I Chose to Listen – New Translations from Reel Festivals 2011 FREE DOWNLOAD

One of the most spectacular things I’ve had a chance to do recently was to work with a cohort of fantastic poets from Lebanon, Scotland and Syria on new translations of each others work. Some of you, I hope, were able to come to our readings in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Beirut. However, if you weren’t, these new translations should give you a taste of contemporary poetry from the region. You’ll also find brand-new work in both English and Arabic from our  friends Tom Pow, William Letford, and Emily Ballou. I also have a few poems inside there. I encourage you to check out this free book.

This free to download e-book (published in association with Forest Publications) features brand new English and Arabic poetry translations from collaboration and performance with the Reel Festivals poets.

From Syria, Golan Haji and Rasha Omran, from Lebanon, Yehya Jaber  and Mazen Maarouf and from Scotland, Tom Pow, Emily Ballou, William Letford and Ryan Van Winkle, along with beautiful Arabic Calligraphy by Everitte Barbee.

We are immensely thankful to Creative Scotland for making this book and all these outcomes possible through the Vital Sparks funding, to the British Council for their sponsorship and ongoing support and to the Scottish Poetry Library, Literature Across Frontiers and all Reel Festivals supporters. Some of these poems, artwork and an exclusive essay by Tom Pow originally appeared in ANON Magazine 8.

As the poet Andrew Philip said: ‘it fairly makes a difference when you know the poetry makes a difference’. We couldn’t agree more and hope you do too.

DJ Dolphin Boy – Ghazi by Reel Festivals

And new films from Roxana Vilk including this one with the mercurial Yehya Jaber:

The Confession a short film by Roxana Vilk from Roxana Vilk on Vimeo.

There’s lots more on the Reel Festivals website including writing from Bill Drummond, more films, live footage etc — make sure to check it out!

Degna Stone is an amazing poet whom I was very lucky to meet randomly at Luchars train station after the StAnza Festival in St. Andrews. You’ll feel lucky too. She’s making a lot of noise in Newcastle, has won a Northern Promise Award, and has been working with BBC’s ‘The Verb‘ as part of a new voices project. She is definitely one to hear. So, tune in friends — it is a pleasure to introduce you to Degna Stone.

*****

Ryan chats with the wonderful Degna Stone at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. They discuss feminism, rejecting poetry, rediscovering poetry, the relationship between a poet and her poetry, performance and developing as a writer. We also get the chance to hear a number of Degna’s poems. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser. Music by Ewen Maclean. Email: splpodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @anonpoetry

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Not only is Anna Crowe’s poetry intriguing, informed and captivatingly beautiful, but she’s also a fascinating and candid interview. If you are a fan of Anna’s — you’ll already want to hear this. However, if you just want to hear some new and wonderful poems – this is the podcast for your lucky ears.

Ryan chats with translator and poet Anna Crowe about her award winning pamphlet ‘Figure in Landscape’. Anna reads from the collection, discusses the need for distance in writing about place, the influence of art in poetry (especially Catalan artist Andreu Maimó) and the process of self-translation. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser. Music by Ewen Maclean. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @anonpoetry

One of the highlights of the Reel Festivals trip to Lebanon was getting to work and learn from Golan Haji. Golan, who lives in Syria, is a sensitive translator; a subtle, brave and unique poet. I interviewed him while we were in Beirut as we didn’t know if his visa for the UK would come through in time. At the time of the interview we were both keenly aware of the protests taking place in Syria. With this in mind — I hope you give a listen to this thoughtful voice. You can find more poetry, music, videos and blogs on the Reel Festivals site.

Ryan x

Listen Here:

Syrian poet Golan Haji joins Ryan in Beirut as part of the cultural collaboration festival of poetry, film and music Reel Festivals. They take some time out to chat about about poetry, translation, borders and politics.

Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Incidental music by Ewen Maclean. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine http://www.anonpoetry.co.uk and@anonpoetry.

Email: splpodcast@gmail.com

About Golan Haji

Golan Haji is a Syrian poet, with a postgraduate degree in pathology. He has published a number of books includingCalled in Darkness (2004), which won the ‘Al-Maghut’ prize in poetry, and Someone Sees You as a Monster (2008). His next collection, My Cold Faraway Home, will be published in Autumn 2011.  He has also translated various works into Arabic including the Scottish classic – Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He lives in Damascus.

• Golan’s poem, ‘Soldiers’ published in The Wolf Magazine
  

And Check Out

Andrew Philip’s blog from our poetry reading at the SPL. I’m grateful he summed up such a powerful reading in such a elegant way.

Interviewing the Chinese poet Yang Lian’s thoughtful translator — Brian Holton — was a fantastic experience for me. Translating, I feel, is an art equal to the creation of a poem and – also – it is act that requires more faith, more worry, and more risk if you ‘get it wrong’. Holton’s translations are sensitive, imaginitve and creatively solve the problems inherent in working between two very different languages and styles. His ability to capture Yang Lian’s voice is illustrated here in this podcast. It was an absoloute pleasure to sit with Brian and I hope you’ll enjoy it too.

– Ryan

We chat with the illuminating Brian Holton at the StAnza poetry festival in St Andrews. He gives us the chance to hear some of his superb translations into English and Scots of the Chinese poet Yang Lian and he discusses translation, ideas of exile and the evolution of modern Chinese poetry with Reader in Residence Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine http://www.anonpoetry.co.uk@anonpoetry Music by Ewen Maclean. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com

David Briggs visits the SPL Podcast on the first stop on his Virtual Book Tour for ‘The Method Men”. David is a great guy and poet and was kind enough to read at the Golden Hour when we were in Bristol a while back. If you want to hear something new, something good —

Have a Listen:

“Ryan chats to Bristol based poet David Briggs about selling his blood, new age travellers, owning his own bar and the intricacies of assembling a poetry collection. Featuring readings from David’s book The Method Men, published by Salt.”

Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Incidental music by Ewen Maclean. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine http://www.anonpoetry.co.uk and @anonpoetry.

Email: splpodcast@gmail.com

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About David Briggs

David Briggs was born in 1972, and grew up in the New Forest. He received an Eric Gregory Award in 2002, and has placed poems in magazines (print and online), including Poetry Life, Poetry Wales, Agenda Broadsheets, Limelight, The Guardian and Notes From the Underground. His work has also featured as a Showcase in Magma, in the anthology Reactions 5, edited by Clare Pollard, and on BBC Radio Bristol. He gained a commendation in the 2007 National Poetry Competition, and four poems were selected for the Bloodaxe anthology Identity Parade, edited by Roddy Lumsden. In the hours between sitting down to write, he is Head of English at the Grammar School in Bristol.

• Read more from David on his blog
  

We recommend…

	The Method Men by David Briggs  Salt Publishing, 2010 The Method Men explores, in a sometimes disarmingly personal way, what Larkin referred to as ‘a style our lives bring with them’ — what we are, and how that came to be.
	Identity Parade edited by Roddy Lumsden  Bloodaxe Books, 2010 New British and Irish poetry at a time of great vibrancy and variety.

Find out more…

• Search SPL catalogue and borrow these items

Related links…

• More about The Method Men from the Salt Publishing website

Practically everyone knows of Emily Dickinson and many have an opinion about what makes her so fascinating — is it her that intrigues us or or is it her work? I’m particularly proud of this podcast mostly thanks to the articulate and interesting Dickinson experts and fans I got to speak with and who, I hope, will inspire you to look at Dickinson again. Also, there are some lovely readings by our friend Emily Ballou who, allegedly, is something of a Dickinson fanatic. Enjoy the show!

We visit Amherst, Massachusetts, home of Emily Dickinson, where Ryan talks with Dickinson experts Tevis Kimble, curator of special collections at the Jones Library, Emily Dickinson House director Jane Wald as well as the charming poet and tour guide Henk Rossouw.

Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine. Twitter: @byleaveswelive & @anonpoetry. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com

Or subscribe without iTunes (RSS)

Listen now…

Or download as MP3.

First published Sunday 16 January, 2011

About Emily Dickinson

“Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was a poet with an exceptional ability to distill ‘amazing sense’ from ‘ordinary meanings.’ Her poetry is now considered among the finest in the English language.

