Kathleen Jamie co-hosts Scottish poetry podcast with 'global outlook'

The Lantern Scottish Poetry Podcast has now been launched by Kathleen Jamie and Scots writer and broadcaster Alistair Heather.

It features “diverse and talented” poets from across the country, including newcomers who are “finding their voice in verse”.

Three episodes have been released so far which cover three central themes of water, isolation and the importance of reading, with both Scots and English language poetry featuring.

Across the series, guests include the likes of decorated Dundee poet Don Paterson – who was recipient of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in 2009 – TikTok star Len Pennie and Irish poet Liz Houchin.

Heather, who worked with Jamie extensively during her first year as National Poet for Scotland, said the pair felt compelled to launch the podcast as they began to see platforms for poetry rapidly disappearing.

“We found platforms for poetry in Scotland were closing down, so things like Neu! Reekie! which regularly ran and has now ceased after a decade and Sonnet Youth also came to a conclusion,” said Heather.

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“So there were fewer platforms for poetry at a time when Scottish poetry is particularly vibrant.

“There’s so many diverse and talented voices from across Scotland, including newcomers to Scotland, who are finding their voice in verse.

“So we thought, we get on so well, and we’d just love to platform those diverse voices. With Kathleen as Makar, it would be mad not to use her time to showcase those brilliant poets.

Jamie, who became Scotland’s fourth Makar in 2021, added: “We used to have radio too [for poetry] but Radio Scotland has not covered poetry for a long time.

“Podcasts are just made for poetry and especially in Scotland with the linguistic and geographical diversity. It’s brilliant to hear Scots on the ear because there’s maybe people who don’t understand it terribly well on the page but can when they hear it.

Kathleen Jamie was made Scotland's Makar in 2021 (Image: Alistair Heather)

“It’s always been a problem with how to reach people in Shetland  or people outwith the central belt, but podcasts can just bring everyone together.”

The first episode will focus on the theme of water and its importance to our lives, with guests Paterson and emerging voice Roshni Gallagher, who brings fascinating narratives of her ancestors moving between India and the Caribbean as the slave trade ended and cheap labour sources were exploited elsewhere.

Solitude and isolation are then explored in the second episode with Pennie and Borders translator Brian Holton. Together they explore work penned by Pennie during the Covid lockdown and by lonely Chinese writers working in the first millennium AD, which Holton has translated into Scots.

Finally, the power and importance of reading is delved into in the third episode with John Glenday and Houchin as they share impactful poems they have written on the theme.

Jamie said: “Guests are sked to bring two or three poems of their own on a theme.

“The poets will read a couple of things and we’ll discuss them and their work and pick up points of difference and similarity and speak about the poetry of the past.

“It’s part of my remit as Makar to be a central figure in Scottish poetry. This is a way of bringing my knowledge, from years of living and writing in Scotland, of who’s doing what where, and then we’re able to bring the very youngest and emerging writers and put them in the room with the older generation.

John Glenday, Kathleen Jamie, Alistair Heather and Liz Houchin (left to right) (Image: Alistair Heather)

“They learn a lot from each other. They haven’t quite come to blows yet but you never know!”

Heather and Jamie have recorded all of them at the Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh, with funding so far provided by Creative Scotland and production expertise coming from BBC radio producer Dave Howard.

It is hoped that beyond this set, more episodes will be launched every quarter, with Heather and Jamie looking to secure funding for future recordings.

Heather said he hopes the series will go beyond simply appealing to Scottish listeners as it gives people across the globe a chance to hear Scots and Gaelic – which is set to be explored at a later date.

Having already featured international voices like Houchin, Heather hopes the series will bring Scottish voices to the world and vice versa.

He said: “I’ve always loved Scots poetry. I was brought up with it and then I studied it at university.

“From working with Kathleen through the Scottish Poetry Library, we came to poetry from quite different perspectives but with a real pleasure and passion for it, so we thought why not bring that to the poets and bring the poets together?

Don Paterson (right) is featured on the podcast (Image: Alistair Heather)

“This podcast has a very international outlook as well, it’s about Scotland and the world.

“We had Liz Houchin on, Scottish Poetry Library’s poet in residence, who is from Ireland. She made a wonderful contribution with really rich poetry and she talked about the Irish poetry scene as well.

“We’ll look to take advantage of Scotland’s connections to the world to bring in different voices, but also to introduce Scottish poets to them.

“That oral format just works so well for poetry. It just felt like the right thing at the right time and there’s nothing else out there like it.

“Scotland could do with this project and so could Scottish poetry.”

The podcast can be listened to here and is available on all usual streaming services.