Professor Duncan Munro Glen (11 January 1933 – 20 September 2008) was a Scottish poet,

literary editor A literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews.

Emeritus Professor ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

of Visual Communication at

Nottingham Trent University Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is a public research university in Nottingham, England. It was founded as a new university in 1992, although its roots go back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design, w ...

. He became known with his first full-length book, ''Hugh MacDiarmid and the Scottish Renaissance''. His many verse collections included from ''Kythings and other poems'' (1969), ''In Appearances'' (1971), ''Realities Poems'' (1980), ''Selected Poems 1965–1990'' (1991), ''Selected New Poems 1987–1996'' (1998) and ''Collected Poems 1965–2005'' (2006). His ''Autobiography of a Poet'' appeared with Ramsay Head Press in 1986. He edited ''Akros'' magazine for 51 numbers from August 1965 to October 1983.Duncan Glen, "AKROS", in Parker, Geoff (ed.), ''

Cencrastus ''Cencrastus'' was a magazine devoted to Scottish and international literature, arts and affairs, founded after the Referendum of 1979 by students, mainly of Scottish literature at Edinburgh University, and with support from Cairns Craig, then a ...

'' No. 20, Spring 1985, pp. 32–33, His work to promote Scottish poets and artists included

Hugh MacDiarmid Christopher Murray Grieve (11 August 1892 – 9 September 1978), best known by his pen name Hugh MacDiarmid (), was a Scottish poet, journalist, essayist and political figure. He is considered one of the principal forces behind the Scottish Rena ...

and

Ian Hamilton Finlay Ian Hamilton Finlay, CBE (28 October 1925 – 27 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, writer, artist and gardener. Life Finlay was born in Nassau, Bahamas, to James Hamilton Finlay and his wife, Annie Pettigrew, both of Scots descent. He was ...

, among others. Some of his poetry was translated into Italian.

Early life and career

Glen was born in Westburn,

Cambuslang Cambuslang ( sco, Cammuslang, from gd, Camas Lang) is a town on the south-eastern outskirts of Greater Glasgow, Scotland. With approximately 30,000 residents, it is the 27th largest town in Scotland by population, although, never having had a ...

South Lanarkshire gd, Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas , image_skyline = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms_slanarkshire.jpg , image_blank_emblem = Slanarks.jpg , blank_emblem_type = Council logo , image_map ...

, Scotland, the son of a white-collar worker in The Steel Company of Scotland, Hallside, near Newton Station. He was educated at

West Coats Primary School West Coats Primary School is a listed building at 60 Brownside Road in Cambuslang on the south east fringe of Glasgow, Scotland. It was built in the late 19th century and is still an active school with over 400 children. It has been extended to a ...

, then at

Rutherglen Academy Rutherglen (, sco, Ruglen, gd, An Ruadh-Ghleann) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, immediately south-east of the city of Glasgow, from its centre and directly south of the River Clyde. Having existed as a Lanarkshire burgh in its own ...

, but left at 15 to become an office boy and apprentice printer in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

and

Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy ( ; sco, Kirkcaldy; gd, Cair Chaladain) is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south-southwest of Dundee. The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, ...

, before studying at

Edinburgh College of Art Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) is one of eleven schools in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh. Tracing its history back to 1760, it provides higher education in art and design, architecture, histor ...

. After

national service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The l ...

in the

RAF The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

as a photographic interpreter, he became a

typographic Typography is the art and technique of typesetting, arranging type to make written language legibility, legible, readability, readable and beauty, appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, Point (typogra ...

designer with the

HMSO The Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) is the body responsible for the operation of His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) and of other public information services of the United Kingdom. The OPSI is part of the National Archives of the Un ...

and did freelance typographic design for publishers in London. Glen then moved into graphic-design education, first at Watford College of Technology. After a brief spell as an editor in Glasgow with Robert Gibson & Sons Ltd, educational publishers, at what was to become Preston Polytechnic, he was appointed Professor of Visual Communication at what would be

. Glen served on the Council of National Academic Awards. Glen founded Akros Publications in 1965, to publish Scottish poetry and literary criticism; from 1965 to 2006 over 250 works appeared under the Akros imprint. They included poetry, critical and historical studies, ''Akros'' magazine and ''Zed 2 0'' (19 numbers), and fiction by

Robert McLellan Robert McLellan OBE (1907–1985) was a Scottish renaissance dramatist, writer and poet and a leading figure in the twentieth century movement to recover Scotland’s distinctive theatrical traditions. He found popular success with plays and ...

