Declaration on Freedom for Writers and Readers is an anthology of poetry and prose exploring freedom of expression. The year 2020 marks the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath in which the Scottish nobility appealed to the Pope to support the nation’s fight for freedom from ‘the rule of the English’. The need to hear and understand each other is as urgent now as it ever was.

Declarations includes many voices, featuring some of Scotland’s leading writers such as Karen Campbell, A C Clarke, Carl MacDougall, and James Robertson, as well as writers from overseas.

First published in April 2020, the anthology is now available to purchase directly from Scottish PEN.

Excerpts from Declarations

G W Colkitto, from You say Declaration of Arbroath

it’s about freedom, it’s about this mad nation

whose arms open to embrace

the misunderstood stranger

 

Mairi Murphy, from In praise of argument

 Bear with my mistakes. Listen to my argument.

Recoil is the action of the gun, a meticulous destruction

The stilling of one small voice. Bold listening requires courage.

I’m prepared to be changed by your answer. Persuade me.

 

David Manderson, from Declaration: language, freedom, voice

 It’s easy to silence someone who’s voiceless anyway. People are being disenfranchised and exploited the world over, and the literature of Scotland has not been free of tyranny either. We also have ways of silencing ourselves.

Excerpts from Declarations on Freedom for Writers and Readers