The Poems: The Storm Nursery

The Storm Nursery:Poems in Scots & English by Sheena Blackhall was written from April-June 2010 (Malfranteaux Concepts, Aberdeen ISBN 978 1 870978 77 4). The Cover is a copy of a Painting by Caspar David Friedrich:The Wanderer above the Mists 1817-18. Some of these poems were written during 11-18th July on Wolf at the Door,a week’s creative writing retreat at Dhanokosa,Balquidder, led by Ananda & Manjusvara of the Triratna Buddhist Order (formerly known as the Western Buddhist order).Various poems were inspired by the Aberdeen Artists 76th Exhibition.

The Poems:Tick Tock

Tick-Tock: Poems in Scots and English by Sheena Blackhall
Published by Lochlands,Maud,Aberdeenshire)written Jan-May 2010. Some of the poems appear in Pushing Out the Boat (2010) launched at the Word Festival. Others feature in Canvases 29, a small anthology produced by Malfranteaux Concepts. The poet's English poems can be seen on www.poemhunter.com

The Short Stories: Isle o the Deid

Isle o the Deid : Short Stories in Scots by Sheena Blackhall (Malfranteaux Concepts, Aberdeen,ISBN 978 1 870978 63 7, 2010) is dedicated to the Watts of Fadlydyke Farm, Maud, New Deer. The cover is a copy of Isle of the Dead, by Arnold Bocklin. It contains an interview with the writer, entitled 'Walking with Peewits Crying' conducted by Ruth O'Callaghan, a Hawthornden Fellow, published in Markings, issue 29 in 2009. The preliminary accounts of 'Isle o the Deid' are owersets in Scots based on eye witness accounts of the sinking of the MS Estonia in 1994, in which 852 people died. The legend of the Flying Dutchman is very old. Legend is based on a traditional Scots ballad. 'The Rockin Cheer' is Blackhall's version of a traditional tale told to her by the late Stanley Robertson. 

The Poems:The Skreich

The Poems: The Skreich
The Skreich, Poems in Scots & English was written by Sheena Blackhall in the Winter of 2009-2010 during a stay in Norway. It was published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire. The cover is a copy of 'The Scream' by Edvard Munch. Some of these poems had been published in Chapman magazine and Poems in the Wind, a small collection of poetry by Malfranteaux Concepts.

The Bairn Books: Victor Vratch the Craa

Victor Vratch the Craa: Bairn Tales in Scots , was written by Sheena Blackhall in 2009, and was published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire and printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen. The cover is by Sìne NicTheàrlaich. All tales in their English form, were broadcast originally on Nickety Nackety, a programme for children on Radio Scotland. Frieda Morrison was the producer.

The Poems: The Ship of Fools

The Ship of Fools : Poems and Prose in Scots & English, was written by Sheena Blackhall in 2009. Published by Malfranteaux Concepts, 46 Portal Cresent, Aberdeen, and printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen , the cover by Sìne NicTheàrlaich is copied from a Mediaeval print. Most of these poems were written during a visit to Belgium; one of the poet's ancestors, Johan Crab came from that region. see:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/secondary/nonfiction/users/leerie.shtml

As part of her duties as Makar for Aberdeen and the North East, poems or songs are occasionally written, either by commission, request, or because the Makar appears at an event. Guernica, The Dust of Life & Victims, was written for ‘Peace & Prejudice’ an event organised by the group http://www.deadgoodpoets.co.uk/ and also appear in ‘One’ an anthology pub. by Malfranteaux Concepts, 2009. The Bishop is published in a regional Anthology pub. by Forward Press, to commemorate 21 years of the series. The Watchie was written at the Grassic Gibbon Centre as part of their festival. The Wickerman was written at Archeolink, during Gadifest. A Traivellin Man was written on August 7th at the funeral of Stanley Robertson. It was broadcast by Robbie Shepherd on Radio Scotland, and published by Leopard Magazine. For Rab, was written for the Stonehaven Burns Fatherland Group. The Scots Enlightenment was written for Helena Anderson Wright’s education project on Burns. Aberdeen Rap was written for the Aberdeen Convention Bureau’s Annual Ambassador’s Awards. Troubled Water was written for ‘Putting it Right’, an event at the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival 2009. Deveronvale Perfection was requested by a Bennachie Baillie. The Rescue was written on reading an Aberdeen uni. media release. The Ship of Fools was inspired by a voyage on The Lady of the Lake, organised by Sally Evans as part of Poetry Scotland’s annual Poetry Weekend. The Social Workers’ Rant (& Lament) was commissioned by Maureen Ross for the 4th Annual Practice Learning event at RGU. Lucky was amongst the prizewinning stories in Lallans mag. 2009 competition. During 2009 the poet's son Ross Blackhall was working at St. Petersburg.

