Edwin Morgan
Encyclopedia
Edwin George Morgan was a Scottish poet and translator who was associated with the Scottish Renaissance
. He is widely recognised as one of the foremost Scottish poets of the 20th century. In 1999, Morgan was made the first Glasgow Poet Laureate
. In 2004, he was named as the first Scottish national poet: The Scots Makar.
and grew up in Rutherglen. His parents were Presbyterian
. As a child he was not surrounded by books, nor did he have any literary acquaintances. Schoolmates labelled him a swot. He convinced his parents to finance his membership of several book clubs in Glasgow. The Faber Book of Modern Verse (1936) was a "revelation" to him, he later said.
Morgan entered the University of Glasgow
in 1937. It was at university that he studied French and Russian, while self-educating in "a good bit of Italian and German" as well. After interrupting his studies to serve in World War II
as a non-combatant
conscientious objector
with the Royal Army Medical Corps
, Morgan graduated in 1947 and became a lecturer at the University. He worked there until his retirement in 1980.
Morgan first outlined his sexuality in Nothing Not Giving Messages: Reflections on his Work and Life (1990). He had written many famous love poems, among them "Strawberries" and "The Unspoken", in which the love object was not gendered; this was partly because of legal problems at the time but also out of a desire to universalise them, as he made clear in an interview with Marshall Walker. At the opening of the Glasgow LGBT Centre
in 1995, he read a poem he had written for the occasion, and presented it to the Centre as a gift.
In 2002, he became the patron of Our Story Scotland
. At the Opening of the Scottish Parliament
building in Edinburgh
on 9 October 2004, Liz Lochhead
read a poem written especially for the occasion by Morgan, titled "Poem for the Opening of the Scottish Parliament". She was announced as Morgan's successor as Scots Makar in January 2011.
Near the end of his life, Morgan reached a new audience after collaborating with the Scottish band Idlewild
on their album The Remote Part
. In the closing moments of the album's final track "In Remote Part/ Scottish Fiction", he recites a poem, "Scottish Fiction", written specifically for the song.
In 2007, Morgan contributed two poems to the compilation Ballads of the Book
, for which a range of Scottish writers created poems to be made into songs by Scottish musicians. Morgan's songs "The Good Years" and "The Weight of Years" were performed by Karine Polwart
and Idlewild respectively.
Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney
"[paid] formal homage" during a 2005 visit.
In later life Morgan was cared for at a residential home as his illness worsened. He published a collection in April 2010 titled Dreams and Other Nightmares, months before his death, to mark his 90th birthday. Up until his death, he was the last survivor of the canonical 'Big Seven' (the others being Hugh MacDiarmid
, Robert Garioch
, Norman MacCaig
, Iain Crichton Smith
, George Mackay Brown
, and Sorley MacLean
).
On 17 August 2010, Edwin Morgan died of pneumonia
in Glasgow, Scotland, at the age of 90 years. The Scottish Poetry Library made the announcement in the morning. Tributes came from, among others, politicians Alex Salmond
and Iain Gray
, as well as Carol Ann Duffy
, the UK Poet Laureate
.
Alex Salmond
's leader's speech to the Scottish National Party
Conference at Inverness
on 22 October 2011 referred to Morgan's bequest of £918,000 to the Party in his Will as "transformational". The next day it was announced that all of the bequest would be used for the party's independence referendum campaign. Morgan also left £45,000 to a number of friends, former colleagues and charity organisations and set aside another £1 million for the creation of an annual award scheme for young poets in Scotland
.
to concrete poetry
. His Collected Poems appeared in 1990. He has also translated from a wide range of languages, including Russian, Hungarian, French, Italian, Latin
, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Old English (Beowulf). Many of these are collected in Rites of Passage. Selected Translations (1976). His 1952 translation of Beowulf has become a standard translation in America.
Morgan was also influenced by the American beat
poets, with their simple, accessible ideas and language being prominent features in his work.
In 1968 Morgan wrote a poem entitled Starlings In George Square. This poem could be read as a comment on society's reluctance to accept the integration of different races. Other people have also considered it to be about the Russian Revolution in which "Starling" could be a reference to "Stalin".
Other notable poems include:
Scottish Renaissance
The Scottish Renaissance was a mainly literary movement of the early to mid 20th century that can be seen as the Scottish version of modernism. It is sometimes referred to as the Scottish literary renaissance, although its influence went beyond literature into music, visual arts, and politics...
. He is widely recognised as one of the foremost Scottish poets of the 20th century. In 1999, Morgan was made the first Glasgow Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
. In 2004, he was named as the first Scottish national poet: The Scots Makar.
