Childhood for some poets is a rich source of ideas, particularly when using Scots language. For many of these writers, childhood was a time of uninhibited language use, a time when Scots voices were more frequently heard. They may find themselves using Scots when writing about people or scenes from childhood, even when they use English for other creative work.
We have gathered together a collection of recordings of poets reading poems relating to their childhood. John Manson's 'Pleuan' remembers a childhood in Caithness, Derek Ross grew up in 'Dunbae Road' in Stranraer. Alex Berry with 'Brass Reel' remembers Blantrye, while Betty Tindal's 'Memories' and 'Slaes' are founded on school days in Perthshire. Doug Curran's 'Basketmakers' is a poem based on a childhood in Galloway.