I have never been to a Callander Poetry Weekend before. I was extremely moved by the welcoming atmosphere:
the sun was warm, and the garden was gorgeous, but it was Sally herself who somehow created a glow around
the place--as though each and every person there was valued, that each and every person's words (and poems)
mattered equally. This is a rare phenomenon in a world where it has become customary for poets to be presented
in order of 'importance'. I shall not forget it, nor the absolute attention of the listeners as Ayad Alhaiatly read
aloud in his native Arabic, the amazingly beautiful syllables bouncing off the stone walls and echoing like a song.
Helena Nelson

from Deborah Moffat:

Sally--
I promised I'd get back to you with what for me were high-lights of
Saturday--actually, in some ways I don't want to separate any one person
because the thing works so well as a whole, with one poet building on and
taking inspiration from the work of another.
 
It was really great, though, to have Sue Tordoff speaking about George
Mackay Brown, and yes, I did go home and straight away look at the web-site,
and will be reading more of him in future!  Sue has such a lovely enthusiasm
and dedication;  she knows her stuff but was never "dry" as academics can
be.  More, please!
 
I was also very impressed by Helena Nelson, whose work I knew and admired.
I hope to see more of her as she lives not far away from me here in Fife.
Sally James was new to me, and I really hope to see more of her.  I have a
friend in Lancaster who is just starting to write, and I think she would
benefit from seeing or meeting Sally.  I wonder if you have an address for
her Lancaster dialect group, by any chance?  My friend is in her sixties,
and has a similar back ground to Sally, I think.  And of course the
Palestinian was special--I know a tiny bit of Arabic, enough to know that
his poetry was highly literate and poetic in Arabic--and what a passion!  I
wonder if he couldn't do a reading in Dundee, somehow, where there are many
Arabic students and others who would be very interested in him--I shall ask
around.
 
I really felt that the whole thing was superb this year, with everyone
giving that little bit more to their work.  And most of all it's nice to
meet people you've admired, or known through emails, and people you never
heard of before but wish you had!  I noticed several friendships forming
through the day, and that's what a good festival is about!  Most of my
friends are "fesival" friends, people I've met through music and only ever
see about three or four times a year, but they are good friends for all
that.  Participation and inter-mingling is essential in a festival--I tend
to stay away from the "big" festivals in music, which I call "stars and
groupies" festivals, where there is a clear demarcation between the big
names and the punters, and I wouldn't like a poetry festival that was like
that, either.  So, you've got the right chemistry going, and it works!
 
Thanks again for putting it all together--
 
Deborah. 

From Sally James

Hello Sally, It was lovely meeting you and all the other poets and I am glad
they liked me too. I thought it was really very special and magical and I
really enjoyed the event very much. I do intend to visit Scotland again next
year and do some touring around. I have been fancying getting a campervan
for months now but have not yet taken the plunge.
I want to say how pleased I am with the book that Ian gave me. It is so
beautifully bound and I was particularly interested in the glossary of
dialect words with so many words there that are not in recent glossaries.
There were spellings of old words that I was not quite sure of and also some
words that I had not heard since I was a very young child. It is indeed a
book to treasure and I thank you for this.
>
from Will Daunt
Many thanks for looking after everybody so thoughtfully.
I really enjoyed it.
 
from Maureen Weldon

Dear Sally,
 
Thank you for a feast of the most wonderful poetry.
I enjoyed every moment of the weekend.
Thank you for making me feel so welcome and happy. And for all the amazing
food! Goodness you went to so much trouble and it was so good!!
 
I will never forget that beautiful drive in the mountains and by the lake to
collect the two very lovely Buddhists, (I am ashamed that I can't remember
their names).
 
