#tomleonard — Public Fediverse posts

“Only the most radical kindness will suffice”

In 2020, during lockdown, poet & artist Alec Finlay discussed Tom Leonard’s poem “June the Second” ☝️ on the Scottish Poetry Library’s blog

https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2020/03/poetry-on-lockdown-alec-finlay-on-tom-leonards-june-the-second/

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #lockdown #Covid

“Only the most radical kindness will suffice”

In 2020, during lockdown, poet & artist Alec Finlay discussed Tom Leonard’s poem “June the Second” ☝️ on the Scottish Poetry Library’s blog

https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2020/03/poetry-on-lockdown-alec-finlay-on-tom-leonards-june-the-second/

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #lockdown #Covid

it is dawn and my wife is coming to bed
and she has been watching a film about the life of charlie parker…

—Tom Leonard, “June the Second”
published in outside the narrative: poems 1965–2009 (Etruscan Books/Word Power Books, 2009 – now at Lighthouse Books)

https://lighthousebookshop.com/book/9780956628336

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

it is dawn and my wife is coming to bed
and she has been watching a film about the life of charlie parker…

—Tom Leonard, “June the Second”
published in outside the narrative: poems 1965–2009 (Etruscan Books/Word Power Books, 2009 – now at Lighthouse Books)

https://lighthousebookshop.com/book/9780956628336

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

Tom Leonard – What Has Been And What Will Be

If you paid attention to what’s happening on the music scene nowadays, you probably stumbled upon many excellent shoegaze artists and bands delivering some of the finest works ever created. The scene thrives like never before, yet there’s always a certain feeling like many of those music outlets try to mimic something the greats have crafted decades ago, overly experimenting with their influences, and in the end, they deliver repetitive and predictable recordings. Thankfully, there are artists like Tom Leonard who break all the rules and shapeshift the boundaries of the genre by writing songs that go beyond anything you’ve heard before. With “What Has Been and What Will Be,“ his latest full-length material published in November 28th last year, he pushes shoegaze music to completely different territories, exploring this longstanding music genre like no one before. Of course, shoegaze acts as a primary music genre, because all the fundamental elements are included in the fabric of this album, but you’ll also stumble upon many other complementary styles along the way. You’ll notice how only the finest properties borrowed from dream pop, indie rock, alternative rock, post-rock, and post-punk found their way into this sonic equation. These additional elements serve as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details that unquestionably elevate this material to an entirely new level while the artist remains loyal to the primary sonic direction. Also, it’s good to mention that while this material vividly explores late eighties and nineties shoegaze sound, Tom Leonard also incorporated qualities that meet all the trends in contemporary music production, making this material suitable for anyone who appreciates cleverly assembled, flawlessly performed, and perfectly produced music. It’s one of those albums that keep you hooked from the very beginning and stay with you long after the last notes and beats fade.

As soon as you press play, you’ll notice that Tom Leonard poured heart and soul into this material. Each composition arrives with a perfect structure, adorned with many profoundly detailed segments, brilliant ideas, and outstanding musicianship. Lyrically, “What Has Been and What Will Be” explores various sentiments, moods, situations, and circumstances. It’s a highly relatable material that will immediately resonate with the broader audience. This epic sonic journey commences with “Clarity,” a fine piece of sonic artistry that immediately showcases what you might expect from the remainder of the material. With beautiful interplay between acoustic and electric guitar, Tom Leonard pulls you into a completely different realm. Each theme and chord progression creates a lush backdrop for his marvelous vocal performance, while the rock-solid rhythm section keeps everything in line. Coming up next is “Hidden You Hidden Me,” another standout piece that further expands Leonard’s sound. By introcuding calm, soothing, relaxing, ethereal synth pads, heavy basslines, danceable rhythmic patterns, and arpeggiated chord progressions, he creates an otherworldly atmosphere that levitates between dreamy post-punk, indie rock, and alternative yet still stays close to the shoegaze sound. With songs like “In Circles,” “Out Tonight,” and “The Light Show,” Tom Leonard showcases his tremendous ability to transform shoegaze instrumentations into soothing, hypnotic, addictive, and irresistible dream pop songs where cinematic ambiance dominates the most. It’s nearly mindblowing how all those synth pads, acoustic chord progressions, warm-sounding basslines, and moderate rhythmic patterns work together. Each sonic maneuver acts like a door into another dimension, revealing even more soundscapes and expanding Tom Leonard’s already luxuriant sound. Of course, each composition has its unique properties, while the serene calmness, reverby instrumentations, and soulful vocal performance remain as qualities that bind them together.

