hogmanay
eemages wabble in dubs
whuskie braiths




new year's eve
images wobble in puddles
whisky breaths

sin on thair riggins
they breenge towarts the muin
ower the trampit yirth




sun on their backs
they race towards the moon
over the trampled earth

(race meeting)

readin Issa
hearin
the weet fawin




reading Issa
hearing
the rain falling

ma peerie Buddha
nae hap fir's heid -
the bonsai's deid




my tiny Buddha
no cover for his head -
the bonsai is dead

New Orleans jazz -
throuchoot the hoose
ma Gran Marischal strunt




New Orleans jazz -
throughout the house
my Grand Marshal strut

blowster wairnin
the gairden sweeng
slawly sterts tae sweeng




gale warning
the garden swing
slowly starts to swing

deuks hyste thair heids
tak tent:
the fish-cadger's tooter




ducks raise their heads
listen:
the fishmonger's horn

snell wund frae the sea
a maw hunkers on a pall
greetin in'ts een




cold wind from the sea
a gull sits on a bollard
tears in its eyes

derk watter stourin
faemin fite
agin hern's trams




dark watter racing
foaming white
against heron's legs

boxin day
buckets skailin:
craws' Yule




boxing day
dustbins overflowing:
crows' Christmas

hinmaist day o advent
oot frae the haar
sumthin takkin shape




last day of advent
out from the freezing fog
something taking shape

burn in spate
a fairmer corses
on unvisible stanes




flooded river
a farmer crosses
on invisible stones

alane
at the bus-stap
a tuim yill bottle




alone
at the bus-stop
an empty beer bottle

Yule
throuch scuddit brainches
blue bonnets blinter




Christmas
through naked branches
blue tits flicker

maws
skirlin
juist wi joy




gulls
crying
just with joy

racin his maister
the auld dug
his lang reid tung sweengin




racing his master
the old dog
his long red tongue swinging

sundoon
aye wairmth
in her rosary beads




sunset
still warmth
in her rosary beads

Yule bells -
myndin a deid fere
...hingin




Christmas bells -
remembering a dead friend
...hanging

bawdrons tentie o me
threidin thairms
...wins awa suddent lik




cat watches me
threading gut strings
...suddenly leaves

blae lift
fuff-ba cluds
maggie haiks's tail athort




blue sky
puff-ball clouds
magpie drags his tail across

muckle
smoorichinsappieness:
twa winos




a lot of
huggingtouchingtenderness:
two winos

hivvie freest
dunt o the freezer
drappin ice-cubes




severe frost
thump of the freezer
dropping ice-cubes

furst freest -
a bodach an's eildit dug
uphaud ilk ither




first frost -
an old man and his old dog
support each other

hauns waffin o pine
we unfankle
whigmaleeries an sterns




hands smelling of pine
we untangle
baubles and stars

fitba fans
haud by tae warsle
he hings on's besom




football fans
pass by to conflict
he leans on his broom

sleekit craw
the day raggit craw
jachelt mang brainches




sleek crow
today ragged crow
tossed amongst branches

pairty time
the nicht e'en the muin
muinin




party time
tonight even the moon
mooning

oot frae the leaves
curlt intae a cleuch
a tint gliv




out from the leaves
curled into a clutch
a lost glove

syncopatit
the sparks
throuch ma laiky ruif




syncopated
the raindrops
through my leaky roof

weet blatters
on the balderies
they juist jig




rain beats
on the orchids
they just dance

the advent caunle
brenns awa anither day
the lowe chitters




the advent candle
burns away another day
the flame shivers

throuch the hailstanes
hollin berries
lichtin a peth




through the hail
holly berries
lighting a path

the laddie's dowie sang -
a hert-shaped leaf
blaws tae ma feet




the boy's sad song -
a heart-shaped leaf
blows to my feet

in the herth
a poinsettia
leamin




in the hearth
a poinsettia
glowing

burnside clartit
ablow the damheid
craw taks a shour




riverside littered
below the weir
crow takes a shower

December
meysies' peerie nebs
...yit




December
primroses' small faces
...still

in a borraed cot
new letters efter's nem:
weedower




in a borrowed coat
new letters after his name:
widower

wunter yirdin
abodie's braith
smoors the coffin




winter burial
everybody's breath
clouds the coffin

the auld mull dung doon -
muinlicht the nicht
in her chaumer




the old mill demolished -
moonlight tonight
in her room

bawdrons skooks
throuch the sheddaes
bluid on's neb




cat skulks
through the shadows
blood on his nose

abuin the scuilyaird skirls
maws whurl
...quatelik




above the playground screams
gulls wheel
...silently

Haly Mess
throuch the freestit gless
a flutherin o weengs




Holy Mass
through the frosted glass
a fluttering of wings

stoury nicht
billbrod liggs i the perk
bonnie lassie's neb clarty




stormy night
billboard lies in the field
beauty-queen's face dirty

efter the blatter
causey redd o leaves -
sum back on the brainches




after the storm
street clear of leaves -
some back on the branches

apenin the hingers
furst day
o advent




opening the curtains
first day
of advent

moose raxes
tae apen's een
the pushener taks tent




mouse struggles
to open its eyes
the poisoner looks on

alane nou
the bodach sterts
tae reek o pish




alone now
the old man
starts to smell of urine

bunnet gane tae the sterns
we haud ilk ither
wund rammishes throuch




hat gone to the stars
we hold each other
wind storms through

stieve wunter girses
naethin muivin bit the wund
bodachs' banes knackin




stiff winter grasses
nothing moving but the wind
old mens' bones cracking

peerie speuggie
frae brainch tae brainch
shooglin the tree




tiny sparrow
from branch to branch
shaking the tree

toon crier
his muckle wame
whaur he hains's vice




town crier
his huge stomach
where he keeps his voice

leaves breenge
towarts me:
wuid scartin




leaves race
towards me:
mad scratching

his concertina
gaitherin stour
jigs hapt




his concertina
gathering dust
jigs enfolded

she maks-up:
in the keekin-gless
her corrie-haundit twin smirks




she makes-up:
in the mirror
her left-handed twin smiles

bricht mornin
maws whurlin
yin in ma teacup




bright morning
gulls wheeling
one in my teacup

snell day
haun in haun
gled she's weirin glivs




nippy day
hand in hand
glad she's wearing gloves

liggin cantie -
her braith
on ma rig




lying contented -
her breath
on my back

gean
sparks hingin
refleck Yule lichts




cherry tree
raindrops hanging
reflect Christmas lights

athort the perk
the crippilt chiel's trike:
its bockety trinnle




across the park
the handicapped man's tricycle:
its buckled wheel

the muin the nicht
seam a fingerbrod
whit a banjo!




the moon tonight
fit a fingerboard
what a banjo!


