Roger McGough, named the Patron Saint of Poetry by Carol Ann Duffy, is an absolute delight. Rather than reading his favourite pieces from his recently published book, The Collected Poems 1959 – 2024, he asks the audience to give him a page number. Watching someone really enjoying revisiting his work is so refreshing. There is something rather lovely about his excitement at giving random poems “a shot at being read”.
His poetry spans an eye watering 65 years. A leading member of the Liverpool poets and president of the Poetry Society he was responsible for much of the humorous dialogue in the Beatles film Yellow Submarine but received no on-screen credit.
He begins with his roots in the Mersey Sound, apologising for some un-pc 1970s references, and leading you through his own personal history lesson, major world changes, family moments and comical musings on everyday events.
This is an evening of quirky anecdotes, where he speaks of his love for Scotland and Scottish poets with their flair for surrealism and comedy. He tells us how he spent his first Edinburgh Festival with his friend, sculptor Arthur Dooley. The two of them slept under the pillars at the Royal Scottish Academy on the Mound and shared newspapers to insulate their trousers.
It is a great coming together for poetry lovers. People around me are joining in with their favourite poems and everyone leaves smiling and making a dash to the signing tent to have a few words with this wonderful gentleman – myself included.
Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from August 10 – 25
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