Madonna

by the burd-bath  -

aw the burds boo doon

Madonna

by the bird-bath  -

all the birds bow down

happin the haugh

wull garlic

...voar confetti

covering the riverbank

wild garlic

...spring confetti

efter his faw

anither blae medal

on granfaither's chist

after his fall

another blue medal

on grandfather's chest

sinblinks throuch the kirk winnock  -

incense reek hurls on thain

aye upwarts

sunbeams through the church window  -

incense smoke rides them

ever upwards

the luve

o the blin dug

caws me doon

the love

of the blind dog

bowls me over

a jeelin wund an sin

fechtin it oot  -

wunter juist wullnae gae doon

an icy wind and sun

slugging it out  -

winter just will not go down

maggie

taks aff frae the gairden

weirin a bussie mouser

magpie

takes off from the garden

wearing a bushy moustache

ilka day

tae the samen flooer  -

is't the samen bummer?

every day

to the same flower  -

is it the same bee?

the bodach

stops tae read the graffiti

...dernin's waant o a rist

the old man

stops to read the graffiti

...hiding his need to rest

abuin the nursery

craw hunkers

...bydin fir the nirls

above the nursery

crow sits

...waiting for the crumbs