The Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh is not only the place where our elected national representatives debate and make new legislation, but it also contains memorable features including art work.

Those memorable features continue outside the building. One of those is the Canongate Wall designed by Soraya Smithson with architects EMBT. At the foot of the Royal Mile, the Canongate Wall includes a range of quotes from Scotland’s poets.

To commemorate the building’s 20th year members of the public are being asked to choose 3 new quotes, pre-selected, to be inscribed on the wall.

Liz Lochhead

Option 1

this
our one small country… 
our one, wondrous, spinning, dear green place. 
What shall we build of it, together 
in this our one small time and space? 
– from Grace, A Handsel, New & Collected Poems, 2012

Option 2

Love surprises us. It’s like when sunlight flings 
A sudden shaft that lights up glamourous the rain 
Across a Glasgow street
– from Epithalamium, A Handsel, New & Collected Poems

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Jackie Kay

Option 1

The dead don’t go till you do, loved ones. 
The dead are still here, holding our hands. 
– from Darling, the title poem in Darling: New & Selected Poems, 2007

Option 2

Where do you come from? 
‘Here,’ I said, ‘Here. These parts.’
– from In my country, Darling: New & Selected Poems, 2007

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Kathleen Jamie

Option 1

Be brave: 
by the weird-song in the dark you’ll find your way. 
– from The Storm, The Bonniest Companie, 2015

Option 2

And the wild ways we think we walk 
Just bring us here again. 
– from The Tradition, The Bonniest Companie, 2015

The vote closes at midnight on Thursday 13 March.

Click on this link to vote: Canongate Wall Vote

Click on this link for more information about the Canongate Wall

Fiona Grahame