Glenn Telfer

I am now almost fully grown, being born in 1956 in working-class Glasgow, Scotland (from Kinning Park, Dennistoun and Ibrox, if you’re asking). The hammer and tongs, coal-powered world I grew up in is as gone as Troy, and with it the industrial working class that served it. What seemed so solid and forever, disappeared almost overnight and is rapidly becoming unknowable except through people like me. The hasty departure of a way of life and its replacement by globalized uncertainty is both the background to my life and the raw material of my art. Considering what’s gone, what’s here, what’s yet to come is what I’m about; itemising the bill of life through my writing. Other poets have explored this too, but none are as like the poet as he is himself. This is my special qualification.

Imagine being able to write a book? Even when I was a wee boy throwing stones and playing street football I wanted to be a writer. And all the while I thought I was living my life backwards and sideways I was actually tracing a Celtic knotwork to here. Whatever the reason for this want, this writing may be the cure. May be is also maybe not.

Website: http://glenntelfer.me

http://glenntelfer.me

1960s    1970s    20th century    ancient scotland    apocalyptic    betrayal    bomber command    british dark humour    christian history    classroom management    commando    conference cougar    corporal punishment    culture    divorce    early scotland    education    fin de siecle    free collection    germans    glasgow    gotterdammerung    humour    infidelity    iona    lancaster    loch ness monster    lochgelly special    love    marriage    miracles    modern poetry    monks and monasteries    ned and chav culture    old style education    pagan scotland    post war scotand    professor of sex    protestants and catholics    rear gunner    religion    revenge poetry    saint columba    saint mungo    scotland    scots language    scottish christianity    scottish church history    scottish culture    scottish education    scottish history    scottish humour    scottish wit and wisdom    sex studies    sexy weekends    social commentary    soldiers    the belt    the tawse    wagner    working class    world war 1    world war 2