Weathershaker by Stewart Sanderson
Tapsalteerie
Published 1st November 2025.
"Weathershaker, of unknown meaning' [Scottish National Dictionary] 'Weathershaker' begins with meanings lost, recovered and imagined. Digging into the material and textual record through place names, fictional histories, translations and fragmentary texts, Sanderson's second full-length collection speaks of the past from an unsteady present. In a small country of big winds and shifting light, where the weather itself is shaken by our actions as a species, these poems turn towards a contingent future while seeking meaning gone astray. *** 'In this playful, engaging collection, Sanderson displays his natural gift for bringing the life back into words and the words back into life. His poems seethe with a mischievous intelligence - whether it's a poem generator, a handful of secrets from the God of Silence, or the nine mysterious definitions of the eponymous Weathershaker, he fuses skill, imagination and a ruthless intelligence into something quite unforgettable.' - John Glenday Stewart Sanderson lives in Glasgow, where as well as writing he works in third-sector grantmaking, helping distribute funding to a wide range of social purpose organisations. His work has been recognised by plaudits including three shortlistings for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award, an Eric Gregory Award, as well as Robert Louis Stevenson and Jessie Kesson Fellowships. Publishing and performing internationally, he has collaborated and read with poets in Russia and North Africa, as well as widely within the UK. Translation and experimentation are central to his poetic practice, alongside a keen interest in traditional form.
"Weathershaker, of unknown meaning' [Scottish National Dictionary] 'Weathershaker' begins with meanings lost, recovered and imagined. Digging into the material and textual record through place names, fictional histories, translations and fragmentary texts, Sanderson's second full-length collection speaks of the past from an unsteady present. In a small country of big winds and shifting light, where the weather itself is shaken by our actions as a species, these poems turn towards a contingent future while seeking meaning gone astray. *** 'In this playful, engaging collection, Sanderson displays his natural gift for bringing the life back into words and the words back into life. His poems seethe with a mischievous intelligence - whether it's a poem generator, a handful of secrets from the God of Silence, or the nine mysterious definitions of the eponymous Weathershaker, he fuses skill, imagination and a ruthless intelligence into something quite unforgettable.' - John Glenday Stewart Sanderson lives in Glasgow, where as well as writing he works in third-sector grantmaking, helping distribute funding to a wide range of social purpose organisations. His work has been recognised by plaudits including three shortlistings for the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award, an Eric Gregory Award, as well as Robert Louis Stevenson and Jessie Kesson Fellowships. Publishing and performing internationally, he has collaborated and read with poets in Russia and North Africa, as well as widely within the UK. Translation and experimentation are central to his poetic practice, alongside a keen interest in traditional form.
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