Poem lovers of Edinburgh! We’re back! And we’re back in the usual place, and at the usual date and time (last Thursday of the month, upstairs in The Waverley)! Shore Poets are delighted to welcome in the new year (or, well, to see out January) with sets from Gordon Meade, who joins us from the East Neuk of Fife, and long-time Glasgow resident but child of Edinburgh, Vicki Husband. Come and join us for an evening of stirring words, lively tunes, and a glass of something to cheer everybody’s least favourite month off the stage. Also featuring open mic performances and music from house band, Dekoy 💨❄️🧤🐧🥂
The When & the Where:
Thursday 29th January 2026
7.15pm – 9pm (doors open 7pm)
The Waverley Bar, 3-5 St Mary’s St, Edinburgh EH1 1TA
Admission: Our standard entrance charges are £7.50 (waged) and £5 (concession). This includes one raffle ticket, which will also be your receipt of entry. For those keen to increase their chances of a raffle win, we’ve also introduced a Golden Ticket: at £10, this covers entry plus five raffle tickets. Entry is payable by either card or cash, but it’s worth bringing the latter so as not to miss the opportunity to buy a book from one of our readers.
The Readers:
GORDON MEADE
Gordon Meade started to take the writing of poetry seriously while recovering from a severe head injury which initially left him with very little memory or speech. His recent selected poems, Beyond the Ninth Wave (published by Into Poetry), adds new work to the best of his previous 12 collections. His poetry explores themes of water, non-human animals, and his experience of Stage Three and Stage Four Cancer. The poet and Professor of Poetry at Newcastle University, Desmond Graham, describes Gordon as ‘a major voice of international importance on the most pressing environmental issues’.
VICKI HUSBAND
Vicki Husband’s first poetry collection This Far Back Everything Shimmers was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Poetry Book of the Year award 2016. Vicki’s poems have been widely published, broadcast on radio and read at international literary festivals and local libraries. Vicki has collaborated on translations with poets from Pakistan and Ukraine, and exhibited in visual-poetry exhibitions. Meanwhile Vicki has worked as an Occupational Therapist in the NHS for over twenty-five years, the majority in community rehabilitation.
Signing up for the Open Mic:
We have four open mic spots each month. These are booked in advance. To request an open mic spot in the future, please email us at shorepoetsedinburgh @ gmail.com (remove the spaces)
The Raffle:
Entry includes a raffle ticket; additional tickets are also available to buy when you arrive, should you wish to increase your chances of winning this month’s scrummy lemon cake. Or you can boost the odds of snaffling that piece of home-baked glory by purchasing one of our Golden Tickets (further details above, under ‘The When & the Where’). The raffle also frequently boasts other no less wonderful but definitely less edible prizes, in the form of pamphlets or books.
See you there!
Shore Poets 
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