“Stay Gone” exemplifies how shoegaze music should sound in 2026. It carries everything you dearly love about this genre, yet Tom Leonard also infuses his signature moves that make his music so fresh and unique. His voice remains as the centerpiece of the song, guiding listeners from start to finish while the interplay between heavily distorted, reverb-soaked guitars and vividly hearable synth melodies, harmonies, and pads creates another perfect backdrop for all the vocals to shine upon. Unlike many shoegaze songs presented nowadays, heavily drenched into uncontrollable distortion, Tom Leonard somehow manages to controls all the feedback and noise, making this song heavy yet so polished. “The Fathoms Deep Pool Of Love” demonstrates how even synthwave and synth pop have their place in a shoegaze world. With such mesmerizing synth leads, themes, and sequences, he pulls the listener deep into another dreamy composition. This track perfectly blends all those synth elements with the finest properties of dream pop, while beats, breaks, fills, accentuations, and other rhythmic patterns will remind you of some of the finest electronic music tracks released during the nineties. “In The Wind” is another beautiful composition where Tom Leonard blends only the finest elements of shoegaze, dream pop, and indie. Each section arrives with a perfect blend of synth themes and interplay between acoustic and electric chord progression that immediately wraps around your listening apparatus and refuses to let go. In the meantimes, the vividly hearable low-ends offer more heaviness, clarity, and depth while acting as a binding element between the mentioned instrumentations and drumming performance. Those guitars become even more complex, luxuriant, and fascinating during “What Has Been And What Will Be,” such a beautiful indie-inspired shoegaze track where guitars perfectly complement Tom Leonard’s incredible vocal performance. He flawlessly combined all those calm, expansive guitar progressions with raw, aggressive, and heavily distorted riffs. It’s one of those songs that showcases all the songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing abilities of an artist. This epic sonic journey comes to an end with “Fade Away,” another beautiful cinematic experience where Tom Leonard sums up all his creativity, skills, talent, experience, and knowledge. It’s such a perfect closing track that will force you to spin this fascinating album all over again.

Tom Leonard has created an album that not only carries a comprehensive collection of enchanting songs but delivered one of the finest pieces in shoegaze history. His music pays homage to an era when this music genre ruled the airwaves, but also demonstrates how shoegaze, dream pop, and indie should sound in 2026. As soon as you press play, “What Has Been and What Will Be“ transports you into a completely different universe, built upon beautiful vocal harmonies, luxuriant synth and guitar works, intricate basslines, and moderate beats. It’s a sonic voyage you surely do not want to miss if you’re a true fan of shoegaze music. Therefore, head to your favorite streaming platform and check it out!

https://open.spotify.com/album/2hWE2G1UctYmDfzTS2GMVu?si=hy81RMIERnOu_0n92O9loA

This newspaper hoarding – hung by Tom Leonard here on his bookcase – was described by the author as

“the only ‘trophy’ I ever got for my poetry that continues to give me some pleasure, when I remember it.”

3/3

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/journal/blog-march.html

#Scottish #literature #BannedBooksWeek #censorship #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

This newspaper hoarding – hung by Tom Leonard here on his bookcase – was described by the author as

“the only ‘trophy’ I ever got for my poetry that continues to give me some pleasure, when I remember it.”

