zen speug
Sunday, December 31, 2006
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)
Friday, December 29, 2006
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
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
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
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
boxin day
buckets skailin:
craws' Yule
boxing day
dustbins overflowing:
crows' Christmas
Sunday, December 24, 2006
hinmaist day o advent
oot frae the haar
sumthin takkin shape
last day of advent
out from the freezing fog
something taking shape
Saturday, December 23, 2006
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
Friday, December 22, 2006
Yule
throuch scuddit brainches
blue bonnets blinter
Christmas
through naked branches
blue tits flicker
Thursday, December 21, 2006
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
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Yule bells -
myndin a deid fere
...hingin
Christmas bells -
remembering a dead friend
...hanging
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
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
Monday, December 18, 2006
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
Sunday, December 17, 2006
furst freest -
a bodach an's eildit dug
uphaud ilk ither
first frost -
an old man and his old dog
support each other
Saturday, December 16, 2006
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
Friday, December 15, 2006
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
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
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
Monday, December 11, 2006
throuch the hailstanes
hollin berries
lichtin a peth
through the hail
holly berries
lighting a path
Saturday, December 09, 2006
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
Friday, December 08, 2006
burnside clartit
ablow the damheid
craw taks a shour
riverside littered
below the weir
crow takes a shower
Thursday, December 07, 2006
December
meysies' peerie nebs
...yit
December
primroses' small faces
...still
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
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
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
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
Monday, December 04, 2006
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
Sunday, December 03, 2006
apenin the hingers
furst day
o advent
opening the curtains
first day
of advent
Saturday, December 02, 2006
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
Thursday, November 30, 2006
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
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
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
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
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
Monday, November 27, 2006
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
Sunday, November 26, 2006
fantoosh fitwark
bleckies dumpin
thair wey throuch leaves
fancy footwork
blackbirds kicking
their way through leaves
Friday, November 24, 2006
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
Thursday, November 23, 2006
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
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
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
Monday, November 20, 2006
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
Sunday, November 19, 2006
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
Saturday, November 18, 2006
on the pendle:
sheddae
o the hinmaist flourish
on the pendulum:
shadow
of the last blossom
Friday, November 17, 2006
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
Thursday, November 16, 2006
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
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
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
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
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
Monday, November 13, 2006
efter the blatter
fidgin i the gitter:
skeletal umberellae
after the storm
twitching in the gutter:
skeletal umbrella
Sunday, November 12, 2006
on the altar
o the hinmaist sipper
a vawse o puppies
on the altar
of the last supper
a vase of poppies
(remembrance Sunday)
Saturday, November 11, 2006
leaf-ens rax up
frae the weet peth
syne clap doon agen
leaf-ends struggle up
from the wet path
then fall back again
Friday, November 10, 2006
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
Thursday, November 09, 2006
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
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
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
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
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
Monday, November 06, 2006
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
Sunday, November 05, 2006
furst freest
anoraked bairns
wi nae hauns
first frost
anoraked children
with no hands
Friday, November 03, 2006
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
Friday, October 27, 2006
blinterin on the brae
the sheenin jaikets
o scuil bairns
flickering on the hill
the luminous vests
of school children
Thursday, October 26, 2006
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
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
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
Monday, October 23, 2006
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
Sunday, October 22, 2006
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
Saturday, October 21, 2006
alane, she scarts
her nem i the saun
...taks tent o't dwinin
alone, she scratches
her name in the sand
...watches it disappear
Friday, October 20, 2006
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
Thursday, October 19, 2006
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
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
ilka day
mair an mair licht
throuch the wuids
every day
more and more light
through the forest
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
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
Monday, October 16, 2006
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
Sunday, October 15, 2006
the drouthie
shakkin a fit
tae seelent meesick
the drunk
dancing
to silent music
Saturday, October 14, 2006
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?
Thursday, October 12, 2006
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
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
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
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
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...
