Postcards From The Hedge

Postcards from the Hedge

Penpont based writer Hugh McMillan is launching his new book of poetry this month. The collection, ‘Postcards from the Hedge’ is a limited edition Artist’s Book designed and illustrated by Hugh Bryden. The limited edition collection is based on a frenetic tour of Scotland and comes along with a specially designed tour map! A poster version of the map is also available with the poems printed on the back. The book is to be launched at Gracefield Arts Centre on Friday September 19th at 7.00pm and in Thomas Tosh, Thornhill on Saturday September 6th at 3.30pm.

Hugh McMillan is a well published, prize winning poet with five full collections of poetry to his credit. He has been anthologised widely in Scotland and abroad and has been awarded several Scottish Arts Council Bursaries, including one last year to help write the present collection.

Hugh Bryden took early retirement after 30 years as an Art Teacher in August 2005 to concentrate on Printmaking and Artists Books. He was a regular exhibitor in national and international exhibitions and was involved for a number of years in the gallery business in Dumfries. In 2005 he founded Roncadora Press to allow him to concentrate on personalised artist’s books.

“A desire to get at the truth is at the heart of every genuine writer’s work. I see this genuineness everywhere in McMillan’s writing, even at its most light hearted…he is a born writer.” Gerry Cambridge



My Feet

Tuesday: the birds softly bugle
end of day. I look at my feet,
bare and wriggling on hot concrete.
They are pitted, spurred, I see,
cracked as white wood.
They are at the business end, my feet,
still dodging, chasing lost causes,
up in the night silent as slippers.
To my head, at the other extreme,
they are mere beasts of burden.
Though they work for the same body
there is no camaraderie there,
no joint sense of mission.
My feet think my head’s had it easy,
up there in the fresh air all these years,
talking crap. Where would it be without
them to do the donkey work?
No fancy products wasted on their upkeep,
just soap and water, cheap socks.
I think if my feet ever met my head again
they’d give it a good kicking.

Not only have Hugh Bryden and Hugh MCmillian had poems published in the Herald but another Dumfries and galloway Poet, Mary Smith had her poem published in the Herald that very same week. Well done Mary, in fact well done all of you! What an incredibly creative place Galloway is.

Lost in translation

Once, people spoke their maps.
Everyone knew where lay
rough moorland of the perilous region,
the hill of the eagle,
mountain of awesome grandeur.

Once, people were wary of the crag
of the storm-swept range, made pilgrimage to
the hill of the memorial pile or that other,
above the hollow of the warrior’s tomb

Once, people spoke their land
and what it meant to them,
before strangers, with inflexible tongues,
bringing pen and parchment, plotted

names which whisper only an echo
of what they once were:
Palgowan, Benyellery, Mulwharchar,
Craigmasheenie, Pinbreck,
Corrafeckloch.

The "Project Ten" initiative from Wigtown have just announced their 2008-9 Programme. Please see below

Their 2008-2009 programme kicks off next week on Saturday 13th September with "The Green Event", a timely reminder of the benefits of recycling. D&G Council's Waste Management Department will be putting on their Composting display with information on The Three R's - Reduce, Recycle, Re-use.

The group is delighted to have secured the appearance of author Mandy Haggith ('The Last Bear') to run a poetry workshop in the afternoon while the evening session is a reading and discussion of environmental issues based around Mandy's book 'Paper Trails' with Chris Ballance compering the evening.

The Wigtown Youth Forum is also getting involved by helping to build another Book Maze, using up old books which would otherwise be destined for the skip.

Saturday 25th October sees a double event within the "Project Ten" initiative. Come to Byre Books between 2-4 pm for "Spooks, Kooks and Galloway Ghosts" where story-teller Renita Boyle will be on hand to help you record or write your memories - Daleks? Snakes under the bed? Things that go bump in the night? What were you afraid of when you were ten? Then join the group again at 6.30pm for spooky tales and kooky treats. Bring a lantern with you! All welcome.

On the same evening, Anne Dunsford will be leading The Wigtown Scribblers in a writing event at The Swallow Theatre with a "Landscapes and Seasons"
theme.

November's event will encompass a Human Rights and Amnesty International theme and, into the New Year, Renita Boyle will lead another story-telling event under a "Kith & Kin and Glory Stories" banner.

As befits the month celebrating St Valentine, the February event will have a "Love" theme, "Inspirational Women" will be feted in March to coincide with International Women's Day and "Wild Geese" will be the topic for April 2009.

Further information on these later events will be published at a later date.