Life and career
Morgan was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and grew up in Rutherglen. His parents were Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
. As a child he was not surrounded by books, nor did he have any literary acquaintances. Schoolmates labelled him a swot. He convinced his parents to finance his membership of several book clubs in Glasgow. The Faber Book of Modern Verse (1936) was a "revelation" to him, he later said.
Morgan entered the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in 1937. It was at university that he studied French and Russian, while self-educating in "a good bit of Italian and German" as well. After interrupting his studies to serve in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a non-combatant
Non-combatant
Non-combatant is a term in the law of war describing civilians not taking a direct part in hostilities, as well as persons such as medical personnel and military chaplains who are regular soldiers but are protected because of their function as well as soldiers who are hors de combat ; that is, sick,...
conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
with the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
, Morgan graduated in 1947 and became a lecturer at the University. He worked there until his retirement in 1980.
Morgan first outlined his sexuality in Nothing Not Giving Messages: Reflections on his Work and Life (1990). He had written many famous love poems, among them "Strawberries" and "The Unspoken", in which the love object was not gendered; this was partly because of legal problems at the time but also out of a desire to universalise them, as he made clear in an interview with Marshall Walker. At the opening of the Glasgow LGBT Centre
Glasgow LGBT Centre
The Glasgow LGBT Centre was a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community centre located at 84 Bell Street, Glasgow G1 1LQ. It was fully wheelchair-accessible, with a chairlift. It closed in April 2009, following withdrawal of funding from Glasgow City Council...
in 1995, he read a poem he had written for the occasion, and presented it to the Centre as a gift.
In 2002, he became the patron of Our Story Scotland
Our Story Scotland
Our Story Scotland is a community history and oral history project founded in 2002 to record the histories of Scotland's LGBT communities. Based in Glasgow, OurStory Scotland is a recognised Scottish charity whose patron is Edwin Morgan....
. At the Opening of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
building in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on 9 October 2004, Liz Lochhead
Liz Lochhead
Liz Lochhead is a Scottish poet and dramatist, originally from Newarthill in North Lanarkshire.-Background:After attending Glasgow School of Art, Lochhead lectured in fine art for eight years before becoming a professional writer....
read a poem written especially for the occasion by Morgan, titled "Poem for the Opening of the Scottish Parliament". She was announced as Morgan's successor as Scots Makar in January 2011.
Near the end of his life, Morgan reached a new audience after collaborating with the Scottish band Idlewild
Idlewild (band)
Idlewild are a Scottish rock band, formed in Edinburgh, in 1995, comprising Roddy Woomble , Rod Jones , Colin Newton , Allan Stewart and Gareth Russell...
on their album The Remote Part
The Remote Part
The Remote Part is the third full-length studio album by Scottish rock band Idlewild, released on 15 July 2002 to widespread critical acclaim. The album is Idlewild's most commercially successful to date, and is the last to feature bassist Bob Fairfoull...
. In the closing moments of the album's final track "In Remote Part/ Scottish Fiction", he recites a poem, "Scottish Fiction", written specifically for the song.
In 2007, Morgan contributed two poems to the compilation Ballads of the Book
Ballads of the Book
Ballads of the Book is a studio album, released on 5 March 2007, on Chemikal Underground. The project was curated by Roddy Woomble, and features collaborations between Scottish musicians and Scottish writers. The album is considered a "joint effort" by all those involved...
, for which a range of Scottish writers created poems to be made into songs by Scottish musicians. Morgan's songs "The Good Years" and "The Weight of Years" were performed by Karine Polwart
Karine Polwart
Karine Polwart is a Scottish singer-songwriter. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel, her songs dealing with a variety of issues from alcoholism to genocide...
and Idlewild respectively.
Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Heaney is an Irish poet, writer and lecturer. He lives in Dublin. Heaney has received the Nobel Prize in Literature , the Golden Wreath of Poetry , T. S. Eliot Prize and two Whitbread prizes...
"[paid] formal homage" during a 2005 visit.
In later life Morgan was cared for at a residential home as his illness worsened. He published a collection in April 2010 titled Dreams and Other Nightmares, months before his death, to mark his 90th birthday. Up until his death, he was the last survivor of the canonical 'Big Seven' (the others being Hugh MacDiarmid
Hugh MacDiarmid
Hugh MacDiarmid is the pen name of Christopher Murray Grieve , a significant Scottish poet of the 20th century. He was instrumental in creating a Scottish version of modernism and was a leading light in the Scottish Renaissance of the 20th century...
, Robert Garioch
Robert Garioch
Robert Garioch Sutherland, , was a Scottish poet and translator. His poetry was written almost exclusively in the Scots language, he was a key member in the literary revival of the language in the mid-20th century...
, Norman MacCaig
Norman MacCaig
Norman MacCaig was a Scottish poet. His poetry, in modern English, is known for its humour, simplicity of language and great popularity.-Life:...