John Herdman John Herdman (born 19 July 1975) is an English professional Manager (association football), football manager who is the head coach of the Canada men's national soccer team, Canada men's national team. Coaching career Early career Herdman beg ...

and others. His aim as editor of ''Akros'' magazine was to publish modern Scottish poetry in Scots and English, cutting across the "fighting cliques" of the time. Alongside his own poetry, he produced several studies of Scottish literature, anthologies, and a range of publications in other areas, including a history of typography, the definitive history of

, a place for which he retained a affection, and an illustrated history of

, where he latterly lived. Glen was elected a Fellow of the

Chartered Society of Designers The Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) is a professional body for designers. It is the only Royal Chartered body of experienced designers. Its membership is multi-disciplinary – representing designers in all design, disciplines including I ...

in 1977. In 1974 and 1998 he received awards from the

Scottish Arts Council The Scottish Arts Council ( gd, Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba, sco, Scots Airts Cooncil) was a Scottish public body responsible for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland. The Council primarily distributed funding from the ...

"for services to Scottish literature" and "in recognition of his many years as a publisher and editor and entrepreneurial activities for Scottish literature". In 1991 he received the Howard Sergeant Memorial Award "in recognition of long and devoted services to poetry". In 2000 he was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters by Paisley University.

Bibliography

Works and anthologies produced by Duncan Glen, to be found in the

National Library of Scotland The National Library of Scotland (NLS) ( gd, Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba, sco, Naitional Leebrar o Scotland) is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. As one of the largest libraries in the ...

and the

British Library The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...

: *21 poems after drawings, etc. by George Hollingworth, et al., 2000 *Antigruppo Palermo, gruppoanti, 1974 *Apprentice angel/Hugh MacDiarmid, 1963 *Autobiography of a poet, 1986 *Bibliography of Scottish poets from Stevenson to 1974 compiled with an introduction by Duncan Glen with a preface by Hugh MacDiarmid, 1974 *Bonnie fechter ound recording Alexander Scott 1920–1989, 1990 *Bright they shine: Cambuslang poetry/by Patrick Hamilton... et al.; with an introduction by Duncan Glen, 2001 * and wellies, or, Sui generis a sequence of poems by Duncan Glen with illustrations by George Hollingworth, 1976 *Christmas fable for Margaret Duncan Glen *Cled score poems Duncan Glen, 1974 *Clydesdale a sequence o poems by Duncan Glen, 1971 *Clydeside kinsfolk: the lives and times of a typically extended Lowland *Scottish family 1694 to 1994: Cambuslang, *Rutherglen & East Kilbride/by Duncan Glen, 1995 *Collected poems, 1965–2005/by Duncan Glen, 2006 *Echoes: frae classical and Italian poetry/by Duncan Glen, 1992 *Elegies: a selection from 1966–2003/by Duncan Glen, 2006 *Essay in response to critical essays on contemporary Scottish poetry in Akros magazine/George Bruce; edited by Duncan Glen, 2005 *European poetry in Scotland an anthology of translations edited by Peter France & Duncan Glen, 1989 *Evergreen song lyrics : a selection from the poetry of the British Isles & America/chosen by Duncan Glen with commentaries, 2000 *Extended Glen family of Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, Scotland & their descendants 1694–1998/by Duncan Glen, 1998 *Familiar epistles between William Hamilton of Gilbertfield in Cambuslang and Allan Ramsay in Edinburgh: with an extract from

William Hamilton of Gilbertfield William Hamilton (1665? – 24 May 1751) was a Scottish poet. He wrote comic, mock-tragic poetry such as "''The Last Dying Words of Bonny Heck''" - a once-champion hare coursing greyhound in the East Neuk of Fife who was about to be hanged, ...