(after Sokan)

dour-faced shoppers
a gangrel croons
aneath Yule lichts




grim-faced shoppers
a tramp sings
beneath Christmas lights

heich i the brainches
a plastic baguette poke
giein the finger




high in the branches
a plastic baguette bag
giving the finger

droondit in maw leid
the towerists
skail orrals




drowned in gull language
the tourists
scatter scraps

rugby practeese
vices belloch
hern shaks weet frae' s neb




rugby practice
voices bellow
heron shakes rain from his beak

the crippilt lassie smirks -
a haud by a saicont time
tint




the handicapped girl smiles -
I pass by a second time
lost

fantoosh fitwark
bleckies dumpin
thair wey throuch leaves




fancy footwork
blackbirds kicking
their way through leaves

chinese lassies geegle
ferrgrun lichts refleckit
i thair glesses




chinese girls giggle
fairground lights reflected
in their glasses

the skeetchers
birl an snuve
sheddaes o maws on the slidder




the skaters
spin and glide
shadows of gulls on the ice

in the het sinlicht
midgies hove up
in shooglie columns




in the warm sunlight
midges rise up
in shaky columns

throuch the weet
a dowie sang
clinks plash intae's cog




through the rain
a sad song
coins splash into his pail

reid claith ower the leerie
mak-on bordel
jazz gaitherin




red cloth over the lamp
make-believe bordello
jazz session

prood stag -
the-day yir antlers
sellt on a weet toon causey




proud stag -
today your antlers
sold on a wet city street

heft the tooter
pawt the valves
wunner:cud a yet...




lift the trumpet
finger the valves
wonder:could I still...

foggies' pairty -
nae sae daft
he nicks's neebor's whuskie




pensioners' party -
not so senile
he steals his neighbour's whisky

wund i the lum
leaves
sweel




wind in the chimney
leaves run
in circles

staunin stanes
stappin tae refleck
a gled hings




standing stones
stopping to reflect
a hawk hangs

licht smirr
a roon the cunyie
mak a wattergaw




light drizzle
I round the corner
make a rainbow

doverin
feet tae the lowe
the warl gaes on




dozing
feet to the fire
the world goes on

the Yule whigmaleerie
fa'n frae the laft
aye hail an sheenin




the Christmas bauble
fallen from the loft
still whole and shining

in the quate o incaain
a stane fa's
ontae the kist




in the silence of prayer
a stone falls
onto the coffin

furst snaw on the braes -
at the bus-stap
reid nebs




first snow on the hills -
at the bus-stop
red faces

freest on the skeps
monks i thair chaumers
meditatin




frost on the hives
monks in their cells
meditating

sodgers ship oot -
new leaves
faw ontae deid yins




troops embark -
new leaves
fall onto dead ones

on the pendle:
sheddae
o the hinmaist flourish




on the pendulum:
shadow
of the last blossom

the sey wins in
baits heave up
rug at thair palls




the tide comes in
boats rise
tug at their moorings

soon o a bop tooter
wammles throuch the err
bleckies hearken




sound of a bop trumpet
wriggles through the air
blackbirds listen

Yule eerans
abuin a sey o nebs
a Rabbi haudin's bunnet




Christmas shopping
above a sea of faces
a Rabbi holding his hat

owernicht
the proteckin pailin's
fa'n intae the sheuch




overnight
the protection barrier's
fallen into the trench

physalis bowets
lowe sonsie lik -
the gairden's doon-toon en




physalis lanterns
glow warmly -
the garden's down-town end

throuch's toosilt baird
the gangrel smirks -
micht be santoka!




through his tousled beard
the tramp smiles -
might be santoka!

reid rabs, blue bonnets,
chackert maggies,
on yin nakit tree




red robins, blue-tits,
chequered magpies,
on one naked tree

dreich day
hern stauns i the weet
nae hause




wet day
heron stands in the rain
no neck

the bonnie leaves
hing blate i the licht
winnae faw gin a leuk awa




the beautiful leaves
hang shy in the light
won't fall until I look away

flutherin speuggie
refleckit on ma wa
muckle as a craw




fluttering sparrow
refleckted on my wall
big as a crow

the ferris wheel birls
skirlin sheddaes
forenent the muin




the ferris wheel turns
screaming shadows
against the moon

efter the blatter
fidgin i the gitter:
skeletal umberellae




after the storm
twitching in the gutter:
skeletal umbrella

on the altar
o the hinmaist sipper
a vawse o puppies




on the altar
of the last supper
a vase of poppies


(remembrance Sunday)

leaf-ens rax up
frae the weet peth
syne clap doon agen




leaf-ends struggle up
from the wet path
then fall back again

on the gantry
bottles blinkin
...santoka...his haiku




on the bar shelf
bottles shining
...santoka...his haiku

wund
leaves flee aw airts
the burdwatcher feels deezie




wind
leaves fly everywhere
the birdwatcher feels dizzy

heich wund
leaves tummle -
bricht mosaic burn




high wind
leaves tumble -
bright mosaic stream

oot reengin efter haiku
a runkilt broon yin
fell on me




out hunting haiku
a wrinkled brown one
fell on me

throuch the goalposts
a tuim pitch
stour-arred




through the goalposts
an empty pitch
battle-scarred

guisin nicht
ower langsyne
aye sowpin pumpkin bree




halloween over
long ago
still supping pumpkin soup

deuks quaik
hern keeks ower
the heichmaist sprots




ducks squawk
heron peeps over
the tallest reeds

ma slaistert peth
fou o bricht reid sterns
...acer castin




my messy path
full of bright red stars
...acer shedding

airtist apens's jotter
funds the wunter lift
a'ready on the page




artist opens his pad
finds the winter sky
already on the page

a rand o licht
ablow a sneckit door
...dayset




a strip of light
below a closed door
...sunset

wunter burdsang
skwurrel's rumple
conduckin




winter birdsong
squirrel's tail
conducting

hern, buddha-quate -
ma haingles hoast
sens'm oot ower the toon




heron, buddha-still -
my flu cough
sends him out over the town

daunce-ha dung doon
anely
the soond o the burn




dance-hall demolished
only
the sound of the stream

gairden grown-up
in's winnock:
VOTE GREEN




garden overgrown
in his window:
VOTE GREEN

freestit perks
kye nip at
peerie fuffs o stame




frosted fields
cattle nibble at
little puffs of steam

furst freest
anoraked bairns
wi nae hauns




first frost
anoraked children
with no hands

snell wund blawin
throuch taigilt breer:
sumthin's banes pikeit claen




cold wind blowing
through tangled briar:
something's bones picked clean

furst day
o freest
niver sae monie craws




first day
of frost
never so many crows

lavein herbour
lichts dwinin
the muin cums wi's




leaving harbour
lights receding
the moon comes with us

craws in a raw
collogue thegither
ower halloween




crows in a row
chatter together
planning halloween

blinterin on the brae
the sheenin jaikets
o scuil bairns




flickering on the hill
the luminous vests
of school children

the roddens
fawin agane this year
faw ontae's mool




the rowan berries
falling again this year
fall onto his grave

the pram
skitein roon the cunyie
faither an bairn skreekin




the pram
cornering on two wheels
father and child yahooing!

