Peter Mackay: Messing with words: a poetry workshop

Messing with words: collaborations, responses, translations, betrayals

Writing doesn’t have to be ‘strange loneliness’ - in Seamus Heaney’s words – but can also involves poets working together, or in response to each other, between languages or within the same language, to share that loneliness, or make it strange together. In this workshop we will explore different kinds of poetic non-aloneness, and ways of creating with other people (or indeed creating at entirely cross-purposes with someone else). Bring with you: a couple of words that have particular resonance for you (as words from your family, from a private language, from a love relationship) that you won’t mind sharing.

Peter’s Bio:

‘S ann à Leòdhas a tha Pàdraig MacAoidh, agus chaidh dà leabhar bàrdachd leis fhoillseachadh le Acair – Gu Leòr (2015) agus Nàdur De (2020) – agus pamflaid le Clutag Press, From another island (2010). ’S e àrd-ollamh aig Oilthigh Chill Rìmhinn a th’ann agus ann an 2024 chaidh ainmeachadh Makar na h-Alba.

Peter Mackay is a poet, broadcaster, translator and lecturer. He has two collections of poetry with Acair – Galore (2015) and Some Kind of (2020) – and a pamphlet, From another island (2010), with Clutag Press. Originally from the Isle of Lewis, he lives in Edinburgh and is a Professor in the School of English at the University of St Andrews. In 2024 he was appointed Scottish Makar.

Free but ticket event, only 10 spaces: