BurnedThumb

Website of poet Elizabeth Rimmer

Events

Merry is Maytime

Or it was. The last few weeks have been delightful, warm and sunny. This week has been cooler and cloudy, and today the only word for it is dreich. But the garden has bulked out, and I’ve already harvested and dried sage and thyme for the winter. And I’ve achieved an ambition I’ve had for forty-five years, in that I’ve candied angelica stems.

To be exact, I’ve cracked how to candy angelica stems, just not why. They smell fresh and sweet and inviting when you cut them, but the after-taste is definitely weird.

Many birds have fledged in the last fortnight. One day there were blue tits everywhere, then the lawn was full of squawking starlings. There were robins and dunnocks hopping among the herbs and fruit bushes, and yesterday some new and shiny goldfinches on the greenhouse roof. And I’ve already seen more butterflies this year than last, including orange tips, which are extending their range into Scotland as the earth gets warmer.

I haven’t been out and about as much this year as last. Some of this is down to family events – illness, house moves, a ballet exam and an escaped snake (don’t even ask, it’s been re-homed now) – but some of it has been actual poetry. I’ve had poems accepted for four anthologies and for the on-line journal Interlitq, which will be out shortly. I’ve written a couple of reviews, and there’s another in progress. The results for the Vernal Equinox Poetry Competition which I’ve been judging are in and will be made public as soon as the winners are notified. I’m very excited to find out who they are, because the standard of entries this year has been very high. And the Federation of Writers (Scotland) very kindly gave me this:

I am so honoured and so grateful.

Also, two new writers’ groups have been started in Stirling, one for writing poetry and one for supporting and promoting creative writing, which will meet some long-felt needs. After a long period of turbulence and transition, I’m beginning to feel that my writing life has some solid foundations, and it is such a satisfaction.

So, in spite of today’s drizzle and the wall to wall grey outside, I’m looking forward to the summer!

May 27, 2016
Federation of Writers (Scotland)

I’ve been a member of the Federation for several years. I’ve read at open mikes, I’ve been to meetings, I’ve engaged with the facebook page, and, as I’ve mentioned once or twice, I have the honour to be this year’s makar.

I wrote about the Fed in March 2011 – you’ll find it here. That was a great night and summed up what this organisation has meant for me. Although I’ve been writing something or other most of my life, there was a long time when poetry wasn’t happening, and when even the live-the-dream self-help books tell you no-one will publish your poetry unless you have a ‘story’, you don’t have much hope it ever will. And yet —

Last time I started writing, I didn’t know what contemporary poetry was like. If I hadn’t found Kenneth White’s Bird Path, I wouldn’t have thought I could even write it. I certainly had no idea whether I was any good, or whether anyone would be interested. Three things happened. The first was the friendship of Sally Evans, who was my first publisher. Once you know Sally, you gradually get to know everyone, because she will invite you to everything that is happening (poetry writing group this morning!), and I began to realise that writing is a very live, active and diverse thing here in Scotland. Then there was Stirling Writers under the tuition of Chris Powici (now editor of Northwords Now). It didn’t matter how raw and unfinished your work was, he could find the three good words on the page, and help you to see why they were good, and what you could do with them to make something work.

And the third was the Federation. This organisation is FREE to join, and completely open access. Here you could meet writers of all genres and at all levels, from the people who had just joined their first writing group to people with several publications and prize-winning careers behind them. You’d get all the news, all the contacts, a chance to present and advertise your work, your events, your projects, and make some good friends. I found it was a safe place to try my wings, a grounding, supporting and encouraging experience, and it was enormously helpful to me.

This year, as Makar, I’ve judged the poetry competition, and it has been a delight. We have so many good creative, truly inventive poets here, as well as a lot who are still perfecting their craft (but who will be pretty exciting in a year or two) and some who are still feeling their way. There is so much to be proud of.

But the organisation is showing signs of strain. The newsletter, which goes out to over 1000 people, comes out every fortnight, and must take enormous amounts of work. The facebook page has over 2000 people engaged. There is a website which has to be maintained and updated, and there is a committee which has been holding the whole enterprise together, and which depends on members to keep it running. This year several committee members have to stand down, and volunteers are urgently needed. If you can give any time, any admin, financial or social media skills, please think about standing. The details of the AGM are here:

AGM and Open Mic Wednesday 25 May 7-9pm

McTurk Room

Waxy O’Connor’s

44 West George Street

Glasgow G1 1DQ

Please make a note of the AGM date. It’s really important to come along and have your say which this year you can do in two ways: by voting on issues raised and by reading a poem or two in the open mic slots we’re having this year.

The McTurk function room is downstairs from the main bar. Anyone who cannot manage stairs please use the Buchanan St. Entrance and let a member of staff know that you require the lift. Someone will assist you on the staff lift.

Bookings for slots at the open mic should be made through Finola Scott. finolascott@yahoo.com

And I hope to see you there.

May 20, 2016
#Deranged Poetess

The #derangedpoetess debate seemed to me important on several levels. It wasn’t only that Oliver Thring seemed to me to be condescending to Sarah Howe as a poet and an academic, nor that he dismissed a lot of reasoned and specific criticism as the work of ‘deranged poetesses’. The very fact that such an interview of a prize-winning poet – the equivalent of a who made your dress to an Oscar winning actor – was deemed appropriate in a serious literary column is demeaning to poetry itself. It implies that the readers of The Times cannot be assumed to be interested in the actual poems, and have to be sweetened with discussions about the pretty girl’s nice house and family background.

If you would like an example of how I wish Thring had treated the subject, here is the equivalent column in The Honest Ulsterman.

The meme on twitter is a distant memory now, but the issues remain, and I know a lot of people are still engaged in the debate. Some of us wore paper stickers at StAnza, but I wanted something more permanent. So I asked my daughter NMRimmer to design me some artwork, and she has posted it on Redbubble so that it can be printed on demand, if anyone would like it –

https://www.redbubble.com/people/turnupthedial/works/21296068-deranged-poetess

You can get heavy duty stickers, at reasonable prices, but also, redbubble being what it is, mugs and posters and laptop cases.

However, I have also had some button badges printed.

I got a hundred done, relatively cheaply, and I will take a pocketfull wherever I go, and give them to people, if they’d like one – at least until this batch runs out. This means Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow in the near future, but I’ll also give some to Sheila Wakefield so that Newcastle people can get some too. I’m willing to post them to people who will send me their address, but as it would cost about £1 even for a single one, perhaps you might request a few to pass around?

If there’s still demand when the first batch is done, I’d be willing to reorder, but would have to charge 30p for each of them

April 1, 2016
Two Readings and a Review

As part of the Red Squirrel Tenth Anniversary celebrations, there will be a launch event for four poets – Anne Connolly, Andy Jackson Chris Powici and myself – on the 12th April in the Scottish Writers Centre, CCA, Sauchiehall Street Glasgow, from 7-9 pm. You can find full details here.

And there will be a batch of squirrel cookies. Lemon, possibly, or maybe maple spice. I’m open to suggestions!

On Monday April 25th, the Federation of Writers group in Edinburgh will be holding an event called Meet the Makar at the Merlin in Morningside. I’ll be there, but there will also be three previous Makars of the Federation – AC Clarke, Sheila Templeton and Anne Connolly, as well as poet, story writer and harpist Rita Bradd – it is shaping up to be a wonderful evening.

The latest issue of Northwords Now is on-line. It has some truly wonderful work in it this time, so much that I don’t want to pick out individual authors, because I would forget someone. But I do want to highlight a project that has been running in Glasgow for a while. AC Clarke, Maggie Rabatski and Sheila Templeton have got together to write poems in three versions – English Gaelic and Scots. One of these poems is published here in its three manifestations. I’ve been fascinated by this project ever since I heard about it – how each of the poets and each of the languages strike resonances from each other, and I am delighted to see it here.

However, vanity compels me to add that there is a review of The Territory of Rain by Stuart B Campbell on page 30. I can only say I am honoured and very grateful that my work should have received such generous and perceptive attention.

March 30, 2016
The Territory of Rain – the Edinburgh Launch

Here we are in the Scottish Poetry Library’s new reading space, on Saturday. Outside it is snowing, and the wind is blowing from the east along the Royal Mile, but we are warm, dry and full of good writing and squirrel cookies.

Anne Connolly and I have been reading together for a long time, and we know each other’s work well, but there were two other writers launching books. Carolyn Patricia Richardson’s pamphlet, Scots Rock, should have been out in September, but was prevented by illness from completing the proofs in time. She has made a wonderful recovery since then and read four poems dealing with significant Scottish musicians. And Tim Turnbull – whose poem about Strictly Come Dancing was one of the highlights of last year’s Double Bill anthology, launched Silence and Other Stories an astonishing book of short stories, witty and creepy and completely gripping.