heich wunds
bairns an leaves
in a bourach...scuil-bell




high winds
children and leaves
in confusion...school-bell

warden's hoose -
athort's winnocks
pikit weir sheddae




warden's house -
across his windows
barbed wire shadow

craws an maggies
jinkin mang the brainches
shooers o leaves




crows and magpies
dodging amongst the branches
showers of leaves

monks chaunt
wund gurls -
the lown no fasht




monks chant
wind howls -
silence undisturbed

a far awa skelloch
the laddie's dug
hus rin afore traffeck




a distant scream
the young boy's dog
has run in front of traffic

burn in spate
unnerwatter leaves
stour alang




flooded stream
underwater leaves
race along

someplace
i the rouky perks
muck spreidin




somewhere
in the misty fields
manure spreading

atween shooers
craw an me
tentie o the lift




between showers
crow and I
watching the sky

hairst shill
faw'n leaves
stert tae cleek




autumn chill
fallen leaves
start to clench

oor throu-gaun train -
bairns waff fushin-nets
...jalousin they hae caucht nocht




our passing train -
children wave fishing-nets
...thinking they caught nothing

vaiges hindert
dour nebs:
coos dauner tae mulkin




journeys halted
grim faces:
cows stroll to milking

athort the glen
anely
craws vice




across the valley
only
crows voice

kaimin
her bairn's herr
...watters o'r hamelan




combing
her child's hair
...rivers of her homeland

we rist apairt -
rackets
lichtin the chaumer




we rest apart -
rockets
lighting the room

alane, she scarts
her nem i the saun
...taks tent o't dwinin




alone, she scratches
her name in the sand
...watches it disappear

scuil-yetts sneckt
a cowpt heid
in yin lit winnock




school-gates locked
a bent head
in one lit window

gloamin -
a gairden graip stucken
in a hauf-howkit gairden




dusk -
a garden fork stuck
in a half-dug garden

dubs diddle wi weet -
pit by the truan
tak doon the guitar




puddles dance with rain -
put the trowel away
take down the guitar

bluid slawin
hoo braw
haitin ma feet agin hers




ciculation slowing
how wonderful
heating my feet against hers

tak tent o the weet
thrum a pickle blues
yin mair leaf faws




watch the rain
play a little blues
one more leaf falls

weet poors
thunners
on snail's shall




rain pours
thunders
on snail's shell

at the apen door
muin an me
tentie fir'r




at the open door
moon and I
watching for her

ilka day
mair an mair licht
throuch the wuids




every day
more and more light
through the forest

speuggie sowpin
frae the rone, cannie
no tae dunt his heid




sparrow drinking from
the guttering, careful
not to bump his head

thair eldritch nebs
i the derkness -
Goth no Noh




their ghostly faces
in the darkness -
Goth not Noh

a burdless tree
brainches fou
o perkin cones




a birdless tree
branches full
of parking cones

hairst -
ploos derkenin
the simmer perks




autumn -
ploughs darkening
the summer fields

leaves daise
vietnam vets
hiddle i the perk




leaves rot
vietnam vets
huddle in the park


(one Autumn in San Francisco)

leafdrifts
...cailleachs
haudin thair bunnets




leafdrifts
...old ladies
holding their hats

sweengin heich
a young wumman alane
i the scuilyaird




swinging high
a young woman alone
in the playground

spleet-new hearin-aid
hairst peths
...deefenin




new hearing-aid
autumn paths
...deafening

the drouthie
shakkin a fit
tae seelent meesick




the drunk
dancing
to silent music

muinlicht
... the deein mappie's
bluid




moonlight
... the dying rabbit's
blood

gean's hinmaist leaves -
in thair orange licht
reid Rab elys




cherry tree's last leaves -
in their orange light
the robin disappears

yaisin his hemmer
furst time in years - gin a sweer
wull the deid hearken?




using his hammer
first time in years - if I swear
will the dead hear?

indian simmer
wesps aye in the easin
windae-cleaner hauds by




indian summer
wasps still in the eaves
window-cleaner passes by

tentie o the stot
o thochts -
geese flee sooth




watching the movement
of thoughts -
geese fly south

campers gane -
yowes nip
on a bricht spat




campers gone -
sheep graze
on a bright patch

laid aff -
t.v. blinters
athort his neb




redundant -
t.v. flickers
across his face

slawly
fleitin doon the burn
aipples




slowly
floating down the stream
apples

toon plainstanes
aneath ilka tree
leaves tae dump throuch




city pavements
beneath every tree
leaves to kick through

rumpin the girse
at the en o's tedder -
hull pownie




cropping the grass
at the end of his tether -
hill pony

in the winnock
the fushmunger -
his fite-shark's fin cowe




in the window
the fishmonger -
his white-shark's fin haircut

i the howe o the brainches
a leaf glents
the tirl turnin it...on...aff...




in the deepest branches
a leaf glitters
the breeze turning it ...on...off...

dug bydes patientfou
his maister gaithers keech
taks dug hame,stowes'm




dog waits patiently
his master gathers turds
takes dog home,feeds him

(Samsara)

a fowersome
o maggies -
no a sang amang thaim




a quartet
of magpies -
not a song amongst them

lattin doon the bottles
intae the bucket quietlik
...the neebors




lowering the bottles
into the bin quietly
...the neighbours

hailin preachin:
the Haly Iles,aye -
bit syne the sassenger rowes!




healing service:
the Holy Oils,yes -
but later the sausage rolls!