3/3

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/journal/blog-march.html

#Scottish #literature #BannedBooksWeek #censorship #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

would thi prisoner
in thi bar
please stand

fur thi aforesaid crime
uv writn anuthir poem
awarded the certificate of safety
by thi scottish education department …

—Tom Leonard, published in GHOSTIE MEN (Galloping Dog Press, 1980)

2/3

#Scottish #literature #BannedBooksWeek #censorship #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

would thi prisoner
in thi bar
please stand

fur thi aforesaid crime
uv writn anuthir poem
awarded the certificate of safety
by thi scottish education department …

—Tom Leonard, published in GHOSTIE MEN (Galloping Dog Press, 1980)

2/3

#Scottish #literature #BannedBooksWeek #censorship #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

BANNED BOOKS WEEK
5–11 October 2025

Tom Leonard’s 1984 poetry collection INTIMATE VOICES was banned in Scotland’s Central Region school libraries. The Education Committee said

“There are some harmful words in it … Sometimes the naked truth has to be clothed”

But Leonard had anticipated this sort of reaction…

1/3

#Scottish #literature #BannedBooksWeek #censorship #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

BANNED BOOKS WEEK
5–11 October 2025

Tom Leonard’s 1984 poetry collection INTIMATE VOICES was banned in Scotland’s Central Region school libraries. The Education Committee said

“There are some harmful words in it … Sometimes the naked truth has to be clothed”

But Leonard had anticipated this sort of reaction…

1/3

#Scottish #literature #BannedBooksWeek #censorship #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

“Don’t you find
the use of phonetic urban dialect
rather constrictive?”

—Tom Leonard, “Fathers and Sons”
published in Intimate Voices: Selected Work, 1965–1983 (Galloping Dog Press, 1984)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

“Don’t you find
the use of phonetic urban dialect
rather constrictive?”

—Tom Leonard, “Fathers and Sons”
published in Intimate Voices: Selected Work, 1965–1983 (Galloping Dog Press, 1984)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

one of those with quiet, naturally restrained, insistently monotoned voices

with that little selfcontained smile, always going on about Respect for History and the Abiding Sense of the Traditional…

—Tom Leonard, “The Elect”
published in MARKINGS 27, 2008

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/the-elect.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

one of those with quiet, naturally restrained, insistently monotoned voices

with that little selfcontained smile, always going on about Respect for History and the Abiding Sense of the Traditional…

—Tom Leonard, “The Elect”
published in MARKINGS 27, 2008

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/the-elect.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

A recording of Tom Leonard reading “liason coordinator” 👆 at the Scottish TUC Centre in 2011, plus audio of many of his other poems, are online on PennSound

https://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Leonard.php

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

A recording of Tom Leonard reading “liason coordinator” 👆 at the Scottish TUC Centre in 2011, plus audio of many of his other poems, are online on PennSound

https://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Leonard.php

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

efturryd geenuz iz speel
iboot whut wuz right
nwhut wuz rang
boot this nthat
nthi nix thing
a sayzti the bloke
nwhut izzit yi caw
yir joab jimmy…

—Tom Leonard, “liason coordinator”
from GHOSTIE MEN (Galloping Dog Press, 1980)

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/liasoncoordinator.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

efturryd geenuz iz speel
iboot whut wuz right
nwhut wuz rang
boot this nthat
nthi nix thing
a sayzti the bloke
nwhut izzit yi caw
yir joab jimmy…

—Tom Leonard, “liason coordinator”
from GHOSTIE MEN (Galloping Dog Press, 1980)

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/liasoncoordinator.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

I like seeing nurse frieda knitting
as I like watching my wife knitting
as I liked watching my mother knitting
though she was more of a dabber
(plain and purl, plain and purl)…

—“in hospital” by Tom Leonard

https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/hospital/

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

I like seeing nurse frieda knitting
as I like watching my wife knitting
as I liked watching my mother knitting
though she was more of a dabber
(plain and purl, plain and purl)…

—“in hospital” by Tom Leonard

https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/hospital/

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

yi mist yirsell so yi did
we aw skiptwirr ferz njumptaffit thi lights
YIZIR AW PINE THEY FERZ THIMORRA
o it wizza scream
thaht big shite wiz dayniz nut…

—Tom Leonard, “A Scream”
from Six Glasgow Poems (1967)

(rrose sounds like a proper caution, by the way)

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

yi mist yirsell so yi did
we aw skiptwirr ferz njumptaffit thi lights
YIZIR AW PINE THEY FERZ THIMORRA
o it wizza scream
thaht big shite wiz dayniz nut…

—Tom Leonard, “A Scream”
from Six Glasgow Poems (1967)

(rrose sounds like a proper caution, by the way)

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

And their judges spoke with one dialect,
but the condemned spoke with many voices.