, Iain Crichton Smith
Iain Crichton Smith
Iain Crichton Smith was a Scottish man of letters, writing in both English and Scottish Gaelic, and a prolific author in both languages...
, George Mackay Brown
George Mackay Brown
George Mackay Brown , was a Scottish poet, author and dramatist, whose work has a distinctly Orcadian character...
, and Sorley MacLean
Sorley MacLean
Sorley MacLean was one of the most significant Scottish poets of the 20th century.-Early life:He was born at Osgaig on the island of Raasay on 26 October 1911, where Scottish Gaelic was the first language. He attended the University of Edinburgh and was an avid shinty player playing for the...
).
On 17 August 2010, Edwin Morgan died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in Glasgow, Scotland, at the age of 90 years. The Scottish Poetry Library made the announcement in the morning. Tributes came from, among others, politicians Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
and Iain Gray
Iain Gray
Iain Gray is a Scottish politician and the Leader of Scottish Labour Party Opposition in the Scottish Parliament. Gray was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the East Lothian constituency in 2007 having previously represented Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 to 2003.-Background and...
, as well as Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy, CBE, FRSL is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is Professor of Contemporary Poetry at the Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Britain's poet laureate in May 2009...
, the UK Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom
The Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, also referred to as the Poet Laureate, is the Poet Laureate appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Prime Minister...
.
Testamentary provisions
First Minister of ScotlandFirst Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
's leader's speech to the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
Conference at Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
on 22 October 2011 referred to Morgan's bequest of £918,000 to the Party in his Will as "transformational". The next day it was announced that all of the bequest would be used for the party's independence referendum campaign. Morgan also left £45,000 to a number of friends, former colleagues and charity organisations and set aside another £1 million for the creation of an annual award scheme for young poets in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Poetry
Morgan worked in a wide range of forms and styles, from the sonnetSonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
to concrete poetry
Concrete poetry
Concrete poetry or shape poetry is poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on....
. His Collected Poems appeared in 1990. He has also translated from a wide range of languages, including Russian, Hungarian, French, Italian, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Old English (Beowulf). Many of these are collected in Rites of Passage. Selected Translations (1976). His 1952 translation of Beowulf has become a standard translation in America.
Morgan was also influenced by the American beat
Beat generation
The Beat Generation refers to a group of American post-WWII writers who came to prominence in the 1950s, as well as the cultural phenomena that they both documented and inspired...
poets, with their simple, accessible ideas and language being prominent features in his work.
In 1968 Morgan wrote a poem entitled Starlings In George Square. This poem could be read as a comment on society's reluctance to accept the integration of different races. Other people have also considered it to be about the Russian Revolution in which "Starling" could be a reference to "Stalin".
Other notable poems include:
- The Death of Marilyn Monroe (1962) – an outpouring of emotion after the loss of one of the world's most talented women.
- The Billy Boys (1968) – flashback of the gang warfare in Glasgow led by Billy Fullerton in the Thirties.
- Glasgow 5 March 1971 – robbery by two youths by pushing an unsuspecting couple through a shop window on Sauchiehall StreetSauchiehall StreetSauchiehall Street is one of the main shopping/business streets in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, it forms the main shopping area of Glasgow, containing the majority of Glasgow's high street and chain stores.Although commonly associated with the...
- In the Snackbar – concise description of an encounter with a disabled pensioner in a Glasgow restaurant.
- A Good Year for Death (26 September 1977) – a description of five famous people from the world of popular culture who died in 1977
- Poem for the Opening of the Scottish Parliament – which was read by Liz LochheadLiz LochheadLiz Lochhead is a Scottish poet and dramatist, originally from Newarthill in North Lanarkshire.-Background:After attending Glasgow School of Art, Lochhead lectured in fine art for eight years before becoming a professional writer....
