Robert Burns
Robert Burns is Scotland’s historic national bard. His life, poetry and songs are celebrated each year on his birthday, 25 January, with Burns Supper events featuring poetry, haggis, whisky and bagpipes.
SQA Texts:
- Composed in AugustHigher
- A Red, Red RoseNational 5
Imtiaz Dharker
Born in Pakistan, Imtiaz Dharker grew up in Glasgow and now lives between India, London and Wales.
SQA Texts:
Carol Ann Duffy
First female, first Scottish Poet Laureate in the role's 400 year history, Duffy's combination of tender and tough, humour and lyric, jaded and curious, idiosyncratic and conventional has won her a very wide audience of readers and listeners.
SQA Texts:
- OriginallyNational 5Higher
- Mrs MidasNational 5Higher
- MedusaNational 5Higher
- In Mrs Tilscher’s ClassNational 5Higher
- HavishamNational 5Higher
- Before You Were MineNational 5Higher
Kathleen Jamie
Kathleen Jamie is a poet, essayist and travel writer. In August 2021, Jamie was appointed Scotland’s Makar (national poet).
SQA Texts:
- What the Clyde said, after COP26Higher
- The Morrow-birdHigher
- Song of SundayHigher
- OspreysHigher
- Mr and Mrs Scotland Are DeadHigher
- Crossing the LochHigher
Jackie Kay
Jackie Kay was born and brought up in Scotland. She was awarded an MBE in 2006, and was Scotland’s Makar from 2016-2021.
SQA Texts:
- Whilst Leila SleepsNational 5
- Maw Broon Visits a TherapistNational 5
- Keeping OrchidsNational 5
- Grandpa’s SoupNational 5
- Gap YearNational 5
- DarlingNational 5
Liz Lochhead
Appointed Scots Makar from 2011 to 2016, Liz Lochhead is both transgressive and popular; as Anne Varty wrote, ‘her work is that of one woman speaking to many, and one person speaking for many’.
SQA Texts:
- The Spaces BetweenHigher
- Sorting ThroughHigher
- My Rival’s HouseHigher
- Last SupperHigher
- For my Grandmother KnittingHigher
- Box RoomHigher
Norman MacCaig
A poet who divided his life and the attention of his poetry between Assynt in the West Highlands, and the city of Edinburgh, Norman MacCaig combined ‘precise observation with creative wit’, and wrote with a passion for clarity.
SQA Texts:
- On Lachie’s croftNational 5Higher
- Old Highland womanNational 5Higher
- Landscape and INational 5Higher
- Hotel Room, 12th FloorNational 5Higher
- Basking SharkNational 5Higher
- Aunt JuliaNational 5Higher
Edwin Morgan
Morgan was Glasgow’s first Poet Laureate 1999-2002, and the first to hold the post of Scots Makar, created by the Scottish Executive in 2004 to recognise the achievement of Scottish poets throughout the centuries.
SQA Texts:
- TrioNational 5
- StrawberriesNational 5
- LoveNational 5
- In the snack-barNational 5
- Glasgow Sonnet iNational 5
- Death in Duke StreetNational 5
Don Paterson
Since the appearance of his first collection in 1993, Don Paterson has emerged a major poet, as well as an important anthologist, editor and critic.
SQA Texts:
- Why Do You Stay Up So Late?Higher
- Waking with RussellHigher
- The ThreadHigher
- The Swing.Higher
- The CircleHigher
- 11:00: BaldovanHigher
Click below for the National 5 and Higher Collection poems. Click here for learning resources for these poems, or look for the link at the bottom of each poem’s page.
