Is That You?

It's voting time again! Silverburn shopping centre in SW Glasgow recently announced their "Supersonnet" competition. Despite the name, they were not looking for sonnets (which exceeded the requested character length!), so I produced the short piece below. If you like it, and enough people vote for it here by 7 March, you can walk all over it when it is set into the new floor of the winter garden.

Is That You?

Is that you in the doorway with the short, dark hair?
Is that you looking round while I try not to to stare?
Is the face on my phone, here, now in the flesh there?
Is that you?

I've been waiting for someone, my mug in my hand,
To heat up my warmth and to sweeten my bland,
To stir what's been brewing and long left to stand.
Is that you?

Choose Me!

Yes, choose me! Or rather, please view the ten finalists and vote for your favourite performance poetry video in the StAnza Digital Slam. Voting closes at 5pm on Sunday. Here is video number 10 (thanks again to the Edinburgh University Literature Society) - but don't let me sway you too much. ;)

Umbrellas

Here comes summer! It's been remarkably sunny (he said, jinxing it), though I did nearly lose an eye on several occasions the other day at the Merchant City Festival thanks to the scourge of our time - umbrellas. The poem that follows, as recorded at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar by the Edinburgh University Literature Society at one of their poetry slams, records my loathing of these contraptions.

And, don't worry! I have been doing things, and writing things. I will shortly be redesigning this website, and adding more lovely content, so watch this space...

Uke can do it!

Date for your diary: Wednesday 22nd August

Chris Young Entertains presents Johnnie Suave, the 1920s song-and-dance man. Johnnie's songs will leave you both tickled and intimately touched as his impressive banjolele brings tears to your eyes.

For one night only, come and experience Johnnie's slot - as part of Tricity Vogue's very modern cabaret evening...

Tricity Vogue's much-loved ukulele night returns to the Fringe for its third year. A star-studded line-up of special guests battle to win the coveted Uke of Edinburgh Award, and the audience get roped in for some rousing singalongs too. If you've got a uke, bring it. If you haven't, play your cards right and Tricity might let you have a strum on one of hers.

TRICITY VOGUE'S UKULELE CABARET
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, Ballroom, 38 West Nicolson Street Edinburgh EH8 9DD
AUG 2-26 at 9.30-10.30pm
ENTRANCE FREE

Spoetry

No, I haven't just sneezed. "Spoetry" is the title given to a project produced by ConFAB, which fuses sport with poetry, with specific reference to Glasgow, via the medium of short film. The three videos (which have been played as part of the Merchant City Festival) feature the words of John Savage, Anita Govan and Chris Young. Anita's poem also features the body of Chris Young, as does his own poem, "Stereotypical Jock". Chris will now stop talking in the third person and let you enjoy the video (complete with captioning if you choose to read the words as subtitles).