And the prisons were full of many voices,
but never the dialect of the judges.

And the judges said:
“No-one is above the Law.”

—Tom Leonard, “And the judges said”
published in Situations Theoretical and Contemporary (Galloping Dog Press, 1986)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

And their judges spoke with one dialect,
but the condemned spoke with many voices.

And the prisons were full of many voices,
but never the dialect of the judges.

And the judges said:
“No-one is above the Law.”

—Tom Leonard, “And the judges said”
published in Situations Theoretical and Contemporary (Galloping Dog Press, 1986)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

Tom Leonard reads “The Six O’Clock News”

🎂 Tom Leonard, 22 Aug 1944

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZaxEbhibdw

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

Tom Leonard reads “The Six O’Clock News”

🎂 Tom Leonard, 22 Aug 1944

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZaxEbhibdw

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

this is thi
six a clock
news thi
man said n
thi reason
a talk wia
BBC accent
iz coz yi
widny wahnt
mi ti talk
aboot thi
trooth wia
voice lik
wanna yoo
scruff. if
a toktaboot
thi trooth
lik wanna yoo
scruff yi
widny thingk
it wuz troo.
jist wanna yoo
scruff tokn.

—Tom Leonard, “The Six O’Clock News”
🎂 Tom Leonard, 22 Aug 1944

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

this is thi
six a clock
news thi
man said n
thi reason
a talk wia
BBC accent
iz coz yi
widny wahnt
mi ti talk
aboot thi
trooth wia
voice lik
wanna yoo
scruff. if
a toktaboot
thi trooth
lik wanna yoo
scruff yi
widny thingk
it wuz troo.
jist wanna yoo
scruff tokn.

—Tom Leonard, “The Six O’Clock News”
🎂 Tom Leonard, 22 Aug 1944

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

Are the speshlz Younger’s Tartan Special? Or Carlsberg Special Brew? This question & more explored by Prof Al Filreis & poet Christie Williamson as they discuss Tom Leonard’s “Jist ti Let Yi No” ☝️

3/3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUK0hXxfpto

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard #CarlosWilliams

Are the speshlz Younger’s Tartan Special? Or Carlsberg Special Brew? This question & more explored by Prof Al Filreis & poet Christie Williamson as they discuss Tom Leonard’s “Jist ti Let Yi No” ☝️

3/3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUK0hXxfpto

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard #CarlosWilliams

Tom Leonard “Jist ti Let Yi No”
(from the American of Carlos Williams)

ahv drank
thi speshlz
that wurrin
thi frij

n thit
yiwurr probbli
hodn back
furthi pahrti

awright
they wur great
thaht stroang
thaht cawld

2/13

Audio on Penn Sound:

https://media.sas.upenn.edu/pennsound/authors/Leonard/Tom-Leonard_Jist-ti-Let-Yi-No.mp3

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard #CarlosWilliams

Tom Leonard “Jist ti Let Yi No”
(from the American of Carlos Williams)

ahv drank
thi speshlz
that wurrin
thi frij

n thit
yiwurr probbli
hodn back
furthi pahrti

awright
they wur great
thaht stroang
thaht cawld

2/13

Audio on Penn Sound:

https://media.sas.upenn.edu/pennsound/authors/Leonard/Tom-Leonard_Jist-ti-Let-Yi-No.mp3

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard #CarlosWilliams

• in the beginning was the sound •

A 🎂 🧵 for Tom Leonard (1944–2018) – born #OTD, 22 August

📷: Front cover of Tom Leonard’s Intimate Voices 1965–1983 (Newcastle: Galloping Dog Press, 1984)

1/3

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

• in the beginning was the sound •

A 🎂 🧵 for Tom Leonard (1944–2018) – born #OTD, 22 August

📷: Front cover of Tom Leonard’s Intimate Voices 1965–1983 (Newcastle: Galloping Dog Press, 1984)

