Bards in the Bog
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Launched in February 2009, the Bards in the Bog project displays original poetry in Shetland's public toilets. In 2010 we are continuing the project with a special round of poems to celebrate the Hamefarin - read them below or in a toilet near you! |
Putting Bards in the Bog: read how we did it (from Scottish Poetry Library website)
All 24 poems selected by Jen Hadfield have now been published in a book to celebrate the Bards project. It was launched on 19th November 2009 - World Toilet Day - and all profits will go to the World Toilet Organisation. Price is £5, available from Shetland Library. NEWS FLASH - special offer for Summer 2010 - buy 3 copies for £10!
Bards in the Bog book: mail order form (could Mr Hirst who ordered books please contact us with your full address? thanks!)
Bards in the Bog: the Hamefarin 2010 six |
E-mail Address / Website |
| Armitage Shanks by Andy Jackson, Dundee | a.z.jackson@dundee.ac.uk |
| Welcome home brother by Angela Sutherland, Shetland | |
| Spectres by Donald S. Murray, Shetland | dsmurraya@yahoo.co.uk |
| Immigrant by James Sinclair, Shetland | |
| Come ben trow by Mary Blance, Shetland | mary@thesletts.demon.co.uk |
| Northsick by Sheila Templeton, Troon | sheilatempleton@btinternet.com |
Bards in the Bog: thanks to everyone who helped!
Photos below (click to enlarge): the book was unveiled at Shetland Library on World Toilet Day by poet Jen Hadfield. The event next evening to celebrate it featured four local Bards - James Sinclair, Jim Mainland, Susan Pearson and Keith Adam - and two volunteer readers, Silvija Crook and Caroline Henderson. Between them they read all the poems from the book. Apt and amusing music was provided by Milford Georgeson and Trevor Jamieson.
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Bards in the Bog: the (not quite) final six |
E-mail Address / Website |
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| Vowel Soonds, Shetland by Dowell Manson, Shetland | ||
| When I travelled from the Country to the City by Chrissie Gittins, London |
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| I am the Bard of the Bog by John R.S. Lyth, Glasgow | ||
| Pee Fever by Keith Adam, Shetland |
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| Cold Feet by Maggie Bevan | magrite29@hotmail.co.uk |
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| Da Hill by Susan Pearson, Shetland |
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Bards in the Bog: selected poems, Round Three |
E-mail Address / Website |
| Callum o'my heart by Andrew Lane, Surrey | pianoman.ajl@virgin.net |
| Journeyman by David Weir, Cumbria | dweir@runbox.com |
| Pigeon by Jane Patience, Glasgow | jane@patience1.demon.co.uk |
| Prestidigitator by Jim Mainland, Shetland | jamesmainland@shetland.gov.uk |
| Gutter gourmet by Winston Plowes, West Yorkshire | winstonplowes@googlemail.com |
| Deep-fried flip-flops by Rebecca Zugor, Chichester |
Bards in the Bog: selected poems, Round Two |
E-mail Address / Website |
| On the aerial by Alison Brackenbury, Cheltenham | www.alisonbrackenbury.co.uk/ |
| Three ways to imitate a great spotted woodpecker by Heather Reid, Perthshire | hsreid@easynet.co.uk |
| Slug by Gill Learner, Berkshire | www.poetrypf.co.uk/gilllearnerpage.html |
| Eisenhower's Mother by Michael Malone, Ayr | http://mickmal1.blogspot.com |
| Within reach by Michael Malone, Ayr | http://mickmal1.blogspot.com |
| BEE WARE by Anne Kenny, Shetland |
Bards in the Bog: selected poems, Round One |
E-mail Address |
| Old men's ears by Duncan Jones, Lincoln | |
| Smile and the world smiles with you by Giles Conisbee, Nr Pitlochry | gconisbee@hotmail.com |
| Daughters by James Sinclair, Shetland | |
| Sgurr nan Gillean by Andrew Lane, Surrey | pianoman.ajl@virgin.net |
| Seamaa's breakfast by Sheila Templeton, Troon | sheilatempleton@btinternet.com |
| Walt Disney by M C Johnsonburger, Lowestoft |
Jen Hadfield said of her first selection: “Settling on six poems out of the 130 or so sent in was very very difficult. The folder included poems that were hilarious, weighty, experimental, formal, satiric, playful. I set myself to choose great poems that also demonstrated the stylistic variety of the submissions. There should be something for everyone.”
The launch of the Bards in the Bog project, February 2009: press release
The first year of Bards in the Bog was a Poet Partner project supported by Shetland Library, Shetland Arts, the Scottish Poetry Library and Paul Hamlyn Trust.
As our Poet Partner, Jen also selected a special poetry collection for our stock and wrote two leaflets about her choices. Read or download them here: Jen Hadfield leaflet One Jen Hadfield Leaflet Two
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Shetland Islands Council |