And this is Sheila Wakefield, characteristically animated and enthusiastic. It is hard to believe that Red Squirrel Press is coming up to its tenth birthday, but, so it is – over 130 publications so far, and a new fiction imprint, Postbox Press, launched in 2016. There will be celebration events in April, in Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow, and a new website, so I can recommend following the squirrel on facebook to find out what’s going on.

Thank you to Sheila, to the authors, to the staff of the Scottish Poetry Library who made us so welcome, and to all the people who came out in such terrible weather. We had a wonderful time, and I hope we’ll see you at the next event.

February 15, 2016
Book Launch, Scotia Extremis, and Some Readings

Bride’s Chickens
Harbingers of spring,
the sound of oystercatchers
whistling in the dark.

I’ve just been out for a walk. It’s cold, with frost lingering in the shade, but for the first time in weeks there is sunshine. The days are longer, and on Monday I was woken by birds in the garden. And today I heard the first oystercatchers. So spring is definitely on its way.
This post is just a few reminders of some recent and upcoming events. First is the appearance of my poem You Play the Melody, on the Scotia Extremis blog. It’s only in its third week, but this project curated by Andy Jackson and Brian Johnstone has attracted a lot of attention. It explores the extremes of Scottish culture in a series of paired poems – Burns night vs Up Helly-Aa, Black Bun vs Black Bob, and this week, Celtic Connections vs The White Heather Club. My ‘twin’ is Christine de Luca, with a lovely nostalgic – but not sentimental poem about watching The White Heather Club in her youth. Can’t recommend it too highly.

On Thursday there is the LoveWords event organised by the Federation of Writers (Scotland) . It is a drop-in event where members will read poems on the theme of love, which will take place at the GOMA in Glasgow from 2 – 6:30. I’ll be reading at about three, but there will be plenty of interesting poems whenever you arrive.

On Saturday at the Scottish Poetry Library, the official launch of The Territory of Rain will happen Full details here. It would be nice to see anyone who can make it!

And on Wednesday 24th February, at 7pm at Old Gala House, Galashiels, I will be attending the launch of Issue 27 of the excellent Borders magazine, Eildon Tree. I have two poems appearing in it, which I hope to be reading.

February 10, 2016
Official Launch Events for The Territory of Rain

The book has been out for a while, but because of the closure of the Scottish Poetry Library, not to mention the difficulties of getting four authors all in the same place at the same time, we are only just announcing the OFFICIAL launch, which will be at the Scottish Poetry Library, Crichtons Close Edinburgh on Saturday 13th February at 1:oopm.

Red Squirrel Press have said:

Please join us for the launch of 3 poetry publications, Anne Connolly’s latest full-length collection, A Ravel of Yarns, Carolyn Patricia Richardson’s pamphlet, Scots’ Rock, Elizabeth Rimmer’s latest full-length collection, The Territory of Rain, and Tim Turnbull’s short story collection, Silence and other stories….

Free event, with wine. There will also be squirrel cookies. I kid you not. Made with gingerbread if you were wondering.

And on the 12th April in Glasgow at the Scottish Writers Centre in the CCA Sauchiehall Street, we will be holding another event, featuring Anne Connolly, Andy Jackson and Chris Powici as well as myself. Andy’s book The Assassination Museum and Chris’ This Weight of Light were launched at the SPL in December.

Red Squirrel Press reaches its tenth year this year, and in this short but powerful space of time its editor, the fabulous Sheila Wakefield, has published over 130 titles, including poetry and crime fiction. Please keep an eye on the website – or follow on facebook and twitter, because this year is going to be very special!

January 27, 2016
The World Outside Opens

Wind Changing
A north-east wind rises, bringing with it
the rattle like promised rain of dry
birch leaves along the dusty pavement.

At night, ripe rain breaks like a wave
on the weathered shore of our slates.
Roof-beams creak and settle in their berths.

The crowded leaves of ash and beech disperse.
Light pours through rents in the orchard.
The world outside opens, comes closer.

This is an October-November poem from the sequence River Calendar, which forms part of the first section of The Territory of Rain. It’s also quite apt for the next stage of my book’s progress out into the wilder seas of the poetry world.

