Although most of the libraries in Edinburgh remain closed, the library service is taking part in Book Week Scotland 2020 and they urge their readers to do so too.

They are displaying the poster below in all school libraries and the six libraries which are open – Central, Kirkliston, Newington, Stockbridge, Fountainbridge and McDonald Road, inviting entries.

Prize-winning poet Michael Pedersen and, designer to the literary stars, Jon Gray are joining Edinburgh Libraries in Book Week Scotland to champion our virtual poetry party. A prompt for one and all.

To start you off Michael has written verse one of the poem, 4 lines titled…The future… is…and we ask you, the public, for verse two.

The future has never looked more different and poetry is a deep rooted, soul searching, joyous way to get thoughts and feelings out into the open in words.

Add your verse, tag us/DM via social media, @TalesOfOneCity on Twitter, @EdinburghCityLibraries on Facebook or email your verse via eclis@edinburgh.gov.uk including #DreamsWeDreamOfDreaming and they will send your words out into the world. They aim to gather as many as they can and look at how they can collaborate them into forever memories.

Book Week Scotland is an annual celebration of books and reading that takes place across the country. Book Week Scotland 2020 will take place 16-22 November and is supported by Creative Scotland and SLIC.

The full programme of events is here

The Poem

The future: 

is the distinction between dreams & the dreams we dream of dreaming; 

is the memory of a song in toes frisking soil for its stories; 

is like rice, best served sticky and shovelled back;

is a restless poem, caught in night’s nib. 

The future:

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.