self etc). What would you say to them? Make a list of these ideas. start poems with the word ‘if’, ‘don’t’, ‘please’ or ‘try’, and follow with the advice use ‘If’ as a model for the poem – but this is just a starting point for the writers’ ideas if writers run out of steam, return to ‘if’, ‘don’t’, ‘please’ or ‘try’ to start new lines of advice

Look for other poems which use repetition and listing devices. Steal away.


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4. Text Poems Goal: To write a short, focussed poem This is great to do around Valentine’s Day. You'll need to find a short poem. Here are two which I like:

Mangurstadh I send you the hush and founder of the waves at Mangurstadh in case there is too much darkness in you now and you need to remember why it is we love

‘I Feel Horrible. She Doesn’t’ by Richard Brautigan in The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster (1968). Find this poem on the Poetry Foundation website, www.poetryfoundation.org

by John Glenday*

Have one person read the poem aloud. Then start with an easy opening question, such as:  What is happening in this poem?  Does it relate to you? (it is OK if the answer is “no”)  Why do you think it is so short?  What is missing from the poem?

Readers will quickly note that the poem is brief and very condensed. To start off the writing exercise, suggest it is like a postcard or a text message. (John Glenday said his poem came from a writing exercise where he had to “write a postcard to the future.”) To start the writing exercise ask:  Who do you write text messages to?  Can a text be a poem?  Can you write a poem which could be sent as a text message? *© John Glenday, 2009, from Grain (Picador, 2009), reproduced by kind permission of the author and Picador (an imprint of Pan Macmillan, London, UK)

Putting it all together... Poetry Sessions Handbook

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5. Writing Workshops & ‘Zine Making Goal: to encourage regular poetry reading and library use through a young writers’ group One way to get readers is to encourage writers. Writers will naturally want to explore authors and forms, to emulate styles and steal ideas and this should be heartily promoted via writing exercises like the ones above. With guidance, young creatives will be led to read poetry for inspiration rather than edification. To start a regular writers’ group, all you need is: Space to meet regularly – during lunch breaks, after school or at weekends Interested participants – put up posters, tell students and schools contacts directly, speak to regular readers Access to a photocopier or printer At the first meeting: Bring something you’ve written that you think is your best Tell us what you’ve read and who you want to sound like Agree ground rules on how to criticise constructively – there’s no right or wrong way to write a poem; start critique statements with something like ‘if this was my poem, I would try...’ to avoid hurtful judgements and encourage full engagement with others’ work Gather contact information Agree a deadline to have new or edited work circulated, so they can read and edit in advance Set dates for regular meetings Be ready to adapt to the interests, skills and ages of your group members. Some will want assignments, some will just want to write freely, some will write a lot and some little. As the group becomes established, begin to devise projects for the group. One easy and exciting aim is to plan a publication of their work.

Goal: to give your writing group an aim and a voice Zine, n. - A ‘zine is a cheaply produced, self-published, underground publication. It’s irregular, can be one-off, and is meant to look homemade, irreverent and slapdash in production. Anything goes. First, explore ‘zines with your group, and find examples online. Chat about the title and contents you want. Only poems? Funny stories? Will names be used, or should work be anonymous? Static logo or change each issue? Weekly, monthly or occasional? Is it meant to inform, attract new writing group members, promote events? It can be all of these things. Think about roles, too – people should feel free to contribute writings as much as drawings and collage. Content is yours to decide. Here are Ryan’s tips on production. Poetry Sessions Handbook

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Making your ‘zine You’ll need: photocopier Blu-tak, scissors Collage materials – old magazines, newspapers, flyers and posters, anything to hand

How to start off? Print out poems, stories, quotes and other text – remembering to experiment with different fonts and line widths (don’t make everything uniformly A4, smaller is better) Cut text into pasteable sections Cut out pictures and text from collage materials Lay out 4 clean sheets of A4 paper, so you have a cover, 2 inside pages, and a back page Blu-tak text and visuals in place Design each page on A4, but remember it will be reduced to A5 Doesn’t fit? Shrink or expand items using the photocopier Doesn’t look great? Everything can be moved... that’s why we use blu-tak. Still doesn’t look great? – don’t worry, that’s a zine! You’ll do better next time.

Copying Your aim is to make an A5 booklet with 4 pages. This is easy if your photocopier has a booklet setting. If not, you can do it yourself with a little practise, or a good copyshop! Place front and back cover together on the photocopier, and reduce from A3 to A4. Do the same with the two inner pages. Fold together, or make a double-sided single sheet, and fold so you have an A5 booklet.

Distributing Once you’ve made your ‘zine, think about what you’d like to do with it – distribute for free in places where the group hangs out. Some independent bookshops and cafes will take copies.


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4. Novel Approach Book groups who enjoy novels can enjoy exploring poems that are in some way connected to the book they’ve just read. Whether it’s a poet mentioned in a historical novel, or a poem that encapsulates some of the novel’s themes, it’s a useful way in to talking about poems as well as fiction. Here are some examples, from the reading group novel sets available in Edinburgh City Libraries: Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

Anne Stevenson, ‘The Mother’

Boyd, Restless

Ben Jonson, ‘On Spies’

Dawkins, The God Delusion

Carol Ann Duffy, ‘Prayer’

De Botton, Status Anxiety

Mary Oliver, ‘Wild Geese’

Dickens, Great Expectations

James Fenton, ‘The Ideal’

Dillon, My Epileptic Lurcher

Brown, ‘Glen, A Sheepdog’

Faulks, Birdsong

Wilfred Owen, ‘Strange Meeting’

Kay, The Sound of Laughter

John Hegley, ‘Pop and Me’

Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

John Burnside, ‘An Operating System’

Mantel, Wolf Hall

Sir Thomas Wyatt, ‘Whoso List to Hunt’

Morrison, And When Did You Last See Your Father?

W S Graham, ‘To Alexander Graham’

Pratchett, The Wintersmith

Kathleen Jamie, ‘Meadowsweet’

Seierstad, The Bookseller of Kabul

Partaw Naderi, ‘Relative’

Shaffer, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Dianne Wakoski, ‘Light’

Or – better still – ask your reading group to choose a poem that is a better match for the book. Nothing more enjoyable than explaining why these poems don’t fit your idea of a novel at all, but another poem is a much better fit!


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We hope that, using the Edinburgh City Libraries and Scottish Poetry Library resources, you enjoy developing an even richer programme of events and discussion for your library users – and get the satisfaction of expanding your own skills. Staff of Edinburgh City Libraries & Information Services should contact Annie Bell, Service Development, for advice on resources and further training around the formats in this Handbook. If you are not connected to ECLIS, please contact Lilias Fraser, Reader Development Officer at the Scottish Poetry Library. Enjoy working with poetry! Ryan Van Winkle Lilias Fraser


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from on the library it shone like an islay lock-in it shone like a boxful of butterflies it shone like a web at the wood's edge it shone like blazing hilltop victory it shone like the valley of last resort it shone like the story of you and me it shone all night Alasdair Paterson from on the governing of empires, Shearsman Books, 2010, & selected for Best Scottish Poems Online 2010, www.spl.org.uk