Yet much about this fascinating figure’s life and work is misunderstood. Often caricatured in popular culture as a white-clad recluse who poured out morbid verse in the sanctuary of her bedroom, Emily Dickinson was a serious artist whose intellectual curiosity and emotional intensity are revealed in concise and compelling poems that capture a range of human experiences.”

Text: © www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org

• Read much more about Emily Dickinson at www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org

About Jane Wald

Jane Wald is the Director of the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, Mass. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College, studied historical archaeology at the College of William and Mary and received a graduate degree in American history from Princeton University. Prior to her tenure at the Emily Dickinson Museum, Wald served as assistant director of development and marketing at Old Sturbridge Village and director of The Evergreens, under the Martha Dickinson Bianchi Trust. Upon the merger of the Homestead and The Evergreens in 2003, she became the museum’s associate director.

About Tevis Kimball

Tevis Kimball is the curator of special collections at Jones Library, Amherst, where she is also acting Director.

• Jones Library website
  

About Henk Rossouw

Henk lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S.A., where he’s studying towards his MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Massachusetts. Currently, he works as an adviser to undergraduate students.

• More about Henk
• Henk Rossouw reads his poem in Times Square as part of Bright Lights Big Verse, sponsored by the Poetry Society of America and the Times Square Alliance. September 29, 2009.

Related links…

We are delighted to have Emily Ballou read Emily Dickinson’s poems on this podcast. You can listen to Emily Ballou’s podcast in our archive.

“You follow the red road and it leads you to the empty inn” – Rimbaud

Award winning Scottish poet Tom Pow takes us on a tour of his remarkable Dying Villages poetry project which was exhibited here at the Scottish Poetry Library last year. The project is aimed at responding in poetry and prose to the social, ecological and cultural effects of demographic changes on villages in Europe. Check out http://www.dyingvillages.com or Tom’s own site http://www.tompow.co.uk

Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine. Twitter: @byleaveswelive & @anonpoetry. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com

Or subscribe without iTunes (RSS)

Listen now…

Or download as MP3.

First published Sunday 9 January, 2011

About Tom Pow

Tom Pow was born in Edinburgh and now lives in Dumfries. He was poet in residence at the StAnza poetry festival in 2005. He has published several books for children, and the record of a poets’ correspondence and poems, Sparks!, with Diana Hendry. Landscapes and Legacies (iynx, 2003), his fourth collection of poems, was short-listed for the Scottish Arts Council’s Book of the year Award. Dear Alice: Narratives of Madness (Salt, 2007) won the poetry category in the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Book Awards 2009, in partnership with the Scottish Arts Council. His latest book is In The Becoming: New and Selected Poems (Polygon 2009).

In 2007, he was given a Creative Scotland Award for a project concerning dying villages in Europe. He is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Glasgow University, Dumfries; lectures for Lancaster University on its Distance Learning MA in Creative Writing; and is a registered member of the Scottish Storytelling Network.

• Tom’s website

About Dying Villages

By 2030 it is estimated that Europe will have lost one third of its population. It is already an ageing population with a low birthrate. The effect of this demographic change – the greatest since the Black Death – will be felt most acutely in rural areas. In 2007, Tom received a Creative Scotland Award from the Scottish Arts Council for a project aimed at responding in poetry and prose to the social, ecological and cultural effects of demographic changes on villages in Europe.

In 2007 and 2008, he made trips to affected areas in Spain, France, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia and Greece. The Dying Village website reflects these trips in sound, image, interviews and artworks.

Dying Villages is an ongoing project. Related works of poetry and prose will appear elsewhere.

Dying Villages website

Rob A. Mackenzie

We chat with Rob A. Mackenzie, author of The Opposite Of Cabbage (Salt), associate editor at Magma magazine and organiser of the monthly Poetry At… series. Rob discusses what he’s working on at the moment, his views on criticism and the poetry industry and we get to hear a few of his recent poems. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine. Twitter: @byleaveswelive & @anonpoetry. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com

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Listen now…

Or download as MP3.