The official launch of the book has been confirmed as 13th February 2016, in the new and sensitively enhanced Scottish Poetry Library. Don’t wait for this, though – do go and see what a beautiful job the developers have made of it, managing to get quarts into pint pots all over it, and yet keeping the light-filled serenity of the original.

Before then, however, I’ll be reading at Writers in the Bath in Sheffield, on the 10th November. This event is run by the wise and wonderful Cora Greenhill, and happens in the Bath Hotel, Victoria Street, at 7:30. It will include Claire Carter local mountaineer and fine poet and performer, and Derbyshire Stanza members reading from their brand new anthology from Templar which will just have been launched at The Templar Poetry Festival.

I’ll be delighted to see you there!

October 29, 2015
Poetry News

This photo was taken by my friend Edwin Stockdale ( a very promising poet in his own right, whose pamphlet Aventurine was published by Red Squirrel last year), at the launch of The Territory of Rain last Friday. Behind me you can see the shelves of King’s Bookshop where the Callander Poetry Weekend takes place, but what you can’t see is all the friends (and my eldest daughter and husband) who came and made the occasion the delight it was. Many photos have appeared on facebook since then of all the poets, the music, the Kirk Hall where we read on Saturday, the garden, where we had the last readings on Sunday, but they can’t show the kindness, the friendships made and renewed, or the solid foundations laid for new work over the winter.

People have asked where they can get the books, and I have some, which you can buy from me in person or by post (email me with your address – it’s £8.99 plus £2 for p+p). Very soon you will be able to get them directly from Red Squirrel Press. I have heard very good things about the Red Squirrel ordering system, though you may feel I am biased!

But it has been a very satisfying week for other reasons too. The results of William Soutar Poetry Competition were announced on the last Saturday of August, and I was delighted to hear that my poem ‘Iris’ was highly commended. As there were over 300 entries, this was very satisfying to hear, ad I offer my congratulations to the winners. Shortly there will be an e-book with all the winning, commended and shortlisted poems available through the library webpage, so I won’t post it here for a while. And then, this:

This is a sculpture by Humphrey Thompson, a friend of my husband’s, inspired by the shapes of an orange and its segments. I was very excited to hear that Humphrey has called it ‘Curved and Glowing’ from a line of one of my poems ‘I Said’

I Said

Round and glowing,
curved, I said, and glowing,
sharp and sweet and bitter and hot,
and gold as guineas and sunlight,
and burning, I said, globed and burning
and piercing, pungent, all those words,
and sweet, and fresh, and dripping,
look, and taste, and smell.
All the words I said.
I meant oranges.

Humphrey placed a copy of the poem alongside the piece when it formed part of a group exhibit. I can only say I was honoured to be there.

September 11, 2015
Some Announcements

Exciting times are coming!

This is the first of some lovely opportunities I’ve been given in the last couple of weeks. Five local poets, Morticia Crone, Sally Evans, Anita Govan, Charlie Gracie and myself are going to be reading at the Mugstock Festival of Music and Merriment this Saturday, in Mugdock Country Park, at 5:30. The weather is looking good, the line-up is impressive – it includes Mr Boom, one of the major highlights of my children’s early years – and the Festival is run by one of the organisers of The Big Noise in Govanhill, so the credentials are impeccable.

Then on the 18th August I’ll be one of five poets reading poems from the Poetry Map of Scotland (you can find my poem here) as part of the StAnza Talks series at the Just Festival. There will be three talks in the series, on the 11th, 18th and 25th August, at 4:00 in St John’s Church, Princes St (Venue 127), Edinburgh, EH2 4BJ (Hall at St John’s), discussing the Festival itself, and the poets who have made it such an outstanding success over the last eighteen years.

And finally, it is time to announce the 2015 Callander Poetry Weekend. Once again, Sally Evans and her husband Ian King will throw open the doors of their bookshop on Main Street Callander to poets from all over Britain. As usual it is a full, rich and varied programme, which you can read in full on Sally’s website. But in particular I’d like to point out the Red Squirrel launches on the Friday night:

8-9 pm Red Squirrel Books launch books by:
Elizabeth Rimmer, Chris Powici, Anne Connolly,
pamphlet by Carolyn Richardson,
and Book of Sandie Craigie, read by friends

Once again the dauntless Sheila Wakefield has come up with a whole drey-full of lovely publications, including The Territory of Rain. I’ve just finished the proofs, and I’ve had a first look at the cover, and believe me, it is going to be gorgeous. I hope to see many of you at one or more of these events!

August 6, 2015

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