National Poetry Day 2006

Poetry postcards
What's on

This year, National Poetry Day will take place on Thursday 5 October, and the theme is 'Identity'.

Events have been organised to take place throughout Scotland as well as the rest of the United Kingdom, and the Scottish Poetry Library will even have a Virtual Poet for the whole week of National Poetry Day.

Throughout the week beginning Monday 2 October, poet Gerry Cambridge will post a daily blog diary with photographs in the new education section on the Scottish Poetry Library website. This will allow visitors to the site to gain a unique insight into the working life of a poet. You can use the 'Ask the Poet' link on the site to fill in a question form, or alternatively email Julie Johnstone with your questions and requests.

The Scottish Poetry Library would love to hear from children, whole classes, teachers and adults, and batches of group or class questions are more than welcome.

The Poetry Society also has a Virtual Poet in Residence. In the run up to National Poetry Day, Jackie Kay will be writing a regular online diary about her thoughts on the theme of identity as well as highlighting some of the events taking place around the UK.

Poetry Postcards

Each year, a set of poetry postcards is produced for National Poetry Day. This year's postcards are all on the theme of 'identity' and several of them are suitable for primary level children. Free postcards can be collected from the Scottish Poetry Library. Alternatively, you can send a stamped SAE to The Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton's Close, Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DT and you will be sent your free set. You can also email postcards - including previous years' postcards - from the Scottish Poetry Library website.

What's on?

Many events have been organised to take place on National Poetry Day. If you live in Edinburgh, head to the Scottish Poetry Library at 3pm for an hour of Scotland: a celebration in poetry and song with Stewart Conn and musician Rod Paterson.

In the evening, you can go along to Loose Tongues: Who do we think we are? - an evening of poetry and traditional music with Eunice Buchanan, Stephanie Green and Mandy Haggith and musicians from St. Mary's School of Music. This event will be held at St John's Episcopalian Church, Princes Street at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £5 and are available from the venue.

In Coatbridge Library, 'Men with Pens' will be celebrating National Poetry Day with readings from their works and in Motherwell Library, 'Biro Babes' will be performing works from their recent publications 7 Deadly Sins and Mosaic Memoirs. In Cumbernauld, you can celebrate National Poetry Day with local performance poet, Kirkland, as he reads from his recently published book, Tales of Ordinary Sadness. If you live in Airdrie, there will be an evening of poetry with acclaimed poets Janet Paisley and James McGonigal.  There are numerous other events taking place throughout the country - visit the Scottish Poetry Library and the Poetry Society websites for more information.