New poetry in Gaelic, Scots and English has been commissioned by the British Council in Scotland in collaboration with Edinburgh: Unesco City of Literature.
The poems will have accompanying educational packs which will be available soon for teachers in the UK and abroad. The writers commissioned are:
* John Burnside, a poet and novelist who has been a freelance writer since 1996. His poem, De Partout Jusqu’... Vous, is published on the British Council website in English, Scots and Gaelic;
* Matthew Fitt, whose poems are offered in audio versions;
* Anne Frater, from the Isle of Lewis, who was brought up with Gaelic as her first language. Her poem, An Sgeilp, is translated into English (The Shelf) and Scots (Da Sjaelf);
* Rody Gorman, whose specially commissioned poem, Fosgladh, is translated into English (Sheetlightning-opening) and Scots (by Matthew Fitt);
* Alan Jamieson, whose poem, Varg, was written in Shetlandic Scots and translated into English and Gaelic; and
* Jackie Kay, whose English poem Sound of Sleat was translated into Scots by Matthew Fitt and into Gaelic by Rody Gorman. It is also available as an audio poem.
* http:www.britishcouncil.orgscotland-arts-and-culture-poets.htm
