Best Scottish Poems 2017

Editor’s Introduction

I was delighted and surprised to be asked to select my Scottish poems of 2017. I have been going to the Scottish Poetry library regularly since it began, to absorb some of the ideas on the shelves, and to chisel away at my own words, which usually end up in my songs. It is a fantastic resource and space.

I never enjoyed poetry in school, I never understood why you had to analyse the meaning. I preferred songs. I liked to live in the mystery! Songs lead you back to poetry eventually, though. At 18 I fell heavily under the spell of all the Beat-era poets – Richard Brautigan especially. Frank O’Hara was another favourite, and Jack Gilbert. They opened up a new way of thinking and describing, which helped me on my journey as a songwriter.

In my early 20s I discovered George Mackay Brown, who remains maybe my favourite poet. I worked my way through all the poets from Sandy Moffat’s ‘Poet Pub’ painting: Norman MacCaig, Sorley Maclean, and Edwin Morgan, who made a lasting impression. I worked a little bit with Edwin Morgan from 2002 until 2007. Edwin used to send me ideas for lyrics and we’d try to turn them into songs. This idea eventually spawned an album, Ballads of the Books, where a selection of Scottish poets wrote the words for a collection of Scottish bands. It was a very interesting record, and we’re talking about doing another possibly. Edwin’s poem ‘Scottish Fiction’ also appears in a song by my band Idlewild. He was an inspirational man who I’m very glad to have met and spent some time with. These Scottish poets cemented my new love of poetry, which I now consider, twenty years of reading down the line, when done truthfully and well, to be one of the purest forms of art.

I’m still discovering, though – Hera Lindsay Bird is a recent favorite. I’m drawn to vagueness I must say. I see poetry, like lyrics, as patterns made with words.

Reading all of the Scottish poems published in one year was a big task. Daunting, even. I came across many styles of poetry that I hadn’t read before. I took my time with it, and read everything over a few times. I suppose I’m more interested in the way the poems make me feel rather than technical skill. I’m very impressed by anyone that can set out and write a collection of poetry though; I never could. My words hang around melodies, which is a very effective mask! All the poets I’m reading have my utmost respect. Poetry is a brave and noble creative act.