WHAT’S THE STORY?

THE poet Stuart A Paterson will publish a new paperback book at the end of next month which will feature poetry in Scots aimed at younger people.

Entitled A Squatter o’ Bairn Rhymes, the anthology is being published by Tippermuir Books, the innovative publishing house based in Perthshire, and will be available on Amazon and at all good bookshops, as the saying goes.

It’s the latest in a line of Paterson works in Scots, and there’s more to come. He has been given support to produce more work at a time when he is in lockdown and unable to perform poetry readings, which made up a large part of his work and income.

He is one of a number of Scots poets who are meeting the very challenging circumstances of lockdown with words.

WHO IS STUART A PATERSON?

BORN in Kilmarnock and now living in Dumfries and Galloway, Paterson is the former poet in residence for BBC Scotland.

His poetry collections include Mulaney of Larne and other poems (University of Leiden, Scottish Writers series, 1991), Saving Graces (Diehard, 1997), Border Lines (Indigo Dreams, 2015), and Aye (Tapsalteerie, 2016), poems in Scots, Looking South (Indigo Dreams, 2017), and Heelster-gowdie / beul-fo-bhonn (Tapsalteerie, 2017) with Marcas Mac an Tuairneir. He is also an external verifier for the SQA Scots language awards, the only non-teacher to hold such a post.

He achieved fame in 2018 when he persuaded the Holyrood Parliament to sing Paper Roses, the anthem of his beloved Kilmarnock FC, during an event to mark the “Football Memories” project that has been pioneered by Alzheimer Scotland and was started by Jim Mackintosh, poet in residence

at St Johnstone FC – there are now 150 groups involved in the project which tackles dementia across Scotland.

WHAT IS LOCKDOWN DOING TO HIM?

“I HAD a lot of things lined up but they had to go, obviously. But I’ve never been busier with my writing,” Paterson said. “It’s just a question of doing things differently and a lot of artists are finding new ways of working.

“There is also support out there for writers and artists but there should be more publicity about these schemes.”

Paterson is also involved with Luminate Scotland, the national creative ageing organisation. Luminate@Home is their new programme of online creative activities and Paterson invited people to “come away in for a blether,” and advise on making and sending a “Postcard of You” to those who’ll be missing you.

Luminate said: “Created during the coronavirus outbreak, these activities are designed for older people who are isolated at home or in a care home.

“We hope they are a fun way for people to stay connected and active. A new film will be posted at 2pm on Tuesdays and Fridays.”

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO SUPPORT WRITERS IN SCOTS?

THERE is no better example than the Scots Language Publication Grant scheme. Funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Scottish Book Trust, the Scots Language Publication Grant was created by the Scots Language Resource Network to support Scots publishers and to encourage Scots writers.

Paterson is one of the first people to be given such a grant. Chapman Publishing is producing his latest collection Wheen, New and Selected Poems in Scots.

The Scottish Book Trust says: “The poems themselves, and the poet as performer, will demonstrate both the potency and versatility of the language and its unique ability to inspire both the human heart – and the head. They will move and stimulate the listener – and engage the most critical of readers.”

Paterson commented: “I am absolutely delighted: personal recognition apart, this grant demonstrates a real public awareness of the importance of Scots Language to the whole community of Scotland – and beyond.”

CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF HIS WORK?

PATERSON has a wealth of poetry going back decades, as is shown by his books listed earlier. This one is called Routine:

The claes are din an oot the bine

an hingin oan the waashin line,

the messages delivered, dichtit,

dishes steeped an rubbish liftit.

Ah’ve been ma daily oor-long dauner

joukin oot the wey o joggers,

hoovered, dustit every room

attendit fower meets oan Zoom,

made shair the weans logged intae schuil,

logged in masel tae pey the bills,

bocht umpteen things aff Amazon,

switched aff Sky News tae no feel thrawn.

The cludgie’s scrubbed, the dinner’s prepped,

the loabby’s mopped, the pads are swept,

the grass is cut, the flooers wattered.

it’s jist midday.

An noo Ah’m hattered!

ANY MORE WE SHOULD READ?

HERE is an excerpt from Vaccination:

From Brora to Borgue

from Stranraer to St. Cyrus

we’re day-to-day dealing

with more than a virus.

How many crisps can

a three-year-old scran?

How many Dettol Wipes

maketh the man?

It’s known we evolve with

the threats which define us

& sometimes become them.

Be vaccine, not virus.