autistic laddie
bears the gree:nevels the air -
no sae unalike




the autistic boy
wins the prize:punches the air -
not so different

aw day
brainches wallopin
swaws i the burd-bath




all day
branches thrashing
waves in the bird-bath

claggin the en
o the vennel -
a hairst muin




blocking the end
of the narrow street -
a harvest moon

bricht muin
yin fuff
an it wull be fou




bright moon
one puff
and it will be full

the cry tae worship -
twa hirds
gove athort the perks




the call to prayer -
two shepherds
gaze across the fields

haijin tryst -
haiku tasht
wi Drambuie




haijin meet -
haiku stained
with Drambuie

the hoose no fired -
follaein a sinblink
tae the tosiest sate




no heating yet -
following a sunbeam
to the warmest seat

a cry 'guid mornin'
the deef chiel's dug
wingles its tail




I call 'good morning'
the deaf man's dog
wags its tail

ma manic freen waffs -
a guid day
no a sheddae on the burn




my manic friend waves -
a good day
not a shadow on the stream

reid rodden in's
gowden neb - bleckie
sits mythological-lik




red rowan in his
golden beak - blackbird
sits mythological-like

ayont the weet
cluds an licht daff
at bein oniethin




beyond the rain
clouds and light play
at being anything

october mornin -
on a rod rinnin atween
the sin an the muin




october morning -
on a road running between
the sun and the moon

hinny dreips
intae the tost's howes -
douce perks o Bulgaria




honey drips
into the toast's cavities -
sweet fields of Bulgaria

weengs streekit
scart stauns on a clint
neb tae the licht




cruciform on a rock
cormorant stands
face to the light

the auld cuddie
stauns govein
intae the wund




the old horse
stands staring
into the wind

monks chaunt
blue bonnet pikes the cill:
mait we cannae see





monks chant
blue tit pecks the cill:
food we can't see

birslin wedder
a haip o snaw
ootby the ice-rink




scorching weather
a heap of snow
outside the ice-rink

freens oxter an pairt -
in the lift
soothboond geese




friends hug and part -
in the sky
southbound geese

furst leaves fawin
a laddie stauns
pikein's neb




first leaves falling
a young boy stands
picking his nose

throuch the wuids
a trail o tuim
chessie huils




through the woods
a trail of empty
chestnut shells

e'en in ma den
leaves fawin
...the bonsai




even in my den
leaves falling
...the bonsai

throuch the brucken paling
ma neebor -
baith o's up in years




through the broken fence
my neighbour -
both of us growing old

on the fitbaw pitch
yin hauf sea-maws
yin hauf craws




on the football field
one half seagulls
one half crows

hairst:
an umwhile bummer
chacks ilka fuchsia bell




autumn:
a late bee
checks each fuchsia bell

ambulance ilka day:
ma neebor stours'r
glooms oot an awa




daily ambulance:
my neighbour rushes her
depression out...away

brucken shanks
blawn intae a neuk
aye flourishin




broken stalks
blown into a corner
still blossoming

postie
scartin's heid -
a wesps' byke bi the sneck




postman
scratching his head -
a wasps' nest by the latch

liftin the peerie snail
broozilt its shall -
it snuves aff wi the lave




lifting the baby snail
crushed its shell -
it glides off with what's left

the nicht it taps
e'en the fleedlit castle:
the fleedlit muin




tonight it tops
even the floodlit castle:
the floodlit moon

a fest day...
is...
a...slaw...day




a fast day...
is...
a...slow...day

the cailleach rouns
the stookie on her knees -
a lassie ootpits a text




the old lady rounds
the statue on her knees -
a young girl texts

Haly Mass
aneath leaf umberellaes
speuggies




Holy Mass
beneath leaf umbrellas
sparrows

reid stour -
throuch the vinyaird
the rosary hums




red dust -
through the vineyard
the rosary drones

crippilt
he stauns fir a photy:
derns's crummock




lame
he stands for a photograph:
hides his walking stick

in the weet
pilgrimers staun
umberellaes taigilt




in the rain
pilgrims stand
umbrellas tangled

flicht hindert
cailleachs keckle:
ower lang i the howf




flight delayed
old ladies giggle:
too long in the bar

clapt tae the winnock
its glower fous the chaumer -
spinnin jenny




stuck to the window
its gaze fills the room -
daddy-long-legs

cluds rowe awa -
craw bangs up frae
a perk o yella gowans




clouds roll away -
crow rises from
a field of buttercups

on's carebed
he skews roon
hearkens tae the bell-ringers




on his sick-bed
he turns to listen
to the bell-ringers

hairst
on a lanesome roddin
a hinmaist breer




autumn
on a lonesome path
a last dog-rose

govein intae
a deep puil
fisher...makar




gazing into
a deep pool
fisherman...poet

nicht vaig -
aheid o me,
cat's een an sterns




night journey -
ahead of me,
cat's eyes and stars

roarie sooth-moothers -
yowes staun
...glower




noisy mainlanders -
sheep stand
...stare

treen 'r quate
fush kythe i the dub -
his gran-bairns awa hame




trees are quiet
fish appear in the pond -
his grand-children have gone

frae the winnock
a hairst efternuin -
ma sheddae liggs on the bed




from the window
an autumn afternoon -
my shadow lies on the bed

the bairn swithers
atween the skwurrel
an the throu-gaun train




the toddler
caught between the squirrel
and the passing train

hame frae the ferrier
dour-nebbit
cairryin a wechtie seck




home from the vet
grim-faced
carrying a heavy sack

in the baurber's keekin gless
set o ma faither's powe
aneath thinnin herr




in the barber's looking glass
shape of my father's skull
beneath thinning hair

the burthday balloon
fankilt i the gairden
ilka day mair runkilt




the birthday balloon
trapped in the garden
more wrinkled each day

doverin on a bink
her herr plashes
muinlit




asleep on a bench
her hair cascades
moonlit

amang the trees' green
straiks o yalla
...mair nor yestreen




amongst the trees' green
streaks of yellow
...more than yesterday

hairst mornin -
stame sweils up
frae the gean




autumn morning -
steam rises
from the cherry tree

a bodie's cairpet
happin the claddach
pattren still vieve




somebody's carpet
covering the riverbed
design still vivid

roukie day
on the riggin-heid
humphie-backit doos




damp day
on the roof-ridge
hunchbacked pigeons

smirr
a simmer's wirth o wabs
staun oot




drizzle
a summer's worth of webs
exposed

throuch the leaf's striffin
a singul seed
fleitin doon the watter




through the leaf's membrane
a single seed
floating downstream

wesp dowps doon
amang the haiku
turns tae yin




wasp sits down
amongst the haiku
becomes one

knell o the jogger
corsin the steel brig
deuks sperfle




boom of the jogger
crossing the steel bridge
ducks scatter

sha hauds the bairn
up tae the madonna
flooers daunce i the weet




she holds the child
up to the madonna
flowers dance in the rain

furst sabbath o hairst -
incaains fir the seek
stert tae growe




first sunday of autumn -
prayers for the sick
start to grow

a slaw day o weet
a bairge hauds by
...strenth tae waff




a slow day of rain
a barge passes
...strength to wave

the auld brig
whaur luvers pree'd:
its saft stane, concrete nou




the old bridge
where lovers kissed:
its soft stone, concrete now

eller-berries
rife fir pouin -
a rantin wunter




elder-berries
ready for picking -
a merry winter

rugby saison -
broo agin the lozen
tentie o the weet




rugby season -
forehead against the pane
watching the rain

the-day
a rairin frae the
quate treen o simmer




today
a roaring from the
silent trees of summer