The Bairn Books: Cats in a Gale

Cats in a Gale: Bairn Poems in Scots & English
Published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire
Printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen
Cover: Sìne NicTheàrlaich
Cost: £5.00. Copyright: S. Blackhall 2009

The Poems: A Visit to Planet Auschwitz

Some of these poems have already been published on-line at http://www.poemhunter.com/sheena-blackhall . The poems were written in the two weeks after the poet visited Krakow in July 27th -31st, 2009, during which time she visited Auschwitz with her son Morven. The cover is copied by Sìne NicTheàrlaich from a painting by David Bloch, a German-Jewish artist who was interned at Dachau. The linking historical data within this pamphlet is taken from various sources all on-line and in the public domain. Published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire August 2009

The Barley Queen : The Poems

Some of these poems and pieces of prose have already been published. Growing Down , Bannockburn 1314 & Bannockburn Crow, appear on http://www.poemhunter.com/sheena-blackhall . An e-book of selected poems by Sheena Blackhall also appears on this site.
The Twa Corbies appears on-line at as part of the Scottish Book Trust’s initiative into books that changed our lives. www.scottishbooktrust.com/.../sheena-blackhalls-story-about-border-ballads
Poems from pps 1-22 were mainly written at Dhanakosa, WWW.DHANAKOSA.COM June 5-12th or on the two weeks returning from retreat there. Catriona was written at Fadlydyke, New Deer, Aberdeenshire after a tour around the livestock and crops.

As part of the duties of Makar for Aberdeen and the North East, poems or songs are occasionally written, either by commission, request, or because the Makar feels motivated to do so. The Turra Coo, A Sang o Portsoy, Doric in a Suit, The Maiden o Drumdurno & the Bullers o Buchan fall into this category.

The Poems: Peacock

The Yalla Yeitie was broadcast by Robbie Shepherd on The Reel Blend, Radio Scotland. Several poems and songs were written during the poet’s time as Writer in Residence at Aberdeen University’s 09 Word Festival. Poems from pages 4- 21 were inspired by the Aberdeen Artist Society’s 75th Exhibition, (2-30th May 2009). Others were written during a retrospective exhibition of the works of James Furneaux at Peacock Visual Art Gallery (18thApril- 30th May 2009). Water of Life / Uisge Beatha was written during a workshop at the International Conference of Poetry & Childhood at the British Library, www.bl.uk run by the University of Cambridge, (20-21/4/09). The cover is copied from a traditional Mehndi pattern.

The Poems: Danse Macabre: Writings Round a Festival. Poems & Songs in Scots & English

The pamphlet Danse Macabre: Writings Round a Festival:Poems and Songs in Scots and English was written by Sheena Blackhall during her time as Writer in Residence at Aberdeen University’s Word Festival 2009. www.abdn.ac.uk/word It was published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire, and circulated at the event. Hidden Sairs featured in the Elphinstone Institute Newsletter. The Wye the Coyote Howls appears on the Elphinstone Kist www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/kist. Flapper the Whale & Mister Minger are part of Nae Bad Ava, a poetry anthology for children, published by the Reading Bus. http://www.readingbus.co.uk/. The cover is a photomontage by Sine NicThearlaich of the Danse Macabre:XXII: The Priest by Holbein.

The Poems: Metamorphosis 62

The Poems: Metamorphosis 62 was published by Malfranteaux Concepts, Aberdeen in December 2008 (Cover: photomontage, Sìne NicTheàrlaich)
A Mother Worries was selected by the poetry editor Fred D’Aguiar for the on-line magazine www.londongrip.com. The article Flora Garry was commissioned and published by ZED2O magazine (The Journal of Akros Publications, No 23 Spring 2008, editor Duncan Glen). A Hair of the Elephant’s Tail currently appears on the Radio Scotland/SAC website ‘Days Like This’. Several poems were inspired by Surrealist photomontage images from the website www.macarenses.co.uk.

The Poems: The Red Horseman

The Red Horseman was published in 2008 by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire, after a trip by the poet to Malaga and Gibraltar. The cover is a copy of a detail from Otto Dix's etching & aquatint Stormtroops Advancing under Gas. 'The Survivor' was published in 11 11 11 11 (Malfranteaux Concepts, 2008). 'Summer is i Cumin in' features in 'Life's Serenity', an anthology from Forward Press. Throughout November 2008 Blackhall was working on a schools project at the Gordon Highlander Museum. She has family links with the Regiment, and the two themes of this collection are war and bullfighting. A verse-play based on the Wizard Laird of Skene is also included.

