A brief note on my plans for StAnza this year. I’ll not manage to get through until the Friday evening. That means I’ll miss the poetry breakfast on the relative absence of young Scottish poets. I have a ticket for the Bill Manhire and Simon Armitage reading, but I’m not certain I’ll make it through in time for that. I’m staying overnight, though, so I’m planning to go to the open mike and hoping to get a spot to read from The Ambulance Box.

On the Saturday morning, I’m going to the masterclass, just as an audience member. After that, it’s the launch of Roddy Lumsden’s new collection, Third Wish Wasted, celebrated with a pie and a pint. Rob Mackenzie, Alexander Hutchison and I have booked a table at the poets market, so we’ll be splitting the afternoon’s shifts between us in a yet-to-be determined manner. However, our books should be for sale.

My final event of StAnza will be the Jay Parini and Jenny Bornholdt reading. I don’t know their work at all, but that’s the beauty of a poetry festival, isn’t it.