Scottish Writers' Centre Dirty Poetry To Die For with Douglas Thompson

Love is a strange word in the English language. When we use the word love we can mean sex, romantic love, or a whole range of other nuanced emotions. The ancient Greeks had four words instead: Agape, Storge, Philia, and Eros, meaning godlike, brotherly, familial or sensual. What does it say about the English-speaking world that even at the deep level of language, from childhood onwards, we confuse lust with love, and use the word so lightly when describing our favourite food or music?

Song lyrics tackle the subject of erotic love but how many really rise to the level of great poetry about love? It is the first and easiest subject for humans to write about but is also the hardest subject to write about well.

Douglas Thompson, former Chair of the Scottish Writers’ Centre and author of seven novels, including Ultrameta (2009), The Brahan Seer (2014), and two short story collections, has been concentrating on poetry more recently. His first collection will be published early next year by Sheila Wakefield, Editor of Red Squirrel Press with two further collections to follow from Snuggly Books and Dog Horn Publishing.

In this talk Douglas will explore and analyse his influences by referencing some of the best loved poems from contemporary and historic poets, followed with readings from his own poetic attempts to define the elusive and enduring mystery of human love.