Customer Reviews

An Anthology of Scottish Women Poets

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had to have this anthology. Not just because it is anthology of women poets, nor because they are Scottish women poets. No, the real reason I needed to own this book is the inclusion of poems in the Gaelic tradition.

Some personal favourites here:

The March of the Cameron Men (by Mary Maxwell Campbell). Here is the first verse:

`There's many a man of the Cameron Clan

That has follow'd his chief to the field;

For a Cameron never can yield.

I hear the pibroch sounding, sounding,

Deep o'er the mountain and glen;

While light-springing steps are trampling the heath,

`Tis the march of the Cameron men.'

Set to music, it is a song that many Camerons (and others) will recognise.

And `The Four Marys' by Mrs Walker, which starts:

`Last nicth there were four Marys

This night the'll be but three

There was Mary Sitten and Mary Beten

And Mary Kermyckle and me.'

The Gaelic poetry has been beautifully translated by Meg Bateman. As a reader with very limited ability to read Gaelic, I can appreciate some of the poetry in either language. Perhaps I'll be able to improve my Gaelic reading ability as a consequence.

There is also a poem, by Florence Cortis-Stanford, entitled ` To Emily Bronte'. The second verse particularly appeals to me:

`I am alone, all others gone

Into the warmth and light,

Again once more, as oft before,

I hear the voice of night.'

Oh, this is a wonderful book and a welcome addition to my poetry shelf.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

An excellent anthology, one of the best I've seen. All the way from folk poetry to modern poetry, and everything in between. Some include the original Gaelic text, a blessing for those who know that language, I am sure. I teach poetry in community courses, and almost everything in this book was new to me. Excellent and very helpful introductory material, too. Thanks to Catherine Kerrigan for putting it together.