I have hugely enjoyed reading Jayne's  'In The Moon's Pantry', what a lovely
poet she is and it was so good hearing her read her poems, in fact what a
special evening that was and the banquet.


from Sue Tordoff
We both enjoyed the poetry day, I loved the atmosphere
and the welcome and acceptance the poets gave to
each other - and me! It was a great day. Thanks for
asking me to participate.

from Angela Blacklock Brown
Dear Ian and Sally
 
Sorry I couldn't stay for the whole weekend, but I'd had a friend staying
for 3 weeks as she had a play on at the Pleasance.  Her husband was there
for a few days in between as well as her son and daughter so I was pretty
shattered after that.
I'm glad it went so well though.
It was nice to see Irene Evans as I  normally just talk to her on the phone.
My friend Kitty thought the garden was a great meeting place.
We were both very taken with Sally from Lancashire. She had such a lovely
personality.
 
I'll try to come up to Callander sometime again before next year's poetry
event.
 
All the best Angela
 
from Alistair Paterson
Sally, thank you for all you put into the festival to make a wonderful
weekend.  The food and drink was excellent and we were truly blessed with
great weather.   I hope the Sunday went well too.  I am only sorry I
couldn't have been there.  It was nice to meet Gerald and put a face to an
editor who published some of my poems a long time ago.

All best wishes for now,

Alistair

from Elizabeth Rimmer
Dear Sally
Just a line or two to say thank you for organising the Festival and all the
work, organisation and hospitality that went into it. There were so many
interesting poets there, so varied, and so talented.It was a real lift and
an encouragement to get back to poetry after such a long dry time. Next week
we visit Paul's mother, and then I reckon to be back to work, after nearly
six months.
 
Your garden is looking so good this year, but we have been lucky with the
weather. Even mine is ok, despite the neglect, but I am beginning to get
back to that too, so I am feeling very lucky.
 
Thanks again for everything you did
Pax et bene

from A C Clarke
Dear Sally
 
First a big thank you to you and Ian for organising such a splendid poetry
weekend - you deserved to have the wonderful weather which made it even
better. The only criticism I have is there was so much going on there wasn't
time to exchange more than a couple of words with anyone. It must have taken
quite some organising, not to say expense - and such masses of food. I
always enjoy it but I enjoyed it more than ever this year.
 
The bookfair was a very good idea, and I am sorry I didn't help out more
with it - I was torn between that and particularly wanting to hear some of
the readers. Did sell 5 copies of the anthology, which was pleasing, as well
as a few other books. Another time I would try to be of more use. I hope the
Sunday went just as well v- I'm sure it did and the weather was perfect for
the haiku walk - at least it was in Glasgow.
 
With love
 
Anne

From Ayad Alhiatly
Dear Sally, Dear Colin

What a glamorous sunny day sneaked away from the Mediterranean into Scotland, inspired poets
singing to the blue sky, hugging the pregnant trees, spreading magic on the lawn, fertilise the soil
with love, blossoming poems dance on the lips

It really was my pleasure to take part in your event as I felt at home by the warm welcome
overwhelmed my family and me by you and the lovely gathering

Sally, Colin, Helena Nelson, Deborah Moffat, Every one

Won’t forget your tenderness
Please keep in touch

Yours with love
Ayad Alhaiatly
aiadal@hotmail.com

From Margaret Gillies Brown, a poem:

POETRY IN THE GARDEN

{Callander September 2005}

In an aura of mountains
Amid the gossip of martins,
The mewing of Buzzards
In a higher stratosphere,
Poets recite in the sun.

Against a melody of trees
By a pink-grey stone wall
And the remnants of flowers -
Poets recite.

A haze of lavender
Hanging after rain
Waits for a poet`s foot
to send its sweet waft
Through the semicircle
Listening on the grass
As poets recite...

Of Martin and Buzzard,
Mountain and river,
Love and hate,
War and want,
Laughter and tears

Until three bearded Hielan`men
Down from the hills
In kilt and in plaid
Remind of Rob Roy
more immediate than words
as poets recite.

Cheers
Margaret


From Christopher Barnes
sorry
my god damn sleeping disorder kicked in and i missed the train...once i got
to sleep i just couldn't wake up even though the alarm was going off and i
had bought tickets that were time specific...hope it all went well without
me and that you are both well.....love chris