's version of '' Blind Harry's Wallace/edited with an introduction by Duncan Glen; with prefaces by R. K. D. Milne and Neil McCallum, 2000 *Feres poems by Duncan Glen, 1971 *Five literati an anon (Scot lit. anti lit. pop) symposium created by Duncan Glen, 1976 *Follow! Follow! Follow! and other poems by Duncan Glen, 1976 *Forward from Hugh MacDiarmid, or, Mostly out of Scotland being fifteen years of Duncan Glen, Akros Publications 1962–1977 by Duncan Glen with a check-list of publications, August 1962 – August 1977, 1977 *Four Scottish poets of Cambuslang & Dechmont Hill, 1626–1990: Patrick Hamilton, Minister at Cambuslang 1626–1645, Lieutenant William Hamilton of Gilbertfield, Cambuslang . 1665–1751 John Struthers, born at East Kilbride, and poet of Dechmont [1776–1850 and Duncan Glen, 1996 *Friars of Berwick: a narrative poem in Scots, edited with an introduction by Duncan Glen, 2002 *Gaitherings poems in Scots by Duncan Glen, 1977 *Geeze! a sequence of poems by Duncan Glen, 1985 *Graphic lines, 1975 *Historic Fife Murders at Falkland, St. Andrews & Magus Muir: journeys through Fife between Forth and Tay/by Duncan Glen, 2002 *Hugh Glen and the Victoria Drinking Fountain, Cambuslang: a family memoir, 2005 *Hugh MacDiarmid & Duncan Glen: a prospect from Brownsbank: poems, biographical notes and a bibliography, 1998 *Hugh MacDiarmid, a critical survey edited by Duncan Glen, 1972 *Hugh MacDiarmid, an essay for 11 August 1977 *Hugh MacDiarmid and the Scottish Renaissance, 1964 *Hugh MacDiarmid, or, Out of Langholm and into the World *Hugh MacDiarmid: rebel poet and prophet. A short note on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, 1962 *Illustrious Fife: literary, historical & architectural pathways & walks, 1998 *In appearances, 1971 *In place of wark, or, Man of art: a sequence in thirty pairts, 1977 *In search of Serif Books, the Stanley Press & Joseph Mardel, publisher of Maurice Lindsay's Hurlygush and Sydney Goodsir Smith's Under the Eildon tree, & taking serious note of William Maclellan & Callum Macdonald: with photographs and illustrations, 2006 *In the small hours, or, To be about to be a poem in thirty parts, 1984 *Individual and the twentieth-century Scottish literary tradition, 1971 *Inextinguishable part 14 of realities poems, 1977 *Ither sangs, 1978 *John Atman and other poems; with an introduction by Leonard Mason, 2001 *Journey into Scotland: poems, 1991 *Journey past – a sequence of poems, 1971 *Keepsake for New Year 2000 from Akros Publications: poems, 2000 *Kirkcaldy: a new illustrated history, 2004 *Kirkcaldy: a photographic guide and introduction to the history of the town, 2005 *

Lanark Lanark (; gd, Lannraig ; sco, Lanrik) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, located 20 kilometres to the south-east of Hamilton. The town lies on the River Clyde, at its confluence with Mouse Water. In 2016, the town had a population of 9 ...

& the Falls of Clyde...: Lanarkshire past and present, a rediscovery & anthology, 2001 *Literary masks of Hugh MacDiarmid. llustrated 1964 *Long Calderwood, old

East Kilbride East Kilbride (; gd, Cille Bhrìghde an Ear ) is the largest town in South Lanarkshire in Scotland and the country's sixth-largest locality by population. It was also designated Scotland's first new town on 6 May 1947. The area lies on a rais ...

; and its associations with

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Secon ...

& William Hunter and the poetry of Anne Hunter, Joanna Baillie & John Struthers, with a selection of poems by Anne Hunter and Joanna Baillie, 2005 *Makars' walk. Walks in the old town of Edinburgh, with an anthology of poetry selected and walked by Duncan Glen, 1990 *Morning taken with the sun : an anthology of poems in short shining stanzas/ election and design, Duncan Glen 2001 *Mr & Mrs J. L. Stoddart at home, a poem by Duncan Glen, 1975 *Nation in a parish: a new historical prospect of Scotland from the parish of Cambuslang, 1995 *New history of Cambuslang, 1998 *Nottingham: a poem, 1984 *Nuova poesia Scozzese/ dited byDuncan Glen, ranslated by Nat Scammacca, 1976 *Nuova Scozia : undici poesie di Duncan Glen/scelte e tradotte dallo scozzese da Enzo Bonventre, 1996 *Of marks & memories : a gallimaufry of printers', publishers' and others' marks, devices, emblems, crests, arms, symbols or logos, 2005 *Of philosophers and tinks. A sequence of poems, 1977 *On midsummer evenin merriest of nichts? 1981 *Orchardlands & Avondale & Bothwell...: Lanarkshire past and present, a rediscovery & anthology, 2001 *Out to the

Calf of Man Calf of Man ( gv, Yn Cholloo ) is a island, off the southwest coast of the Isle of Man. It is separated from the Isle of Man by a narrow stretch of water called the Calf Sound. Like the nearby rocky islets of Chicken Rock and Kitterland, it is ...

, September 1989: a poem and etchings, 1990 *Photographic celebration at the ruins of Bighty Farm, 2002 *Poems in Scots Hugh MacDiarmid dited by Duncan Glen 1963 *Poems on art works: a selection by Duncan Glen, 2003 *Poetry of the Scots: an introduction and bibliographical guide to poetry in Gaelic, Scots, Latin and English, 1991 *Poets & paintings : reinterpretations: an essay, 2003 *Preston Polytechnic poets : Duncan Glen, Ian Harrow, Philip Pacey, Hugh Probyn/edited by Duncan Glen ; with illustrations by John Hodkinson, 1977 *Preston's new buildings by John Brook and Duncan Glen with photographs by Myra Jones and John Brook, 1975 *Printing type designs : a new history from Gutenberg to 2000, 2001 *Querencia: saggio di traduzione poetica/Enzo Bonventre, 1994 *Ravenscraig Castle: with illustrations of Pathhead, Sinclairtown & Dysart, 2001 *Realities poems by Duncan Glen, 1980 *

