chynge i the wedder
a chitter
throuch the binwuid




change in the weather
a shiver
through the ivy

abuin the scuilyaird
pokes sweel
an dook




above the playground
paper bags swirl
and dive

blae lift
cluds chase a furst bummer
athort the lozen




blue sky
clouds race a first bee
across the pane

throu incaains
an onding
dichtin




during prayers
a downpour
cleansing

bleck bawdrons
throuch the snawdraps
yalla een



black cat
through the snowdrops
yellow eyes

git-weel cairts in the winnock:
lairstane sheddaes
on her wa




get-well cards in the window:
tombstone shadows
on her wall

a maw
hauds by slawly
sklentin east, syne wast




a gull
passes slowly
glancing right, then left

tree hingit wi sparks
bourachin blue bonnet
caws doon a shour




tree hung with raindrops
rummaging blue tit
brings down a shower

the day licht hunkers
on brainches, gairden sates,
deuks' nebs




today light sits
on branches, garden seats,
ducks' bills

frae'r derkness
the blinn cailleach ootstreeks
...licht rins alang'r wand





from her darkness
the blind lady stretches out
...light runs along her cane

throuch the winnock
the crescent muin
...a petal fawin




through the window
the crescent moon
...a petal falling

remorsefou
finin the priest's snell thoum
on ma broo




repentant
feeling the priest's cold thumb
on my forehead


(Ash Wednesday)

aw's lithe
the wund-bell
weet dreeps frae'ts tung




all is stillness
the wind-bell
rain drips from its clapper

maisic fest
jazz in the auld graveyaird
bairns jig on mools




music festival
jazz in the old churchyard
children dance on graves

on the scrievein-dask
fawin petals
hae beeriet the pen




on the writing desk
falling petals
have buried the pen

saft tirl
a telegraph-powl
wammles athort the burn




soft breeze
a telegraph-pole
wriggles across the stream

lavein kirk
craw stauns in ma rod
leukin forritsome




leaving church
crow stands in my way
looking defiant

voar cluds
on the claes-rope
her bed-sheets spue




spring clouds
on the washing-line
her bed-sheets billow

zen gairden
hapt in snaw:
zen gairden




zen garden
covered with snow:
zen garden

a deuk an twa drakes
it's luve...til
there's scran tae skair




a duck and two drakes
it's love...until
there's food to share

crescent muin
liggin on'ts rigg
yin muckle smirk




crescent moon
lying on its back
one huge smile

flooers laid
whaur the cailleach dee'd
...day efter Valentine's day



flowers laid
where the old lady died
...day after Valentine's day

maggies gove
intae dubs
fou o brainches an cluds




magpies gaze
into puddles
full of branches and clouds

a chattert raip-sweeng
the tree-hoose crottlin
foggies at the winnock




a frayed rope-swing
the tree-house crumbling
old folks at the window

fushmunger's winnock -
caller saumon sclices
an his reid hauns




fishmonger's window -
fresh salmon slices
and his red hands

valentine's day
lesbian lovies
skair a bowlie o macallum




valentine's day
lesbian lovers
share a bowl of ice-cream

the nourice taks bluid
sin throuch the winnock
rugs oot the reiddest tulips




the nurse takes blood
sun through the window
draws out the reddest tulips

bawdron's neb
amang voar flooers -
a deid moose hingin




cat's face
amongst spring flowers -
a dead mouse hanging

fower hyacinths
flourishin in a pat -
nae greter meesterie




four hyacinths
blooming in a pot -
no greater mystery

sparks hingin
aw o the mornin licht
in ilka yin




raindrops hanging
all of the morning light
in each one

sin
on the freestit binwuid
a green leam




sun
on the frosted ivy
a green beam

craws' clatter
pouin me deeper
intae the wuids




crows' calling
drawing me deeper
into the woods

match day
cadgers sellin flags
sprittelt crocuses




match day
vendors selling flags
multi-coloured crocuses

in 'The Gairdens'
muckle herts an kisses
in the snaw




in 'The Gardens'
giant hearts and kisses
in the snow

mither an bairn
dumpin snaw at ilk ither
...skirls




mother and child
kicking snow at each other
...squeals

muinlicht
ower the freestit perk
hoolet's dowie neb




moonlight
over the frosted field
owl's sad face

the postie -
the cauld
scrieve




the postman -
the cold
letter

jeelin
eeshogels an slidder
...a jowin bell




freezing
icicles and ice
...a chiming bell

lowpin oot o bed
ma erse scartit -
guidwife's tint rosary




leaping out of bed
my buttocks scratched -
wife's lost rosary

freesty mornin
swan beeries its heid
in the brawest swansdoon




frosty morning
swan buries its head
in the finest swansdown

on the freestit perk
a singul craw
hantinly bonnie




on the frosted field
a single crow
hauntingly beautiful

amang yaised condoms
an champt tinnies -
daffins




among used condoms
and crushed cans -
daffodils

mexican voar
a roon yalla leaf
trinnles alang the strand




mexican spring
a round yellow leaf
rolls along the shore

neb tae the chaumer wa
tentie o sheddae burds
sheddae brainches




face to the bedroom wall
she watches shadow birds
shadow branches

angert honkin
a fremmit deuk
ettles tae jyne the parrock




angry honking
a foreign duck
trys to join the group

ilka day
mair trok in the burn
new runkles on the scruif




every day
more rubbish in the stream
new wrinkles on the surface