The presence of Scottish modernist writer Nan Shepherd looms large over an upcoming poetry event in Perth.
It was the Aberdeenshire-born landscape literature exponent and pioneering feminist who famously described poetry as the “burning heart of love”, as exemplified in her work exploring themes of displacement, poverty and spirituality.
Nan Shepherd’s life
Born in 1893, Shepherd lived for 88 years on the outskirts of Aberdeen, and tutored in English literature at her home city’s teacher training centre.
A keen hill-walker, she set her first novel The Quarry Wood (1928) in the North-East countryside, a backdrop she retained in subsequent prose and poetry.
Her novels enjoyed a revival in popularity and fresh critical attention when they were republished in the late 1980s.
One modern-day wordsmith who has drawn influence from Shepherd’s canon is Scottish Federation of Writers makar Morag Anderson.
Poetry workshop
Based in Breadalbane, she journeys to Perth’s AK Bell Library on Tuesday to host Irradiate The Common, a poetry workshop designed to explore the minutiae of ordinary life – as well as some its greater triumphs.
After winning best new poet awards in 2018, Morag’s debut chapbook Sin Is Due To Open In A Room Above Kitty’s appeared two years ago.
She collaborated with Audrey Molloy, Maeve McKenna and Barbara DeCoursey on her follow-up How Bright The Wings Drive Us.
February 21, 6.30pm-8pm, eventbrite.co.uk
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