Monday, October 09, 2006
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
Sunday, October 08, 2006
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
Thursday, October 05, 2006
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
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
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
Monday, October 02, 2006
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
Sunday, October 01, 2006
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
Saturday, September 30, 2006
hinny dreips
intae the tost's howes -
douce perks o Bulgaria
honey drips
into the toast's cavities -
sweet fields of Bulgaria
Friday, September 29, 2006
weengs streekit
scart stauns on a clint
neb tae the licht
cruciform on a rock
cormorant stands
face to the light
Thursday, September 28, 2006
the auld cuddie
stauns govein
intae the wund
the old horse
stands staring
into the wind
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
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
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
furst leaves fawin
a laddie stauns
pikein's neb
first leaves falling
a young boy stands
picking his nose
Monday, September 25, 2006
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
Sunday, September 24, 2006
on the fitbaw pitch
yin hauf sea-maws
yin hauf craws
on the football field
one half seagulls
one half crows
Saturday, September 23, 2006
hairst:
an umwhile bummer
chacks ilka fuchsia bell
autumn:
a late bee
checks each fuchsia bell
Thursday, September 21, 2006
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
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
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
Monday, September 18, 2006
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
Sunday, September 10, 2006
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
Saturday, September 09, 2006
hairst
on a lanesome roddin
a hinmaist breer
autumn
on a lonesome path
a last dog-rose
Friday, September 08, 2006
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
Thursday, September 07, 2006
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
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
hairst mornin -
stame sweils up
frae the gean
autumn morning -
steam rises
from the cherry tree
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
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
Monday, September 04, 2006
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
Sunday, September 03, 2006
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
Saturday, September 02, 2006
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
Friday, September 01, 2006
the-day
a rairin frae the
quate treen o simmer
today
a roaring from the
silent trees of summer
Thursday, August 31, 2006
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
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
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
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
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
Sunday, August 27, 2006
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
Saturday, August 26, 2006
hinmaist week o simmer
reid rab a'ready
joukin amang us
last week of summer
the robin already
dodging among us
Friday, August 25, 2006
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
Thursday, August 24, 2006
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
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
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
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
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
Saturday, August 19, 2006
hauf-tyme baund -
yin chiel sheds himsel
wi a cymbal
half-time band -
one musician shades
himself with a cymbal
Friday, August 18, 2006
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
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
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
Monday, August 14, 2006
twa maws
tentie o the towerist
birl syne shape thirsels
two gulls
aware of the tourist
pirouette and pose
Sunday, August 13, 2006
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
Saturday, August 12, 2006
stanes at the winnock -
ma laddie's smirk
ma nakitness
stones at the window -
my son's smile
my nakedness
Friday, August 11, 2006
airlie mornin
weet
...cuddies sheenin
early morning
rain
...horses shining
Thursday, August 10, 2006
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
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
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
Monday, August 07, 2006
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
Sunday, August 06, 2006
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
Friday, August 04, 2006
ma bricht sark -
the reid-admiral's
in a mistak
my bright shirt -
the red-admiral's
made a mistake
Thursday, August 03, 2006
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
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
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
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
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
Monday, July 31, 2006
boo'd intae the wund:
pilgrimers
himes
bent into the wind:
pilgrims
hymns
Sunday, July 30, 2006
sica quate muir
twa deuks squaik:
smitches yondermaist
such a silent moor
two ducks squawk:
dots on the horizon
Saturday, July 29, 2006
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
Friday, July 28, 2006
nuin het
three tikes ligg
daffin i thair drames
noon heat
three dogs lie
chasing their dreams
Thursday, July 27, 2006
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)
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
on the gean
a saicont flourishin -
bindweed tooters
on the cherry tree
a second blossoming -
bindweed trumpets
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
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
Saturday, July 22, 2006
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
Friday, July 21, 2006
simmer sabbath
deuks tissle wi bairns
fir room i the funtain
summer sunday
ducks vie with children
for space in the fountain
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
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
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
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
Monday, July 17, 2006
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
Sunday, July 16, 2006
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
Saturday, July 15, 2006
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
Friday, July 14, 2006
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
Thursday, July 13, 2006
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
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
sauchs shawin
thair siller side
cailleachs haudin thair bunnets
willows showing
their silver side
old ladies holding their hats
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
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
Monday, July 10, 2006
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
Saturday, July 08, 2006
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
Friday, July 07, 2006
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
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
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
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
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
Monday, July 03, 2006
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
Sunday, July 02, 2006
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
Saturday, July 01, 2006
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
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
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
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
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
Monday, June 26, 2006
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
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
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
Monday, June 19, 2006
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
Saturday, June 17, 2006
gowk's day -
yin haffet scowdert
yin haffet davert
april 1st -
one cheek sunburnt
one cheek chilled
Friday, June 16, 2006
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
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
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
Monday, June 12, 2006
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)
Sunday, June 11, 2006
the lassie
screeds aff the guid wurds
her neb blinterin
the young girl
reads the bidding-prayer
her face flickering
Saturday, June 10, 2006
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