1/3

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #Glasgow #Glaswegian #voice #Scots #Scotslanguage #TomLeonard

it is dawn and my wife is coming to bed
and she has been watching a film about the life of charlie parker

and the air in the bedroom is silent while she undresses
and the light is there at the side of the curtain beyond her head…

—Tom Leonard, “June the Second”, from outside the narrative: poems 1965–2009 (Etruscan Books/Word Power Books 2009)

https://lighthousebookshop.com/book/9780956628336

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

it is dawn and my wife is coming to bed
and she has been watching a film about the life of charlie parker

and the air in the bedroom is silent while she undresses
and the light is there at the side of the curtain beyond her head…

—Tom Leonard, “June the Second”, from outside the narrative: poems 1965–2009 (Etruscan Books/Word Power Books 2009)

https://lighthousebookshop.com/book/9780956628336

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

poetry is all the juicy bits in the juiciest order
poetry is jellied religion
pascal: if your labourers complain too much, try taking them to a poetry reading

—Tom Leonard, “100 Differences Between Poetry & Prose”

Today, 21 March, is #WorldPoetryDay

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/100-differences-between-poetry-and-prose.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

poetry is all the juicy bits in the juiciest order
poetry is jellied religion
pascal: if your labourers complain too much, try taking them to a poetry reading

—Tom Leonard, “100 Differences Between Poetry & Prose”

Today, 21 March, is #WorldPoetryDay

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/100-differences-between-poetry-and-prose.html

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

Fishing for Poetry: A Celebration of Norman MacCaig

Aly Bain, Andrew Greig & Billy Connolly seek the Loch of the Green Corrie – with MacCaig’s poetry read by Douglas Dunn, Alasdair Gray, Seamus Heaney, Jackie Kay, Tom Leonard, Liz Lochhead & Aonghas MacNeacail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilGV9OCHei0

#Scottish #literature #poetry #20thcentury #NormanMacCaig #fishing #AlyBain #AndrewGreig #BillyConnolly #DouglasDunn #AlasdairGray #SeamusHeaney #JackieKay #TomLeonard #LizLochhead #AonghasMacNeacail

Fishing for Poetry: A Celebration of Norman MacCaig

Aly Bain, Andrew Greig & Billy Connolly seek the Loch of the Green Corrie – with MacCaig’s poetry read by Douglas Dunn, Alasdair Gray, Seamus Heaney, Jackie Kay, Tom Leonard, Liz Lochhead & Aonghas MacNeacail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilGV9OCHei0

#Scottish #literature #poetry #20thcentury #NormanMacCaig #fishing #AlyBain #AndrewGreig #BillyConnolly #DouglasDunn #AlasdairGray #SeamusHeaney #JackieKay #TomLeonard #LizLochhead #AonghasMacNeacail

I am a human being
and I exist

a human being
and a citizen of the world

responsible to that world
– and responsible for that world

—Tom Leonard, “Being a Human Being”
First published in PN Review 32 (2005)

Today, 10 December, is Human Rights Day

https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #HumanRightsDay

I am a human being
and I exist

a human being
and a citizen of the world

responsible to that world
– and responsible for that world

—Tom Leonard, “Being a Human Being”
First published in PN Review 32 (2005)

Today, 10 December, is Human Rights Day

https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #HumanRightsDay

“Don’t you find
the use of phonetic urban dialect
rather constrictive?”

—Tom Leonard, “Fathers and Sons”
Published in Intimate Voices: Selected Work, 1965–1983 (Galloping Dog Press, 1984)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #language

13/13

“Don’t you find
the use of phonetic urban dialect
rather constrictive?”