yirdit the deein moose -
tentie o the mools
aw day




buried the dying mouse -
watched the grave
all day

mauks:
set
o the deid moose




bluebottles:
shape
of the dead mouse

in a dub
slawly mizzlin
cluds scud




in a puddle
slowly evaporating
clouds race

leaves fawin
in the gairden
a lane buttery veesits




leaves falling
in the garden
a lone butterfly visits

hairst redd up
ice-lollie steeks
deep i the hedge




autumn clear up
ice-lollie sticks
deep in the hedge

in the sinflooer's
derk iris
a skinklin galaxy




in the sunflower's
dark iris
a twinkling galaxy

the nicht
hoo the lift
pents itsel




tonight
how the sky
paints itself

autistic laddie
thrums's air-guitar
as guid as onie




autistic boy
strums his air-guitar
as good as any

ettlin tae jalouse
yer hit-an-miss steid -
snail




trying to figure out
your hit-and-miss trail -
snail

a lane swallae
wins ower the-day
pittin aff nae time




a lone swallow
passes over today
wasting no time

simmer dwinin
bum-bummin i the gairden
deein doun




summer fading
the humming in the garden
dying down

craw on the lamp-post
spreids's tail-fedders
a rax ma striddle




crow on the lamp-post
spreads his tail-feathers
I lengthen my stride

hinmaist week o simmer
reid rab a'ready
joukin amang us




last week of summer
the robin already
dodging among us

moch i the chaumer -
a drame o gowd stour
amang ma chist herr




moth in the bedroom -
I dream of gold dust
amongst my chest hair

brod set
wytein the veesitors
e'en the speens hearkenin




table set
awaiting the visitors
even the spoons listening

siller i the sin
snail's stravaigins
throuch the nicht




silver in the sun
snail's wanderings
through the night

glaizie pews
kneelers wurn smeeth:
releegious airt




shiny pews
kneelers worn smooth:
religious art

curdooin ower -
a train throu-gaun
intae the lown




lovemaking over -
a train passing
into the silence

leaves
colour o'r herr yince
flichterin throuch thaim




leaves
colour of her hair once
running through them

bummer stottin
sowpit lavender aw day -
cud be feelin blae




bee staggering
supped lavender all day -
could be feeling blue

a stoop o bindweed:
stertit aff
as ma crummock




a pillar of bindweed:
started off
as my walking stick

a muckle lift -
on a lum-heid
a bleckie chirms intae't




an enormous sky -
on the chimney-pot
a blackbird sings into it

in the dub
montbretia petals
bumbaizin bawdrons




in the pool
montbretia petals
confusing the cat

Dylan lilts
sin sheens throuch
the threids o a wab




Dylan sings
sun shines through
the threads of a web

hauf-tyme baund -
yin chiel sheds himsel
wi a cymbal




half-time band -
one musician shades
himself with a cymbal

frae yestreen's
thunner-plump
a singul drap hings




from last night's
thunder-storm
a single drop hangs

flee amang the murlins
laundit cannie
dichts's hauns




fly amongst the crumbs
landed lucky
rubs his hands

moch
thrabs on the lozen
ayont: the muin




moth
pulses on the pane
beyond: the moon

cauld causeys
ahint steekit hingers
sheddaes oxter




cold streets
behind closed curtains
shadows embrace

keek-o-day
tenement winnocks hystit -
glowein fags




dawn
tenement windows raised -
glowing cigarettes

watterside dauner -
sumthin's stowen a hurl
tae the kirk



riverside walk -
something's hitched a ride
to church

twa maws
tentie o the towerist
birl syne shape thirsels




two gulls
aware of the tourist
pirouette and pose

watter hauden
i the geranium's leaf -
blinnin sinlicht




water held
in the geranium's leaf -
blinding sunlight

hame frae the shows
faither drapt him aff -
weirs's han-ban fir days




home from the fair
father dropped him off -
wears his wrist-band for days

stanes at the winnock -
ma laddie's smirk
ma nakitness




stones at the window -
my son's smile
my nakedness

airlie mornin
weet
...cuddies sheenin




early morning
rain
...horses shining

cuil, smeeth, sweengin
roon stanes, rairin
ower damheids - jazz o watters




cool, smooth, swinging
round stones, roaring
over weirs - jazz of rivers

muntain kirk
the winnock's palette
on the flair




mountain chapel
the window's palette
on the floor

flee tissles i the wab -
bethankit fir a skirlin
we cannae hear




fly struggles in the web -
be thankful for a screaming
we can't hear

uptoon -
bien baudrons
gove at ma throu-gaun




uptown -
comfortable cats
stare as I pass through

colourfou butterie
spreids oot on the clint
a fause neb wi fey een




colourful butterfly
spreads out on the rock
a mask with fearsome eyes

juist the sma'st grue
moose,
nou that a ken ye




just the least shiver
mouse,
now that I know you

the gairden
fou o thrisseldoon
...airtin awa




the garden
full of thistledown
...leaving

the lily's heid
faws wi a dunt
stamens wult




the lily's head
falls with a thud
stamens wilt

in trinnle trinks
fou o weet:
oor nebs




in chariot ruts
full of rainwater:
our faces

ilka oor
the timmer gowk
cries it wrang




every hour
the cuckoo-clock
gets it wrong

ma bricht sark -
the reid-admiral's
in a mistak




my bright shirt -
the red-admiral's
made a mistake

butteries coortin
she's pawkie, he's eydent
...ower the ruiftaps




butterflies courting
she flirts, he's intent
...over the rooftops

hotel shunkie -
a singul stern
o confetti




hotel toilet -
a single star
of confetti

twa stags stieven
on the brae
...a foggies' vaige




two stags stiffen
on the hillside
...a pensioners' outing

simmer dwynin
throuch a lozen
runklie wi weet




summer fading
through a pane
wrinkled with rain

the pit-heid
pentit an flooert
the pit fowk won awa



the pit-head
painted and flowered
the pit folk dead

abuin the barracks
a fou muin
...the gaird's bayonet




above the barracks
a full moon
...the sentry's bayonet

...sodgers' sheddies
athort his
govein een




...soldiers' shadows
across his
staring eyes

killin hoose quate nou -
day-set reiddens
the causies




abattoir silent now -
sunset reddens
the cobbles

boo'd intae the wund:
pilgrimers
himes




bent into the wind:
pilgrims
hymns

sica quate muir
twa deuks squaik:
smitches yondermaist




such a silent moor
two ducks squawk:
dots on the horizon

ma blin neebor
fingers ilka new blume
...an smirks




my blind neighbour
fingers each new bloom
...and smiles

pouin snail
frae ma door -
his glisterin fuit




prising snail
from my door -
his glistening foot

airlie brakfast
clockers skelterin
aw bit yin...hirplin nou




early breakfast
cockroaches scuttling
except one...limping now

drucken lauchter
tassies fleet i the puil -
saiklessness o a new muin's lip




drunken laughter
cups float in the pool -
pureness of a new muin's edge

a perfit raing
o ill-colourit girse -
riven posters




a perfect circle
of discoloured grass -
torn posters

swaws rattlin
ower the herbour wa -
maw flees...gaes naewey




waves crashing
over the harbour wall -
gull flies...goes nowhere

agane the fume
o buddleia -
simmer nivver foryets




again the fragrance
of buddleia -
summer never forgets

nuin het
three tikes ligg
daffin i thair drames




noon heat
three dogs lie
chasing their dreams

blithefou skirls
frae the puil -
the mither's tirr ower
...the noo




joyous squeals
from the pool -
the mother's tantrums over
...for the moment

bein duntit
bi bummers an butteries -
buddleia in blume




being bumped
by bees and butterflies -
buddleia in bloom

(Mainichi Daily News - english version only)