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...

and the

Covenanters Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...

on the Bass Rock & 'The tale of Tod Lapraik', 2002 *Ruined rural

Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...

churches/photographed and introduced by Duncan Glen, with a selection of photographs of other ruined buildings, 2002 *Ruins of Newark Castle, St. Monans, autumn 2002/introduced and photographed by Duncan Glen, 2003 *Scottish literary periodicals: three essays/David Finkelstein, Margery Palmer McCulloch, Duncan Glen, 1998 *Scottish literature: a new history from 1299 to 1999, 1999 *Scottish poetry now as seen from London by Simon Foster, 1966 *Seasons of delight: an anthology of poems on gardens, flowers, greenwoods & the sea/compiled and edited by Duncan Glen & Margaret Glen, 1998 *Selected elegies: poems with photographs/by Duncan Glen, 2001 *Selected essays of Hugh MacDiarmid edited with an introduction by Duncan Glen, 1969 *Selected new poems: nineteen-eighty-seven to nineteen-ninety-six, 1998 *Selected poems 1965–1990, 1991 *Selected Scottish and other essays/by Duncan Glen; with an introduction by John Herdman, 1999 *Seventeen poems, 1997 *Situations – a sequence of poems by Duncan Glen with illustrations by Derek Carruthers, 1984 *Something of the night and of the sun/ election and design, Duncan Glen2001 *Splendid

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...

: past and present: a rediscovery and anthology of prose & verse/written and compiled by Duncan Glen, 1997 *Spoiled for choice poems by Duncan Glen, 1976 *The State of Scotland, a poem by Duncan Glen, 1983 *Stevenson's Scotland/edited by

Tom Hubbard Tom Hubbard (born 1950) was the first librarian of the Scottish Poetry Library and is the author, editor or co-editor of over thirty academic and literary works. Biography Tom Hubbard was born in Kirkcaldy. After obtaining first class honour ...

& Duncan Glen, 2003 *Stones of time. A sequence of poems by Duncan Glen, 1984 *Sunny summer Sunday afternoon in the park? 1969 *Tales to be told – poems by Duncan Glen, 1987 *Ten bird sangs by Duncan Glen, 1978 *Ten sangs by Duncan Glen, 1978 *Ten sangs of luve by Duncan Glen, 1978 *"This is no can of beans": a prospect from the window of a small-press publisher by Duncan Glen], 1999 *Three/trittico translators of poems by Duncan Glen: Nat Scammacca, Enzo Bonventre, Marco Scalabrino: Scots and English, Italiano and Siciliano, 2001 *Traivellin man. A sequence of poems by Duncan Glen with frontispiece by John Hodkinson, 1977 *Trittico scozzese : Duncan Glen, J. K. Annand, Hugh MacDiarmid/cura e traduzione dallo Scots di Enzo Bonventre; traduzione in siciliano di Marco Scalabrino, 2001 *Turn of the earth a sequence of poems by Duncan Glen, 1985 *Twenty of the best: nd one more for good measure a Galliard anthology of contemporary Scottish poetry/edited by Duncan Glen ; with drawings by Alfons Bytautas, 1990 *Unnerneath the bed/a poem by Duncan Glen, 1970 *Upper Clydesdale...: Lanarkshire past and present, a rediscovery & anthology/by Duncan Glen, 2001 *Weddercock; or, Tale of the ill-taen caller at Easter Greenlees Ferm on 3 August 1910 a poem by Duncan Glen, 1976 *Whither Scotland? a prejudiced look at the future of a nation. Edited by Duncan Glen, 1971 *William Maclellan's Scottish journal/images chosen and introduced by Duncan Glen, 2004 *William Williamson: Kirkcaldy architect by Duncan Glen, 2008 *Winter: a poem: and other verses/by James Thomson; edited with an introductory essay by Duncan Glen, 2002

Reviews

*N. S. Thompson, 1980, review of ''Realities Poems'': ''

'' No. 4, Winter 1980–1881, p. 40, *

Cairns Craig Robert Cairns Craig (born 16 February 1949) is a Scottish literary scholar, specialising in Scottish and modernist literature. He has been Glucksman Professor of Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen since 2005. Before that, ...

, 1984, ''Lourd on My Hert'', which includes a review of ''The State of Scotland: A Poem''. Sheila G. Hearn, ed., ''

'' No. 15, New Year 1984, pp. 54 and 55,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glen, Duncan 1933 births 2008 deaths Scottish magazine editors Scottish scholars and academics Alumni of the Edinburgh College of Art Academics of the University of Central Lancashire Academics of Nottingham Trent University People from Cambuslang People educated at Rutherglen Academy British literary editors 20th-century Scottish poets Scottish male poets 20th-century British male writers