Spring is in the air, and so is poetry. Loads of it. We have a poetry event EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. for almost the entire two weeks covered by this lovely update. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?
Let’s dive straight in.
Events (17 to 30 March 2025)
It’s a busy day for poetry on Monday (17 March). As usual, you are invited to join UofG Creative Conversations for a poetic lunch break. The team has invited Jim Ferguson for a relaxed reading and chat. Like other Creative Conversations, the event is also livestreamed via Zoom.
In the evening, Byres Road is where it’s at: you can pick between the monthly Open Mic at Curler’s Rest, or head a little further up the road to pop into Hillhead Bookclub for their weekly Open Mic.
A brand new event series is celebrating its launch on Tuesday, 18 March. Rosie J. Hunter is part of a team who are setting up a new weekly Open Mic night at NiceNSleazy on Sauchiehall. It’s called Sleazy SpeakEasy. From 1 April, you can pop in every Tuesday night and read your work, with backing by a full house band!
A slightly different type of Open Mic is happening on Wednesday (19 March) at the Inn Deep. ‘Things Left Unsaid’ is an anthology from 35 writers sharing their personal stories and struggle of motherhood including fertility struggles, loss, inequality, identity changes, mental health, relationships and moments of pure joy. In addition to author readings, open mic slots are available for anyone interested to add to the conversation. The same evening, Time for One Open Mic are also back at Sweeney’s on the Southside. Join the team around Annie Muir for a diverse and friendly poetry night.
On Thursday (20 March), Spam Press are organising the Glasgow launch of Leo Bussi’s debut pamphlet, Life-Sized at Good Press on St Andrews Street. Leo (who you might know as the person behind the Waterwings event series) will be joined by Iphgenia Baal and Sam Rodilosso.
I am personally very excited about the two-day poetry symposium dedicated to Jerome Rothenberg that’s happening on Friday and Saturday (21+22 March) at the UofG’s ARC near Byres Road. Under the heading ‘Jerome Rothenberg: Anthology as Manifesto’, there will be performances, discussions and presentations all around Rothenberg’s contributions to poetics and his continuing influence around the world. Attendance is free.
On Saturday (22 March), you have the opportunity to join an online writing workshop with award-winning poet Kandace Siobhan Walker. The event is organised by the Poetry Society. Kandace will be exploring the intersection of poetry and digital technology and invite participants to consider how the internet shapes language, identity, and creativity. Tickets for the two-hour event are £27 (for non-members of the Poetry Society).
Scowth is back on Sunday (23 March). The bi-monthly poetry event series is coming out of its little hiatus with a line-up of three poets, plus additional open mic slots. Head to The Mansion restaurant in Anniesland for a lazy Sunday afternoon of readings by Donna Campbell, Ross Wilcock and Charlie Gracie.
Another week, another Creative Conversation. On Monday (24 March), the UofG team will be joined by the American poet Cynthia Cruz for a few poems and a lunchtime chat. As ever, you can attend in person or via Zoom. In the evening, it is Strathclyde Uni’s Creative Writing programme that’s setting the agenda. The Strathclyde Review are launching their own Open Mic at Variety Bar on Sauchiehall.
Ever attended a digital open mic? Here’s your chance: Written Off Publishing are organising a Spring Equinox open mic, hosted by Alex Callaghan on Tuesday, 25 March at 7pm. Get your ticket via their Eventbrite to attend or read.
On Wednesday, 26 March, the Poetry Experiment is back at the Alchemy Experiment on Byres Road – and it is celebrating its 2nd birthday! (Congratulations! 👏🎉) In addition to the usual open mic slots, there will be special readings from Jordan Taylor, Daniel Toland and Mike Yuill. Remember to book your ticket – capacity is limited.
A bitter-sweet beginning is taking place at Soul Food Kitchen in Finnieston on Thursday, 27 March. Imogen Stirling and Soul Food Kitchen had planned to relaunch their monthly Soul Food Poetry open mic night. Even though the first event is going ahead, the future of the series is uncertain. Soul Food Kitchen have since announced that they will be closing their doors at the end of the month. 💔 This event has now been cancelled!
First-class poetry is on offer on Friday night at the Poetry Society’s online event showcasing the top ten poets from last year’s National Poetry Competition. The new winners will be joined by previous prizewinning poets Ruth Padel and Debbie Lim. The event is free.
Opportunities
Today’s pick from among the long list of opportunities currently on the PIG website:
You still have until the end of the month to submit to Gutter 32. Unlike most other magazines, Gutter offers successful contributors a flat fee of £30 for published work. I’d say, the money pales in comparison with the prestige of getting your work accepted in the first place. But who would say no to a few pounds in this economy, amirite?
Propel Magazine has a particular focus on emerging new talent based in the UK and Ireland. Their issue 15 (May 2025) is now open for submissions until 31 March.
Also still open until the end of the month is the call for submissions for the fourth issue of Contralytic. Contralytic is an interdisciplinary philosophy journal that encourages engagement with philosophical topics through various different formats, including poetry. The next issue will be dedicated to the topic ‘Interface’ – think: the point of interaction between two (or more) systems, entities, or realities. Check their website for details before submitting by 31 March.
A slightly different type of call for submissions is currently open via the American Voicemail Press. The online magazine publishes poems in both text and sound. Submitting poets must call the publisher’s voicemail box and read their work out loud. International submissions can also be made via Whatsapp voice message. The deadline is 1 April.
Silver Press is a feminist, small publisher in London. Its poetry imprint Spiral House Editions is launching a new eco-poetry anthology together with international collaborative nature writing project Fieldnotes Collective. Submissions for the new anthology are now invited under the heading ‘Seed/Spore/Rhizome: Ecopoetics of Community and Justice‘. You have until 30 April to send in your take on poetry exploring ecological futures, justice, collaboration and community.
PIG Spotlight
This section is designed to shine a spotlight on a particular website, organisation or feature. For each Update, I’ll pick something new – either because it is plain awesome or because it’s new or really topical.
My pick today is the National Centre for Writing in Norwich. The centre is a writing development agency serving the whole country. It runs a year-round programme of events, festivals, residencies and activities for writers, literary translators and readers. Their website includes a ‘Writing Hub‘ which is an online repository with plenty of posts offering advice, insights, inspiration and interviews. Many of their events are available online, including readings, online courses and mentoring (for a fee). I recommend having a browse around their website – you never know what you might discover.
PIG’s Poetry Pick
Here is Annie’s pick for your poetry fix today:
[to walk means to fall]
By Jennifer Bartlett
to walk means to fall
to thrust forward
to fall and catch
the seemingly random
is its own system of gestures
based on a series of neat errors
falling and catching
to thrust forward
sometimes the body misses
then collapses
sometimes
it shatters
with this particular knowledge
a movement spastic
and unwieldy
is its own lyric and
the able-bodied are
tone-deaf to this singing some
falling
is of its own grace
some
falling
rather occurs
out of laziness or distraction
here, the entire frame is shaken
these are the falls
where I tell myself
you shouldn’t have fallen
I mean to inflict
while the critic of the world watches
o stupid, stupid world
Courtesy of the Poetry Foundation, where you can also hear Jennifer read the poem.
That’s it from me today. See you in two weeks!
Love,
Annie