on the gean
a saicont flourishin -
bindweed tooters




on the cherry tree
a second blossoming -
bindweed trumpets

scuil-yetts lockfast
derk winnocks
...a bangster's bleck-ee




school-gates chained
dark windows
...a bully's black-ee

a fire-flaucht
ower the firth
jaup o the watter




a shooting-star
over the estuary
slap of the water

aw day
reddin rods
bi nicht a soutar




all day
scything roads
by night a shoemaker

liggin amang
biddy bottles' sheddaes:
jakies blithe i the sin




lying amongst
wine bottles' shadows:
winos enjoying the sun

jazz session -
sparks jinkin
doon the winnock




jazz session -
raindrops zigzagging
down the window

mawin -
dugwuid flourish
doon ma neck




mowing -
dogwood blossom
down my collar

simmer sabbath
deuks tissle wi bairns
fir room i the funtain




summer sunday
ducks vie with children
for space in the fountain

bummer bourachs
amang the stamens
clematis petals faw




bee rummages
amongst the stamens
clematis petals fall

blues i the gairden
a singul wab-threid
dirls i the souch




blues in the garden
a single web-thread
vibrates in the breeze

his cairts knack
an brattle aw nicht -
we baith daff at patience




his cards snap
and rattle all night -
we both play patience

reid-lit hures
in thair winnocks -
a sally-ann tooter




red-lit whores
in their windows -
a salvationist cornet

licht skites atween
the hystit bicker
an the youthie priest's sax




light glances between
the raised chalice
and the young priest's sax

a splore at the burn's heid -
tuim yill bottles
...a brust fitbaw




a picnic upstream -
empty beer bottles
...a burst football

a dollar tae the gangrel -
he speirs at Goad
tae bliss me




a dollar
to the down-and-out -
he asks God to bless me

...waffin's airms
stottin aboot -
maun be a week-en sonnet




...waving his arms
staggering about -
must be a week-end story

sica fou life
butterie - nivver yince
a straucht line




such a full life
butterfly - never once
a straight line

tinkler
blithe in's duddies
in's muckle hame




tramp
happy in his rags
in his huge home

hemmerin...
the biggins heave up
the sheddaes spreid




hammering...
the buildings rise
the shadows spread

aw nicht lang
taigled in a singul bed -
a moose hus oor chaumer




all night long
tangled in a single bed -
a mouse has our room

makars' eemages
alang the watterside -
awbody maits the swans




poets' busts
along the riverside -
everybody feeds the swans

heelster gowdie
the fleein draigon pous'm
...an awmaist intae the sea




head-over-heels
the kite pulls him
...and almost into the sea

connacht boats
steetit up on the girse:
aw forenent the sea




damaged boats
propped up on the grass:
all facing the sea

gutties in a bing -
faur aff
the soun o lauchter




sandals in a heap -
far off
the sound of laughter

licht
throuch the shall
pinks the bathwatter




light
through the conch
pinks the bathwater

mappie in the sheddae -
throuch the leaves
sin pattrens his fur




rabbit in the shade -
through the leaves
sun patterns his fur

i the mids
o jazz maisic
a butterie wyvein




in the midst
of jazz music
a butterfly weaving

ootby the howf
an upturnt tuba
inby, upturnt jazzers




outside the pub
an upturned tuba
inside, upturned jazzers

blue bonnet landit
on the bodach's chist -
baith dumfounert




tit landed
on the old man's chest -
both amazed

pouin grosets
his hankie
blocht reid




picking gooseberries
his handkerchief
stained red

the koi hoves
an wi the lotus
goves lift-wan




the koi rises
and with the lotus
gazes sky-ward

baudrons skooks -
twa weengs ligg lowst
bluid on the pens




cat skulks -
two wings lie detached
blood on the quills

fower speuggie chooks
tentie on the paling:
craik o the shooglin-sate




four sparrow chicks
alert on the fence:
creak of the rocking-chair

trashie wedder
hern's erse-fedders
weet




rain for days
heron's bum-feathers
wet

his new hame
meesick o the weet
fouin orra pats




his new home
music of raindrops
filling odd-sized pots

throuch a navis-bore
bindweed -
a bell on's bike




through a knot-hole
bindweed -
a bell on his bicycle

luvers
on the strand -
a swaw foonderin




lovers
on the beach -
a wave collapsing

keek o day
the auld hoose
sterts tae craik




dawn
the old house
begins to creak

pelican sortin itsel
sea-maws sklent
sum keckle



the pelican preens
gulls look on
some make a laughing sound

sauchs shawin
thair siller side
cailleachs haudin thair bunnets




willows showing
their silver side
old ladies holding their hats

whaur speuggie howkit
oot the grun -
bairns plunkin bools




where sparrow
had his dust bath -
children playing marbles

waggities gane -
beelders ding doon
the hinmaist wa




wagtails gone -
builders demolish
the last wall

tentie o the watter
fleetin intae
the burnbecker's mou




watching the river
running into
the dipper's mouth

in the scuilyaird
skailt flourish
rowes an tummles




in the school playground
blossoms
race and tumble

keek o day -
a wabt fuit
hingin frae's seck




dawn -
a webbed foot
hanging from his sack

trystin wi'r aff the train
heeldin's chaft tae be preed -
she humphs her graith




meeting her off the train
inclines his cheek to be kissed -
she lugs her case

bairns fling sticks
at fawin leaves -
her een watshod




children throw sticks
at falling leaves -
her eyes full of tears

(war cemetery near arnhem)

