Christmas without you is                A cracker in need of pulling. A glass of wine that could do with more mulling. A stocking lacking in presents. A champagne cocktail without effervescence. A Santa Claus who doesn’t convince. A deep-filled mince pie with no deep-filled mince. A Wise Man bereft of myrrh (substitute gold or frankincense, if you prefyrrh). A card you've written but forgotten to send. It's A Wonderful Life without the bit at the end. An out-of-tune carol. A big tin of Roses with no Golden Barrel. A Bowie without a Bing. A merrily-on-high dong that’s lost its ding. Mistletoe without a kiss. That's what Christmas without you is.   Brian Bilston

Here’s a poem called ‘Christmas without you is’.

Lorna Goodison: Amang the Friends of Early Days - Carcanet Press Join The Stove, the Scottish Poetry Library, and Robert Burns Ellisland Museum & Farm for a special evening of poetry and conversation with Lorna

Lorna Goodison is in Dumfries! On Tuesday 9th September at 7pm, please join us at The Stove Network & Café to celebrate Lorna's recent publication Dante's Inferno.🔥

There she will be in conversation with Scots Makar, Peter Mackay.

More info and tickets:⬇️
www.carcanet.co.uk/events/lorna...

I once had a chat with Iain M. Banks about the lead character in the book. He wanted the name to sound like someone vomiting. He initially tried Boak but eventually settled on Gurgeh.

Building wrap of Jabaliya camp in Gaza opposite Labour Party HQ reads "Protesting this isn't terrorism"

🚨 RIGHT NOW opposite Labour Party HQ in London.

We’ve turned their street into Jabaliya camp in Gaza. A genocide is happening, but the Labour government is supplying weapons, intelligence and diplomatic cover to the perpetrator. Protesting this is not terrorism.

The Trump Playbook for Brokering Peace Between Israel and Iran 1. Trump announces on Truth Social that he will solve the crisis in one day, and this will win him the Nobel Peace Prize. 2. Trump accidentally say...

"Trump announces that Iran and Israel have 'concepts of a peace plan,' while media staffers from both governments describe the meeting as 'not constructive.'"

Gies a Scots Poem Day (2025) - YouTube Poems written and recited by poets writing in Scots language.

It's Gies a Scots Poem Day. @byleaveswelive.bsky.social has curated a great selection of poets reading their Scots poems here: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

which, with no shortage of irony, I misread and should actually be "donzerly".

"Dozerly" is my favourite part of the Wiki page.

"Excuse me while I kiss this guy": Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix. I think these are called mondegreens. There's a rabbit hole to disappear down here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondegr...

Genuinely astonishing. You could almost believe in telepathy.

Lovely bit of writing Jonathan. Thanks. Szczesny always seemed like the word someone would come up with if they only asked for consonants on Countdown.

Ineos: New Zealand Rugby takes legal action after sponsor pull-out New Zealand Rugby launches legal action against former sponsor Ineos for alleged breach of contract.

A LOL article @barryglendenning.bsky.social : www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-...

Microsoft just put up the price of your subscription without your consent. Mine rose from £79.99 per year to over £100. The extra is because they've strapped their 'AI copilot' in to every program. You can refuse this increase and these features. Instructions below.

The Welsh told the Saxons this hill was called "pen" (meaning "hill"). The Saxons added their word for hill, "tor," and called it Torpen (hill hill).

Later the Norse added their world for hill. So it became Torpen Haugr (Hill Hill Hill).

Now the English call it Torpenhow Hill (Hill Hill Hill Hill)

Auf der Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin steht: „Heil Tesla!“

Tesla Gigafactory, Berlin - right now!

In cooperation with @ledbydonkeys.org

I Will Pay Any Amount to Not Pay My Taxes I’ve gotten myself into a bit of a jam. A series of natural disasters is barreling towards my home, and there is a severe shortage of resources and...

"It’s not about the money. You see, taxes are an implicit acknowledgment that I exist within society and not above it. That my fate is tethered to the fate of humanity at large. That I am not the special little boy I’ve always believed myself to be."

www.argos.co.uk/product/3132... £25! Put your hand in your pocket 😂

Disrupting the Nature Narrative Macondo Literary Festival and the Scottish Poetry Library invite poets in Kenya and Scotland to apply for a writing stay at the Turkana Basin Institute in Kenya.

We have teamed up with Macondo Literary Festival to offer 2 Scottish & 2 Kenyan poets with the unique opportunity of a residency in March at the Turkana Basin Institute.

Supported by British Council Scotland & Creative Scotland.

ffi 👇
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/disrupting-t...

You've had those broken clippers for years. Last chance to buy new ones today you daft numpty.

It’s not Christmassy but here’s my Xmas poem dedicated to delivery drivers everywhere!

Letters to Moms: A Letter to Kevin McCallister’s Mom In this column, Kristen Mulrooney writes letters to famous mothers from literature, TV, and film whom she finds herself relating to on a different ...

"I get that, in all likelihood, you planned every detail of that vacation and got zero thanks for it."

Richard J. Williams · Short Cuts: Motorway Cities When the Glasgow section of the M8 opened on 4 February 1972 a handful of students from the nearby Glasgow School of Art...

‘Glasgow is the most complete of Britain’s motorway cities, outstripping anything achieved in London, and even car-mad Birmingham.’

Richard J. Williams on the utopian vision and disappointing reality of Glasgow’s M8: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

A vote without a vote: the Saudi World Cup is an act of violence and disdain | Barney Ronay The shamelessness of Fifa’s process was fully on show in Zurich during a display of contempt for governance, democracy, love, hope and good sense

The man who sold the World
www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Photograph of Donnie O'Rourke in conversation with Kevin Williamson

Putting the finishing touches to an edit of an interview I did with poet Donnie O'Rourke. I could listen to Donnie talk about poetry all day. One of the most generous, articulate, informed people I've ever met on the subject. His passion is infectious. Hope to have it on SPL website by Monday. (KW)

Good man yourself Oedipus, how’re ye keeping these days, tell me now, do y’still have the

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT...

... the SPL hosts the Luath Press Poetry Showcase featuring Hugh McMillan, Liz Niven, Anne Pia and Julie McNeill.

50% discount with the promo code Luath50 via our Eventbrite box office:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/scottish-p...

AI generated Robert Louis Stevenson in a kilt. The hands though...it's always the hands that give it away.

Congratulations to Pàdraig MacAoidh [Peter Mackay] on his appointment as Scotland's new Makar (National Poet).

Pàdraig is the first Scottish Gaelic poet in the role.

He recorded his poem Crann-cuinnse [Quince Tree] to promote the announcement. The English translation appears in the thread below.

Laura T. Fyfe and Friends Join the Stirling Makar for the launch of her new collection Endless Blue. Laura will be joined by poets Helen Boden and CD Boyland.

#ScottishPoetryEvents

TONIGHT! BOOK LAUNCH!
Laura Fyfe & Friends
Starts: 7pm at the SPL

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/laura-t-fy...

500 by hippos!