The Poems: Waking in Wolf Light

Waking in Wolf Light published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire (2008) is Sheena Blackhall's 60th poetry pamphlet. Some of the poems were written during a visit to Greece. 'Humming Bird' appears in the Anthology Forward Press Poets 2008: Wales, Northern Ireland & Scotland. 'Advice tae Veesitin Scholars' was written for the 12th International Conference on the Literature of Region & Nation. 'Ooto the Cauldron' & 'Embro's Bard' feature in For Angus Calder: An Anthology of Poems & Prose in Scots, Gaelic & English published by Los Poetry Press, Cambridge. 'Fit's Adee?' appears in the Doric Anthology Fit Like Yer Majesty? compiled by the Reading Bus .

The Poems:The Wind's Nest & Hinkum-Clinkum

The Wind's Nest is published by Lochlands, Maud, 2008, and is a collection of Scots & English poems. The Gas Mask, Damaged Goods, & Curriculum for Excellence all featured in the Anthology 'Cleave: New Writing by Women in Scotland'
(www.tworavenspress.com) 2008. The Rattens was written from a verse of traditional rhyme supplied by Catriona Low of Severin Publishing. The Eirde is Wide was written & performed at Aberdeen University's Word Festival. The Dinosaur was published in the February issue of the Times Educational Supplement.
Hinkum-Clinkum is published by Malfranteaux Concepts Aberdeen (2008) and is a collection of poems in Scots for younger children, illustrated by the poet under the name of Sine NicThearlaich.

The Poems: The Hoose o the Cacklefart Hen & Dead Men's Whispers

The Hoose o the Cacklefart Hen (1) and Dead Men's Whispers (2) are two collections of poems in Scots and English, published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire(2008). Both were launched at the Word Fringe Festival (www.wordfringe.co.uk ) event, Poetry Scotland on the Road. 'The Ridin o the Pairliament'(1) was published in Lallans 71. 'The Hoose o the Cacklefart Hen' (1) was featured in the S.L.S. Collogue (2007). 'Summer is i Cumin in.' (1) was published in There's a Poem in my Soup (Koo Press). 'The Plunderers' (2) appeared in Skein of Geese: An Anthology of Poems from the 100 Poets Gathering, Stanza 2007 (Shed Press). 'Childhood' (2) features in 'Nature's Paradise' (Forward Press 2008). 'Terminal Five' (2) has been published in Poetry Scotland. Many of the poems in Dead Men's Whispers were written during a visit to Pompeii and Rome.

The Novellas:The Gods of Grayfriars Lane

Launched at the Word Festival, the Gods of Grayfriars Lane (Lochlands 2008) is a novella in English with Scots dialogue. It centres on the lives of two cousins between the years 1899-1904, and is loosely based on the lives of Lizzie Philip and her cousin Dr Catherine Emslie Anderson, one of the first women doctors to graduate from Aberdeen University. Some background information on these women can be found on 'Serendipity', at www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/corpus/search or 'Leerie-Lichts & Gorblies, from 'Spirits of the Age: Scottish Self Portraits' (Saltire Society, ed Paul Scott, 2005) on www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/secondary/nonfiction

The Poems:Absences

Absences (Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire 2007) is a collection of poems in Scots and English, mostly written during a 5 day stay in Amsterdam, in October 2007. ‘Existentialist’ appears in Best Scottish Poems On-Line Anthology 2007, edited by Alan Spence. ‘Japanese Pool in the Trossachs ‘ has been selected for a forthcoming issue of Poetry Scotland. ‘The Traffic Jam’ and ‘Green Ladies’ have been selected for a forthcoming Doric Anthology to be published by The Reading Bus. ‘The Pageant o Moray’ was specifically written for a Morayshire project, lines from this poem feature in a DVD produced by staff and pupils of Lossiemouth High School.

The Poems: The Dragon's Vertebrae

The Dragon's Vertebrae (Malfranteaux Concepts, 2007) is a collection of poems and tales in Scots and English, some of which have appeared in various magazines and journals.

'The Thorn Buss' was shortlisted for the McCash Poetry Prize in 2007. 'Reflections of a Minotaur' features in the Forward Press anthology Scottish, Irish and Welsh Verses (2007). 'Latte: Books n' Beans' has been published in There's a Poem in My Soup (Koo Press).

The short story 'Beelzebub' was published in Lallans 2007 and won the William Gilchrist Graham Award for best story in Scots.
'Jingle Bells' appeared in Immersed in Imagination (New Fiction, 2007).

The Poems: The Pierrot's Narrative

The Pierrot's Narrative (Malfranteaux Concepts, 2007) includes some poems written and performed during Aberdeen University Word Festival, 2007. Many were inspired by work exhibited at the Aberdeen Artists' 73rd Exhibition. Sheena Blackhall is an ordinary member of the Aberdeen Artists' Society under her maiden name of Middleton. She illustrates books as Sìne NicTheàrlaich.

Other poems in this collection were written during a week's retreat at the Buddhist Centre of Dhanakosa, in Balquhidder.