Quotes from three of Scotland’s most well-known poets have been unveiled on the Scottish Parliament’s Canongate Wall on the Royal Mile.
Earlier this year, over 5,000 public votes were cast from people all over Scotland who chose which works by previous Scots Makars Liz Lochhead, Jackie Kay and Kathleen Jamie should feature.
The winning quotations were sent to Perthshire-based stone carver Gillian Forbes, assisted by apprentice Cameron Wallace, who carried out the letter-cutting process for the new quotes as well as many of the original ones already featured.
In total 29 quotations now feature on the Canongate Wall from Scottish writers and thinkers as well as popular proverbs and poems which are letter-cut into stones sourced from across Scotland. The Wall was designed by artist Soraya Smithson which pays tribute to the design ideas of Holyrood lead architect Enric Miralles.
The winning quotations are:
Liz Lochhead
this
our one small country…
our one, wondrous, spinning, dear green place.
What shall we build of it, together
in this our one small time and space?
– from Grace, A Handsel, New & Collected Poems, 2012
Stone cut into Achnaba Schist from Lochgilphead.
Jackie Kay
Where do you come from?
‘Here,’ I said, ‘Here. These parts.’
– from In my country, Darling: New & Selected Poems, 2007
Stone cut into Ailsa Craig Granite from Ayrshire.
Kathleen Jamie
Be brave:
by the weird-song in the dark you’ll find your way.
– from The Storm, The Bonniest Companie, 2015
Stone cut into Dalbeattie Granite from Dumfriesshire.
Presiding Officer Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said: “Adding new quotations onto one of Scotland’s most prominent public sculptures is a celebration of the talent and skill of women who are performing at the very top of their professions.
“The inspirational words of our three poets – Liz Lochhead, Jackie Kay and Kathleen Jamie – combine with the skill of stone carver Gillian Forbes, making these quotes something of real beauty using stone from across Scotland.
“This is only possible thanks to the original vision of Enric Miralles and artist Soraya Smithson, who designed the wall as a permanent reminder of our rich cultural heritage.
“I’m proud to unveil these new quotes, which ensure that this piece of living public sculpture reflects the writing talent we have in Scotland today.”
Liz Lochhead, Makar from 2011 to 2016, said: “It’s a big part of my life, being a Scot, being somebody who has a parliament, and getting some of my words on the walls here, it’s fantastic.”
Jackie Kay, Makar from 2016 to 2021, said: “It’s a huge honour and so extraordinary to be carved into stone.
“It’s so strange to think of your words surviving you – but in a sense, that’s every writer’s dream.”
Kathleen Jamie, Makar from 2021 to 2024, said: “Poetry is very democratic. It’s available to anybody – through libraries, through memory.
“It’s free, and it’s absolutely of our culture.”
