New Makar Laura hopes for outpouring of poetic voices
Stirling at the heart of ambassador’s aims
Stirling’s new Makar Laura Fyfe is encouraging people to submit poems on any topic with a connection to Stirling.
If you’ve lived, worked or studied in Stirling, or have written a poem about Stirling, she’d love to hear from you.
Successful poems will be published on the Stirling Council website and promoted on social media.
A poet, teacher and director with the Scottish Poetry Library, Laura Fyfe was earlier this year appointed the Makar for Stirling, which is a ceremonial position that dates back to the 15th century and the reign of James IV. It sees her promoting poetry, reading and writing across the Stirling area for the next three years, as well as producing a poem each year that celebrates the Stirling area and its people.
Laura will be working closely with Stirling Libraries on a programme of visits to schools, writing and community groups to give talks, workshops and readings aimed at encouraging an interest in poetry.
She said: “Stirling is my home. This is central to my passion for doing as good a job as possible in the role of Makar.
“I’m a proud Daughter of the Rock. Stirling’s paths are the paths I walk, the roads I drive, the mountains I climb. What happens in Stirling matters more to me than what happens anywhere else. It’s where my energies are rooted and is where my energies as a writer and tutor have always returned.
“The Makarship now lends me a greater platform with which to support and amplify the work of Stirling’s writers. I intend to bring the poetry world to Stirling, and with my connections across Scotland, such as my roles on the boards of the Scottish Writers’ Centre and Scottish Poetry Library, I intend to bring Stirling’s poetry to the wider world.
“I hope to act as a spark of energy with which to ignite Stirling’s cultural vitality. I’ll guide Stirling’s poets towards opportunities, provide events with which to showcase their work, and shine a light on achievements around Stirling that they may find inspiration from. As well as celebrating the work of some well-known poets connected to Stirling, my foremost ambition is to encourage the emergence of new voices.
“A ‘Makar’ is an ambassador for poetry. Tell me what you’d love more of in our poetry scene and I’ll endeavour to work with you to provide it. Bear in mind that to effect real, lasting, positive change, the more of us the better. My in-boxes are already filling with great news and suggestions, as well as messages from organisations who’d like to collaborate.”
Laura’s first poetry collection will be published by Red Squirrel Press later this year.
For more info on submission guidelines and how to apply check out the Poem of the Month section here: https:// bit.ly/3s23Ppe.
My foremost ambition is to encourage the emergence of new voices