A Passion for Assynt

Mandy's poem written in response to  'A Man in Assynt', by Norman MacCaig, has made the front page headline of the new issue of Northwords Now, Scotland's literary broadsheet. The poem is included in full in the magazine and is available to listen to on the NNow website, here.

It is Mandy's longest published poem, and was written to celebrate the centenary of the birth of MacCaig, who spent many of his summers in Assynt. As so much has changed in Assynt since MacCaig used to visit, Mandy felt it was time to respond. In particular, the rhetorical question asked by MacCaig, 'Who owns this landscape?', has a materially different answer now that local community groups have bought so much of the land. Surely he would have been pleased. And that 'unrequited passion' for Assynt? We all share that.

The wonderful photo above, of Norman at the harbour in Lochinver, was taken by Angus John McEwen. On the left is his great friend, and Angus' uncle, A K MacLeod.