First published Tuesday 14 December, 2010

About Rob A Mackenzie

Rob A. Mackenzie was born and brought up in Glasgow. He received a law degree from Aberdeen University and then abandoned the possibility of significant personal wealth by switching to theology at Edinburgh University. He wrote over seven hundred songs and doubled on guitar and saxophone for cult art-rock bands Pure Television and Plastic Chicken. Despite airplay on Radio Scotland and a rash of gigs in tiny Glasgow pubs, he failed miserably to achieve rock stardom. He spent a year in Seoul, eight years in a Lanarkshire housing scheme, five years in Turin, and now lives in Edinburgh with his wife and daughter where he organises the Poetry at the… reading series by night and works as a Church of Scotland minister by day. His pamphlet collection, The Clown of Natural Sorrow, was published by HappenStance Press in 2005 and The Opposite of Cabbage by Salt in 2009. His poems, articles and criticism have featured in many literary publications over the last decade or so. He is an associate editor with Magma magazine. He blogs at Surroundings and at the Magma blog

• Rob’s blog, Surroundings
• Magma blog
  

  We recommend…

  	The Opposite of Cabbage by Rob A. Mackenzie Salt Publishing, 2009 Rob’s first full collection (launched here at the library in March 2009) of which Happenstance publisher Helena Nelson said ” Restrained, intelligent, quietly ironic poems, so precise and assured in their craft that they sometimes sail into liquid light.” SPL shelfmark: 3.Macken.
  	The Clown of Natural Sorrow by Rob A. Mackenzie Happenstance Press, 2005 Rob’s debut pamphlet from award-winning Happenstance Press is completely sold out, but we have copies for you to borrow and browse here in the library. SPL shelfmark: p 3.Macken.

  

Related links…

• Salt Publishing website

• Happenstance Press website
• More about the event series Rob curates, Poetry At…

Tessa was the founding director of the SPL — that magical place of all things good about poetry. We had a lovely and graciously long chat over tea and I do hope you’ll enjoy listening!

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In a special double podcast extravaganza, Ryan chats with founding director of the Scottish Poetry Library, Tessa Ransford. In part one, they discuss the founding of the Library and Tessa’s own memories of the Edinburgh poetry scene including Norman MacCaig. In part two Tessa talks about the early days of the library, the opening event in 1984 and its role in the invention of Vegetarian Haggis, the Iain Crichton Smith poem which inspired the new building and we get to hear a few of her poems. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle.

Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine. Twitter: @byleaveswelive & @anonpoetry. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com

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Part 1:

Or download as MP3.

First published Tuesday 1 December, 2010

Part 2:

Or download as MP3.

First published Thursday 4 December, 2010

About Tessa Ransford

Tessa Ransford was born in India, educated in Scotland and has lived all her adult life in Scotland apart from eight years working in Pakistan in the 1960s.

She has published sixteen books of poems since the mid-seventies, the most recent being Not Just Moonshine, her ‘New and Selected Poems’ from Luath Press, Edinburgh, 2008.

Tessa has led a busy working life as founder/director of the Scottish Poetry Library since it opened in 1984 until after its establishment in new premises in 1999, as founder/organiser of the School of Poets poetry workshop (1981-99) and as editor of Lines Review poetry magazine from 1988 until its final issue, number 144 in 1998. Poems, essays and articles have been published in many magazines and anthologies and in translation. She is now working as a freelance poetry adviser and practitioner, with special interest in relating poetry to those working creatively in other fields.

Tessa was a fellow of Royal Literary Fund (working since 2001 at the Centre for Human Ecology in Edinburgh) and another RLF fellowship (2006-8) at Queen Margaret University. She set up the Callum Macdonald Memorial Award to encourage the publishing of poetry in pamphlets. It organises an annual Christmas pamphlet fair with the support of the National Library of Scotland and other sales/fairs for pamphlets throughout the year. She was president of International PEN, Scottish Centre, as from September 2003 to the end of 2006 and the commencement of its 80th anniversary year. Luath Press, Edinburgh has recently published her New and Selected Poems: Not Just Moonshine.

Related links..

• Scottish Pamphlet Poetry
• International PEN, Scottish Centre
• Tessa’s website
• Read Alexander Hutchison’s poem, ‘Surprise, Surprise’ about haggis, vegetarian and otherwise, in our Best Scottish Poems 2008