hoalidy siller gane
we staun in 'McDONALDS' -
ootlins in an ootlin lan




broke
we stand in 'McDONALDS' -
strangers in a strange land

throuch the preachin
licht on a clootie dall's neb
...the reiddest lips




during the sermon
light on a rag doll's face
...the reddest lips

wunnerfae!
snawdraps
a cannae mynd pittin doon




wonderful!
snowdrops
I can't remember planting

a platch o colour
in a dreich toun -
saris




a splash of colour
in a drab city -
saris

a blissin frae the priest -
thooms-up frae
the down's syndrome laddie




the priest blesses us -
thumbs-up from
the down's syndrome boy

anither vaige
anither chaumer
sheddaes on the wa




another journey
another room
shadows on the wall

november
snell ludgins
yin burthday cairt




november
cold lodgings
one birthday card

reid rab tentie
o the dorbie dressin stane -
jeelin wund...reid neb




the robin watches
a mason carving stone -
freezing wind...red nose

auld dorbie
hoastin...pechin -
the laddies ee's graith




old mason
coughing...gasping -
the boys eye his tools

he fettles buits
bi lamplicht...sheddaes
lowpin roun'm




he mends boots
by lamplight...shadows
leaping around him

brummles
hauf-hid i the dyke -
sin's licht birslin thaim




brambles
half-hidden in the hedgerow -
sun's light warming them

in the tuim chaumer
her baffies
a striddle apairt




in the empty room
her slippers
a stride apart

wund...reeshlin leaves
a yinness
ye cannae sinder




wind...rustling leaves
the inseperable
oneness

graveyaird
grown up -
life's rin the rig




graveyard
overgrown -
life run riot

cruet hauf-fou
o sheddae -
mak dae wi tae




carafe half-full
of shadow -
make do with tea

sin in's cot
the muntain dug
haits ma haun




sun in his coat
the mountain dog
warms my hand

soor dook
in an alpine meedie
the lift fous a peerie loch




buttermilk
in an alpine meadow
the sky fills a tiny lake

oot frae the haar
...an intae the haar
hern snuves




out of the mist
...and into the mist
heron glides

bletherin haivers
the drouthy claps
the bairn's heid




talking gibberish
the wino pats
the baby's head

dreid on a vaige:
dirdum o vyces
knackin tinnies




dread on a journey:
raised voices
snapping cans

stuckies dookin
in a clairtie dub -
speuggies...sic a stramash




starlings bathing
in a muddy puddle -
sparrows...such a din

simmer shour
the mappie slaiks's fur
bleckie casts bricht beads




summer shower
the rabbit licks his fur
blackbird sheds bright beads

a skein o geese -
het
on the howe's haunle




a skein of geese -
warmth
on the hoe's handle

simmer mawin -
the tractor sterts
the meedie lowps




summer mowing -
the tractor starts
the meadow leaps

the fite baudrons
its luif amang
the doverin fush




the white cat
its paw amongst
the sleeping fish

a hameless chiel
doverin on the causey
his cuppit haun hauden oot




a homeless man
asleep on the pavement
his cupped hand held out

burds hunkert
on the pikit weer -
jylet chiels' upturnt nebs




birds perched
on the razor-wire -
prisoners' upturned faces

snaw:
in a mizzilt fuitprent
wirm upwreils agin the wa's




snow:
in a melted footprint
worm rears against the walls

cou pishin -
it spleiters intae
the waggitie's nest




cow pissing -
it splashes into
the wagtail's nest

waggities mowin -
foggies back an fore
settin oot




wagtails mating -
pensioners to and fro
planting

mids the ramstam
a lassie stauns
neb tae the sin




rush hour
a young girl stands
face to the sun

dowie lass
govein intae
sweelin reek




sad girl
staring into
spirals of smoke

chinese lassie...we smile -
throuch the connacht ruif
cluds corse the lift




chinese girl...we smile -
through the damaged roof
clouds cross the sky

preenacks
whitterin
an unclaimit praisent




pine-needles
pattering
an unclaimed gift

ludgin-hoose:
a nakit bulb - waddin raing
refleckin




lodging-house:
a naked bulb - wedding ring
reflecting

trystin cunyie -
dowps
strawn




first-daters' corner -
cigarette-ends
strewn

hame toon -
scancin thair nebs:
the lyart- heidit




home town -
scanning their faces:
the grey-haired

bourach o chords -
derk burds heave up
frae a nakit tree




cluster of chords -
dark birds rise
from a leafless tree

the train's sheddae
whinners ower thaim:
kintra bairns




the train's shadow
passes over them:
country children

weet poors -
amang the gean flourish
ink-bleck brainches




rain pours -
amongst the cherry blossom
ink-black branches

kirk replenishins -
throuch Easter incaains
hemmert stobs




church repairs -
through Easter devotions
driven nails

liftit aff
flee retours an retours
tae the wine-soggit brod




lifted off
fly returns and returns
to the wine-soaked table

peerie leafboat
the sea-maw's nebbitness
wracks it on the strand




little leafboat
the gull's inquisitiveness
wrecks it on the shore

nid noddin
...the haar's swallaed
the wuid




forty winks
...mist has swallowed
the forest

the hauf gane lassie
sits the bairn on her knap
they swey tae a lilt




the pregnant girl
sits the child on her bump
they sway to a rhythm

nordic voar
abuin the rittit snaw
yalla butteries blinter




nordic spring
above the rutted snow
yellow butterflies flicker

gled's stieve glower:
craw's deein
dinnles throuch'm




hawk's steady gaze:
crow's dying
tremors through him

hunkert on the kirb
a tike an me
govein at the wund




sitting on the kerb
a stray dog and I
watching the wind

i the muckle kirk
leams o licht
aw frae the yin sin



in the cathedral
shafts of light
all from the one sun

heids o barley
heeld this wey heeld yon -
a fusperin souch




heads of barley
lean this way lean that -
a whispering sigh

heids turn
she snuves alang
chowin a bricht green aipple




heads turn
she glides along
eating a bright green apple

in a rinnin burn
deuk stauns, her breist
alowe wi blinterins




in a running stream
duck stands, her breast
aflame with shimmerings

japanese gairden
peerie bairns
daff at hidie




japanese garden
tiny children
play hide-and-seek

in an auld pictur
the twin tooers aye staunin:
awbody at thair dasks




in an old movie
the twin towers still standing:
workers at their desks

autistic laddie
hauds's mither's haun ticht
she hauds the faither's




autistic boy
holds his mother's hand tightly
she holds the father's

jasmine flourish
maun hae left a smitch
butteries roon ma baird




jasmine blossom
must have left a trace
butterflies round my beard

his auld sark
waffin
fleggin the craws




his old shirt
waving
scaring the crows

raxin fir a simmit -
gean flourish
strinkilt wi snaw




reaching for a vest -
cherry blossom
sprinkled with snow

wesp -
sookin douceness
frae the gullie's bledd




wasp -
sucking sweetness
from the knife's blade

monday mornin -
the bodach coonts's bawbees
ootside the aff-licence




monday morning -
the old man counts his money
outside the off-licence

sidderwuid
runkilt atween fingers
...mindin




southernwood
crushed between fingers
...memories

wesps hae taen ower
the blue bonnets' nest-box
baudrons disnae ken




wasps have taken over
the tits' nest-box
cat doesn't know

gowk's day -
yin haffet scowdert
yin haffet davert




april 1st -
one cheek sunburnt
one cheek chilled

in the workie's skip,
amang the brock -
her baffies




in the builder's skip,
amongst the bricks and concrete -
her slippers

haudin by the jile
her fume
hings i the air




passing the prison
her perfume
drifts on the air

traivellin ower lang:
the snorlie treen
stert tae leuk unchancie




travelling too long:
the olive trees
begin to look threatening

frae the brig:
a deuk on ilka shouther
a troot sooms oot frae ma lug




from the bridge:
a duck on each shoulder
a trout swims out from my ear

oor luvin...
mellin wi the burdsang
at keek o day




our loving...
mixing
with the dawn chorus

turtles tummle'n sloosh
i the temple's dub -
monks gang by dourlie




turtles tumble and splash
in the temple's pond -
sombre monks pass by

hail watter
raindraps reboun
a new-biggit nest crines




monsoon rain
drops explode
a new-built nest shrinks

shifflin cairts:
the bodach
wi nae veesitors




shuffling cards:
the old man
with no visitors

bodachs
wi wee plastic pokes
sclimin hoaspital brae




little old men
with little plastic bags
climbing hospital hill

her cot fauldit
on the strand -
the souchin chingle




her coat folded
on the shore -
the sighing shingle

(for margaret)

he murlt ma haiku
agin the wa -
dreeps o ellipsis




he smashed my haiku
against the wall -
drips of ellipsis

(a bad review)

the lassie
screeds aff the guid wurds
her neb blinterin




the young girl
reads the bidding-prayer
her face flickering

deif tae'm nou
a lou ma guidwife's smile
at bleckie's chirmin




deaf to him now
I enjoy my wife's smile
at blackbird's singing

buddleia
taks's heid
bee rowes i the girse




buddleia
intoxicating
bee rolls in the grass

douce reek tae the goads
fleets intae the square
haps the mah-jong players




incense to the gods
drifts into the square
bathes the mah-jong players

snell wund frae the firth
the chinese lassie's
fiddle trummles




cold wind from the firth
the chinese girl's
erhu trembles

(erhu: two stringed violin-like)

doverin
suddentlie a dormoose
its dowie een




half-asleep
suddenly a dormouse
its sad eyes

wee fite herts
amangst the dug keech:
breer petals




small white hearts
amongst the dog turds:
dog-rose petals

september shours -
caurs splairge stobbie pop-airt
athort the plainstanes




september showers -
cars splash spiky pop-art
across the pavement

fisher kestin -
in brainches abuin's heid
attercap wyves lang threids




fisherman casting -
in branches above his head
spider spins long threads

fundin a stane tae kick
the cadger's laddie's
quat's graith




finding a stone to kick
the street-vendor's boy's
left his pole of goods

a scrieve fir her:
breist-screenin clinic -
I byde an byde...




a letter for her:
breast-screening clinic -
I wait and wait...

