The Glasgow Women’s Library would like to offer their congratulations to Liz Lochhead who was appointed as Scotland’s Makar this week. The post of Makar, Scotland’s national poet, was made vacant after the death of Edwin Morgan in late 2010. Perhaps it would be best to hear from Liz herself about her new title:
“…poetry – the reading of it, the writing of it, the saying it out loud, the learning of it off by heart – all of this matters deeply to ordinary Scottish people everywhere.”
Women writers are making their mark across the country. Carol Ann Duffy currently holds the title of Poet Laureate while Gillian Clarke is the National Poet of Wales. Carol Ann has already welcomed Liz as Makar by remarking:
““Since her [Liz Lochhead] early work in the 1970s, she has been an inspirational presence in British poetry – funny, feisty, female, full of feeling; a fantastic performer of her work and a writer who has tirelessly brought poetry to the drama and drama into poetry.”
Congratulations again to Liz and we look forward to reading her first poem as Scotland’s National Poet. Hopefully no queens will get their heads chopped off and it will be perfect days all round.
Also, belated congratulations to Louise Welsh who has been named Writer in Residence at the University of Glasgow in December 2010. This post has been previously held by Liz Lochhead, now the nation’s Makar. It is great to see these women acting as role models for writers everywhere. 2011 looks like it will be exciting time for Scotland’s writing.
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