Ingrid Leonard Poet

Following on from a fantastic launch at the European Marine Energy Centre tonight, here is the online version of my new pamphlet, What the Waves Make. Nine poems, some in Orcadian, some in English but all written as a result of a poetry residency at EMEC this summer. Based in Orkney, EMEC are world leaders in the provision of wave and tidal energy converters and it was a great privilege to spend time with them, learn about what they do and visit their test sites. I’d like to say a huge thank you to EMEC for their support during my residency and for the design and publication of this pamphlet, which is available to download below free of charge.

I really hope you enjoy these poems, Ingrid

I’m launching my new pamphlet ‘What The Waves Make’ at 7.00pm on 30th November at EMEC’s Charles Clouston Building, Stromness.

This pamphlet was written as a result of my residency at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in the summer of 2022. EMEC are world leaders within the marine energy industry and the poems contained within this pamphlet are inspired by my time spent at their offices and sites, learning about the variety of roles carried out by EMEC staff and about the technology operating at their Fall of Warness, Billia Croo and Eday sites.

Orkney has been a source of innovation, influence and inspiration for the arts and sciences throughout its history – from its highly developed Neolithic culture to its political influence during the Viking age to its importance as a naval base in the twentieth century. What The Waves Make is an EMEC-sponsored pamphlet of nine poems inspired by their work within the field of renewable energy and what that means for the people of Orkney and beyond, at a time when the threat of irreversible global climate change is very real.

I’m delighted to be joined by Alison Miller who will also be reading at the event. Alison is a freelance author, editor and creative writing tutor who held the post of Scots Scriever for Orkney from 2021-22 with the National Library of Scotland and Orkney Library & Archive. Her first novel, Demo, was shortlisted for the Saltire First Book Award and her work has appeared in a variety of publications. She edited the 2021 Orkney Voices anthology Gousters, Glims and Veerie-orums and she wrote and performed, along with Orkney Voices, as Narrator in Gallows Ha for the 2022 St Magnus Festival. She is currently working on ways to fictionalise family stories and documents.

Tickets are free of charge and can be booked here via TicketSource.