Backroom 38: Jim Mackintosh

Jim Mackintosh should be lauded for his poetry, but also for his decision to appear in film wearing his pyjamas. When the stats are added up for this blog, when we're working out who did have the biggest bookcase, what these bizarre ornaments were on that shelf, whether that was really tea, what Jessamine o Connor's kitchen ceiling is made of etc etc, Jim's brave and singular decision to wear his pyjamas will get its proper attention. In the meantime, there's always his poetry. In the video today he reads 'A Full hand of Bananas', a poem dedicated to his brother.

Jim Mackintosh has had six collections published and has edited a further three Anthologies, including 'The Darg' – a poetry celebration of Hamish Henderson’s Centenary published by Poets Republic Press last year and launched to a sell-out crowd at the Edinburgh Book Festival. He has been the guiding light behind several energising poetry projects, such as 'Mind The Time' which raised funds for the charity Football Memories and was published during Jim’s tenure as the Poet in Residence for St Johnstone which ended last year. Jim is also the Poet in Residence for The Hampden Collection as well as the Poet in Residence for the Cateran EcoMuseum in east Perthshire and the Angus glens.

He is also currently the Poetry Editor for Nutmeg Football Periodical, the Programme Manager for the Blairgowrie based HamishMatters Festival which celebrates the life and legacy of Hamish Henderson as well as being an active Committee member of both the Friends of Hugh Miller and the Friends of Willie Soutar actively promoting the work of both, the latter through teaching primary schools Soutar’s Scots language Bairnrhymes every Autumn. 

The measure of a poet who lives his or her life in poetry is not just to be found in their own work but in the energy and passion they expend promoting the work of others they admire. I find this legacy aspect particularly important as I come from a land of lost poets. I commend Jim for his enthusiasm in performing this task. 

An Interview with Jim giving further info here:

https://commonculture.org.uk/the-poets-story-jim-c-mackintosh/

UNNER THE FOLD

in the sports section, twa paragraphs
unner the fold, an oot o the spotlicht,
I saw a photograph o a toosled chiel
impassive, beckonin me tae find him
beyond the January transfer windae

proodly displayin his country's badge
oan a jersey o pink an yellow bands,
no in a puffed oot boastin way, no
in a hunkered doon ashamed way,
but as it shid be, ain o his nation's best

a nippy ain tae, wi a hint o Jinky's weave
a ready capped fir Scotland, his faither
a sugar plantation owner, a player o sorts
but as I listen tae the kettle bile an coffee
steams the inky stains oot ma thochts

Andrew Watson's gaze turns a sombre like
when he hears the Classified's, his noble
Queens Park no dae'in sae well noo'adays, no
since he went sooth, gaun fae tanner ba enigma
tae bein swallied up in time added oan.