—Tom Leonard, “Fathers and Sons”
Published in Intimate Voices: Selected Work, 1965–1983 (Galloping Dog Press, 1984)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #language

13/13

The underfunder’s utopia

the state hospital
with one bed

always full
always efficient

Tom Leonard, “The underfunder’s utopia”
Published in outside the narrative (etruscan books, 2009)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

12/13

The underfunder’s utopia

the state hospital
with one bed

always full
always efficient

Tom Leonard, “The underfunder’s utopia”
Published in outside the narrative (etruscan books, 2009)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

12/13

not to be complicit
not to accept everyone else is silent it must be alright

not to keep one’s mouth shut to hold onto one’s job
not to accept public language as cover and decoy…

—Tom Leonard, “Being a Human Being” (for Mordechai Vanunu)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

11/13

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/poem-being-a-human-being.html

not to be complicit
not to accept everyone else is silent it must be alright

not to keep one’s mouth shut to hold onto one’s job
not to accept public language as cover and decoy…

—Tom Leonard, “Being a Human Being” (for Mordechai Vanunu)

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

11/13

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/poem-being-a-human-being.html

I like seeing nurse frieda knitting
as I like watching my wife knitting
as I liked watching my mother knitting
though she was more of a dabber
(plain and purl, plain and purl)…

—“in hospital” by Tom Leonard

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

10/13

https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/hospital/

I like seeing nurse frieda knitting
as I like watching my wife knitting
as I liked watching my mother knitting
though she was more of a dabber
(plain and purl, plain and purl)…

—“in hospital” by Tom Leonard

#Scottish #literature #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

10/13

https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/hospital/

one of those with quiet, naturally restrained, insistently monotoned voices

with that little selfcontained smile, always going on about Respect for History and the Abiding Sense of the Traditional…

—Tom Leonard, “The Elect”
From Markings 27, 2008

9/13

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/the-elect.html

one of those with quiet, naturally restrained, insistently monotoned voices

with that little selfcontained smile, always going on about Respect for History and the Abiding Sense of the Traditional…

—Tom Leonard, “The Elect”
From Markings 27, 2008

9/13

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/the-elect.html

“You may laugh with him in a more-power-to-your-elbow mood; you may swear back at him when he touches some raw spot; but I guarantee you can open him anywhere and want to read on.”

—Edwin Morgan on Tom Leonard
From Edwin Morgan: In Touch With Language

8/13

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #EdwinMorgan

https://asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/edwin-morgan-in-touch-with-language/

“You may laugh with him in a more-power-to-your-elbow mood; you may swear back at him when he touches some raw spot; but I guarantee you can open him anywhere and want to read on.”

—Edwin Morgan on Tom Leonard
From Edwin Morgan: In Touch With Language

8/13

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard #EdwinMorgan

https://asls.org.uk/publications/books/volumes/edwin-morgan-in-touch-with-language/

A recording of Tom Leonard reading “liason coordinator” 👆 at the Scottish TUC Centre in 2011, plus audio of many of his other poems, are online on PennSound

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

7/13

https://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Leonard.php

A recording of Tom Leonard reading “liason coordinator” 👆 at the Scottish TUC Centre in 2011, plus audio of many of his other poems, are online on PennSound

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

7/13

https://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Leonard.php

efturryd geenuz iz speel
iboot whut wuz right
nwhut wuz rang
boot this nthat
nthi nix thing

a sayzti the bloke
nwhut izzit yi caw
yir joab jimmy…

—Tom Leonard, “liason coordinator”
(from Ghostie Men, Galloping Dog Press, 1980)

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

6/13
https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/liasoncoordinator.html

efturryd geenuz iz speel
iboot whut wuz right
nwhut wuz rang
boot this nthat
nthi nix thing

a sayzti the bloke
nwhut izzit yi caw
yir joab jimmy…

—Tom Leonard, “liason coordinator”
(from Ghostie Men, Galloping Dog Press, 1980)

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

6/13
https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose/liasoncoordinator.html

yi mist yirsell so yi did
we aw skiptwirr ferz njumptaffit thi lights
YIZIR AW PINE THEY FERZ THIMORRA
o it wizza scream
thaht big shite wiz dayniz nut…

—Tom Leonard, “A Scream”
from Six Glasgow Poems (1967)

#Scottish #literature #language #Glasgow #Glaswegian #poem #poetry #TomLeonard

5/13

https://www.tomleonard.co.uk/online-poetry-and-prose.html