at the opening ceremony because he was too ill. (9 October 2004)
Books
- Beowulf: A Verse Translation into Modern English, Hand and Flower Press, 1952
- The Vision of Cathkin Braes and Other Poems, William MacLellan, 1952
- The Cape of Good Hope (limited edition), Pound Press, 1955
- Poems from Eugenio Montale (translator), School of Art, University of Reading, 1959
- Sovpoems: Brecht, Neruda, Pasternak, Tsvetayeva, Mayakovsky, Martynov, Yevtushenko (translator) Migrant Press, 1961
- Collins Albatross Book of Longer Poems (editor) Collins, 1963
- Starryveldt Eugen Gomringer Press, 1965
- Emergent Poems Hansjörg Mayer, 1967
- Gnomes Akros publications, 1968
- The Second Life Edinburgh University Press, 1968
- Selected Poems of Sándor Weöres and Selected Poems of Ferenc Juhász (translator and introduction for Sándor Weöres) Penguin, 1970
- The Horseman's Word: Concrete Poems Akros, 1970
- Twelve Songs Castlelaw Press, 1970
- Glasgow Sonnets Castlelaw Press, 1972
- Instamatic Poems Ian McKelvie, 1972
- Wi the haill voice: 25 poems by Vladimir Mayakovsky (translator and glossary) Carcanet, 1972
- From Glasgow to Saturn Carcanet, 1973
- Nuspeak8: Being a Visual Poem by Edwin Morgan Scottish Arts Council, 1973
- The Whittrick: a Poem in Eight Dialogues Akros, 1973
- Essays Carcanet, 1974
- Fifty Renascence Love-Poems (translator) Whiteknights Press, 1975
- Rites of Passage (translator), 1976
- Edwin Morgan: an interview by Marshall Walker Akros, 1977
- The New Divan, 1977
- Selected poems by August Graf von Platen-Hallermünde (translator) Castlelaw Press, 1978
- Star Gate: Science Fiction Poems Third Eye Centre, 1979
- Scottish Satirical Verse (compiler) Carcanet, 1980
- Grendel Mariscat, 1982
- Poems of Thirty Years, 1982
- The Apple-Tree (modern version of a medieval Dutch play) Third Eye Centre, 1982
- Grafts Mariscat, 1983
- Sonnets from Scotland Mariscat, 1984
- Selected Poems, 1985
- From the Video Box Mariscat, 1986
- Newspoems Wacy, 1987
- Tales from Limerick Zoo (illustrated by David Neilson) Mariscat, 1988
- Themes on a Variation, 1988
- Collected Poems (republished 1996 with index), 1990
- Crossing the Border: Essays on Scottish Literature, 1990
- Nothing Not Giving Messages: Reflections on his Work and Life (edited by Hamish Whyte) Polygon, 1990
- Hold Hands Among the Atoms: 70 Poems Mariscat, 1991
- Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac: A New Verse Translation (translator), 1992
- Fragments by József Attila (translator) Morning Star Publications, 1992
- MacCaig, Morgan, Lochhead: Three Scottish Poets (edited and introduced by Roderick Watson) Canongate, 1992
- Cecilia Vicuña:PALABRARmas/WURDWAPPINschaw Morning Star Publications, 1994
- Sweeping Out the Dark, 1994
- Long Poems – But How Long? (W. D. Thomas Memorial Lecture) University of Wales, Swansea, 1995
- Collected Translations, 1996
- St. Columba: The Maker on High (translator) Mariscat, 1997
- Virtual and Other Realities, 1997
- Chistopher Marlowe's Dr Faustus (a new version) Canongate, 1999
- Demon Mariscat, 1999
- A.D.: A Trilogy of Plays on the Life of Jesus Carcanet, 2000
- Jean Racine: Phaedra (translation of PhèdrePhèdrePhèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677.-Composition and premiere:...
), 2000 (Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation PrizeOxford-Weidenfeld Translation PrizeOxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize is an annual literary prize for any book-length translation into English from any other living European language...
) - New Selected Poems, 2000
- Attila József: Sixty Poems (translator) Mariscat, 2001
- Cathures, 2002
- Love and a Life: 50 Poems by Edwin Morgan Mariscat, 2003
- The Battle of Bannockburn (translator) SPL in association with Akros and Mariscat, 2004
- Tales from Baron Munchausen Mariscat, 2005
- The Play of Gilgamesh, 2005
- Thirteen Ways of Looking at Rillie Enitharmon, 2006
- A Book of Lives, 2007
Awards and honours
- 1972 PEN Memorial Medal (Hungary)
- 1982 OBE
- 1983 Scottish Book of the Year Award for Poems of Thirty Years
- 1985 Soros Translation Award (New York)
- 1998 Stakis Prize for Scottish Writer of the Year for Virtual and Other Realities
- 2000 Queen's Gold Medal for PoetryQueen's Gold Medal for PoetryThe Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry is awarded for a book of verse published by someone in any of the Commonwealth realms. Originally the award was open only to British subjects living in the United Kingdom, but in 1985 the scope was extended to include people from the rest of the Commonwealth realms...
- 2001 Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation PrizeOxford-Weidenfeld Translation PrizeOxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize is an annual literary prize for any book-length translation into English from any other living European language...
for Jean Racine: Phaedra - 2003 Jackie Forster Memorial Award for Culture
- 2007 T. S. Eliot PrizeT. S. Eliot PrizeThe T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is awarded by the Poetry Book Society to "the best collection of new verse in English first published in the UK or the Republic of Ireland" in any particular year. The Prize was inaugurated in 1993 in celebration of the Poetry Book Society's 40th birthday and in...
for A Book of Lives. - 2008 Scottish Book of the Year Award