Best Scottish Poems 2022

Our guest editors' selections of the Best Scottish Poems of 2022 in English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots.

People's Address to World Leaders

From lines submitted by the public, our national Makar Kathleen Jamie has produced The Scottish People's Address to World Leaders

What rhymes with chlorophyll?

During October and November of this year, Edinburgh Napier University and the Scottish Poetry Library, embarked on an innovative journey. ‘Science Communication through Poetry‘ was not just an educational programme; it was a bridge connecting two worlds.

Remembering John Byrne at the SPL

In 2004 John Byrne selected his favourite poems from our shelves and wrote an essay discussing his choices. Click below to open the PDF.

Nothing But The Poem - Kei Miller

“Kei Miller is a poet who tells his stories in the haunting voices of Jamaica’s underprivileged. His tales are stories that haven’t been told; they call out from the pages to be heard by Caribbean readers and by the wider world.”

Pamphlet Fair 2023

Come along to browse and buy poetry pamphlets, periodicals and zines from some of Scotland’s incredible independent presses. A unique selection of Christmas gifts you cannot buy anywhere else!

Makar's Library Tour

Kathleen Jamie launches The Bonniest Company: Makar's Library Tour

Events in the library

Our programme of readings and workshops has something for every lover of poetry.

Refuge: National Poetry Day theme

This year's theme for NPD was Refuge. We commissioned Roxana Vilk to produce a short film on Palestinian-heritage poet Ghazi Hussein, who came to Scotland in 2000 seeking political asylum from Syria.

Nothing But The Poem - Douglas Dunn

In this Nothing But The Poem podcast, regular host Sam Tongue and the NBTP group appraise 3 of Douglas Dunn’s poems. The poems span almost 5 decades: from Terry Street in 1969 to his most recent collection in 2017.

New lesson plans for schools

We commissioned teacher and poet Aoife Lyall to produce poetry lesson plans for secondary schools in Scotland

A virtual tour of the poetry library

A tour and potted history of the Scottish Poetry Library. Learn about our founding in 1984, along with the invention of vegetarian haggis.

Poetry for wellbeing toolkits

Find out how easy it is to run a poetry workshop with our free toolkits. Written in collaboration with poets John Glenday and Marjori Lotfi.

Join our Friends scheme

Our membership scheme is a fantastic gift for someone who loves poetry and Scotland’s literature

Buy as well as borrow

The SPL has an online bookshop. We have curated a selection of new releases, familiar favourites and anthologies covering a broad range of poetic styles and themes.

Hai-àidh! #3

Am mìos-sa tha Meg Bateman agus Pàdraig MacAoidh a’ còmhradh air ‘Aig an Fhaing’ le Anna Frater agus ‘Duan an Dannsair’ le Flòraidh NicPhàil.