21st of May 2020

Today's poem by Tom Leonard has been chosen by Head of Listening Service, Nicola James.

A Summer’s Day

 

Yir eyes ur

eh

a mean yir

pirrit this wey

ah a thingk yir

byewtifl like ehm

fact

fact a thingk yir

ach a luvyi that’s

thahts

jist thi wey it iz like

thahts ehm

aw ther iz ti say

 

Tom Leonard (1944 – 2018)

Image
Picture of green grass with white daisies growing through it

Comedian Janey Godley’s affectionate satirical dubbing of the First Minister’s COVID19 up-dates in Glaswegian have been met with warmth and approval by Nicola Sturgeon herself. ‘If you want to know what I’m really thinking, watch Janey Godley’ The Glaswegian poet, Tom Leonard, was a keen jazz fan and ‘A Summer’s Day’ probably puts better than most the vibrancy of what’s

left luminous and abiding in this strangely pared down time. A reluctant holder of title, he was none the less Professor of Creative Writing at Glasgow University alongside Alistair Gray and James Kelman.