voar mornin
the daffins
thair gowden craigs




spring morning
the daffodills
their golden throats

on the causey
an auld mattrass
duntit bi luve an daith




on the pavement
an old mattress
dented by love and death

leaf snaggit
i the winnock
hauf-rods in tae the het




leaf caught
in the window
half-way in to the warm

the auld tarry-breeks
tentie o the kist slumpin
lippert claith smeethens




the old submariner
watches the coffin sink
rippled cloth smoothens

throuch the kintraside
trombones rairin
craws hunker on rouky brainches




through the countryside
trombones roaring
crows sit on misty branches

simmer veesitors gane
the pipie doodles awa
leaves fouin's case




summer visitors gone
the piper plays on
leaves filling his case

canaul's geelt lown
a crippilt laddie
an a swan govein




canal's frozen stillness
a handicapped boy
and a swan gazing

craw speldert -
pikeit tae the
barley perk's paling




crow spreadeagled -
barbed to the
barley field's fence

wunter sun -
the bairn wunners
at's sheddae




winter sun -
the child wonders
at his shadow

pittin up a wurd fir pace -
his
bauchelt shuin




prayers for peace -
his
down-at-heel shoes

dreeblin patients
are hurlt by
gowkin at a warl




drooling patients
trundle by in push-chairs
gazing at a world

in the tirl chyngein
frae derk tae licht
the deid lowrie's cot




in the breeze changing
from dark to light
the dead fox's coat

mercat day -
oot o sicht, the bodach
streetches a guttie




market day -
out of sight, the old man
stretches a catapult

november sheddaes
broon leaves
cleekit




november shadows
brown leaves
clutched

sheep siller glisters
in the brucken stanes
licht fous the mool




mica glitters
in the broken stones
light fills the grave

laicher an laicher
the daffins' heids
i the weet




lower and lower
the daffodils' heads
in the rain

denner tyme -
scuil-bairn luvers culyie,
pree wi mous fou o bridie




lunch time -
school-kid lovers fondle,
kiss with mouths full of pie

craw sowps
frae a howe i the taur:
hou bleck he is




crow drinks
from a hollow in the tar:
how black he is

in the daurk
the bed shaks -
her guid freen's wun awa




in the dark
the bed shakes -
her best friend has died

canaul thowin
deuks sit on islands o ice
a baw sits on a baw




canal thawing
ducks sit on islands of ice
a ball sits on a ball

gay luvers stravaigin
bi the watter's lip -
the wersh wund easin




gay lovers
walking by the water's edge -
the bitter wind easing

throuch duddie leaves
skein efter skein o geese
corse the lift




through tattered leaves
skein after skein of geese
cross the sky

ma neb refleckit -
smirkin in a photy
amang jazz leegends




my face refleckted -
smiling in a photograph
among jazz legends

hunkert thegither
oor nebs wabble
wi ilk tattie that faws




bent together
our faces wobble
with each potato that falls

(after seamus heaney)

gean flourish fleits
pish-the-beds
rin oot o tyme




cherry blossom drifts
dandelion clocks
run out of time

voar -
the sliddery furrs
bydein the seed




spring -
the slippery furrows
await the seed

guiser's neep-lantern -
a week gane
leukin dour




halloween lantern -
a week gone
looking glum

simmer eenin
atween treen, glaizie
columns o midgies




summer evening
between trees, glittering
columns of midges

wunnerin,
moch,
at yir jinky rods




wondering,
moth,
at your zigzaggy roads

a perk o puppies -
twa ootlins
stert tae collogue




a field of poppies -
two strangers
start to converse

no shair...
gaelic signpost -
sklentit at bi craws




unsure...
gaelic signpost -
watched by crows

the speengie's
bluid-reid heid
cowpt on the causey




the peony's
blood-red head
tilted on the sidewalk

(for chet baker)

brattle o clinks
in the tassie -
fite o's teeth




clatter of coins
in the tin -
white of his teeth

mither an dochter
settin aff bulbs -
the derk yirth




mother and daughter
planting bulbs -
the dark earth

leanin on the yett
bletherin tae mysel -
mappies' lugs cockt




leaning on the gate
talking to myself -
rabbits' ears pricked up

a veesit hame -
wundblawn thrisseldoun
amang's herr




a visit home -
windblown thistledown
among his hair

auld monk:his tasht tassie -
in the tuimness
oor fingers tig




old monk:his battered cup -
in the emptiness
our fingers touch

left as a myndin:
his mell -
finger-rittit haunle




left as a gift:
his carving mallet -
finger-grooved handle

hure
threips in chinese -
a straik ma lyart baird:
she lauchs



prostitute
solicits in chinese -
I stroke my grey beard:
she smiles

hern fushin -
makkin a bul's-ee
ilka time




heron fishing -
making a bull's-eye
every time

hairst -
in a quate stairheid
a butterie fauldit




autumn -
in a quiet stairway
a butterfly folded

Buddha
his gowd-leaf skin peelin
gleg i the wund




Buddha
his gold-leaf skin peeling
alive in the wind

aw elbucks an knees
puddock hysts himsel
oot frae the dub quately




all elbows and knees
frog winches himsel
out from the pond quietly

rimie nicht
on staney grun
a condom steamin




frosty night
on stony ground
a condom steaming

heidstanes wurn smeeth:
nems smoort -
bairns daff at hidie



gravestones worn smooth:
names obliterated -
children play hide-and-seek

veesitin oor:
nae betterment -
sned flooers deein




visiting hour:
no improvement -
cut flowers dying

divorcit faither
oot wi the bairns -
the hern taks kittlie staps




divorced father
out with the children -
the heron steps delicately

tattie-howkin -
the orra loon's
glaizie arc o pish




potato-picking -
the farm-hand's
glittering arc of piss

rimie nicht
depth o sterns
neist door's drouthy snochers




frosty night
depth of stars
next door's drunk snores

a merk on the wa
whaur ither ludgers
hae leent thair heids




a mark on the wall
where other lodgers
have leant their heads

reid mad mither
cleidit in a tooel -
sneeterin frae the wuids




furious mother
dressed only in a towel -
giggling from the woods

ilka shed o green
the-day
on the gean




every shade of green
today
on the cherry tree

flicht hindert
bairn greitin,faither
croons a hushie-b..a..a




flight delayed
child crying, father
sings a lullab..y..y..y

deein dou
flutherin dementit
some tak tent, ithers cannae




dying pigeon
fluttering crazily
some watch others can't

ootlins' freends' my ain
snawy fuitprints
mizzlin




strangers' friends' my own
snowy footprints
melting

throuch cluds
a leme progs
the puppie's heid fous wi licht




through clouds
a ray pierces
the poppy's head fills with light

weedower
gaein ower her scrievins -
bee eydent amang flooers




widower
reading her letters -
bee busy among flowers

monie leids
aw at yince turn:AH!
a perk o sunflooers




many languages
all at once become:AH!
a field of sunflowers

nearhaun Assisi
speuggies feedin
frae the haun




near Assisi
sparrows feeding
from the hand

een aff the rod -
twa whitrats
jiggin...birlin




eyes off the road -
two weasels
dancing...spinning

lug tae the wa
new born waggities
wheeplin




ear to the wall
new born wagtails
chirping

swallas jinkin
athort the winnock -
wirms still wammlin




swallows banking
across the window -
worms still wriggling

dry-stane dyke
dorbie fair prood -
cou scarts'r erse




dry-stone wall
mason so proud -
cow scratches her rump