Lesley Benzie

Lesley Benzie is Aberdonian but lives in Glasgow. Writing in both Aberdonian Doric and English, she has two poetry collections, Fessen/Reared, (2020) by Seahorse Publications, which Graham Fulton, says is ‘Lyrical, incisive, true…Gently brilliant’ and previously, Sewn Up, (2000) by Wisdom Teeth. The 20 year gap was largely due, in the intervening years, to attending to life’s necessities.

More recent writing space and being highlighted in The Poets Republic Magazine 2019, helped relaunch her work. In 2020 her work appeared in numerous magazines/anthologies, and she receive a Highly Commended in FWS Vernal Equinox and Runner-up in McCash Scots Poetry Competitions. In 2021 Lesley was: one of the four poets in the collaborative collection of travel poetry, Wanderlust Women, by Seahorse; a contributor to the ‘Dead Good Scots Project’ curated by Hugh McMillan SPL Poetry Ambassador; shortlisted in both the Main and Scots categories in the Wigtown Poetry Prize. Alongside Sheena Blackhall and Sheila Templeton, she is the third poet involved in the Doric collection, Norlan Lichts, launching in 2022 by Rymour Books. Lesley also has a long history of working in the field of adult and youth mental health and has facilitated groupwork and writing workshops.