zen speug
Monday, December 31, 2007
reddin
her pillae -
a fou muin
plumping
her pillow -
a full moon
a hinmaist photy -
her murtherer
preein'r chaft
a last photograph -
her murderer
kissing her cheek
Thursday, December 27, 2007
clappit
agin the bairn's heid:
the mither's chaft
concave
against the baby's head:
the mother's cheek
his guidwife gane
the bodach
funds a seep in's pig
his wife gone
the old man finds a leak
in his hot-water bottle
lang intae the nicht
a dinsome ceilidh -
wund throuch the causeys
long into the night
a riotous party -
wind through the streets
Monday, December 24, 2007
bi the causey
a dead mappie -
stieve in'ts hinmaist lowp
by the roadside
a dead rabbit -
stiff in its last leap
Sunday, December 23, 2007
the peerie moose -
scartin scartin
a thirl i ma sloom
the little mouse -
scratching scratching
a hole in my sleep
Saturday, December 22, 2007
kirk doors
wide tae the wa -
a pickle leaves
church doors
flung wide -
a few leaves
Friday, December 21, 2007
Yule hoalidays -
the dominie
weirs antlers
Christmas holidays -
the teacher
wears antlers
ilka mornin
Reid Rab -
the hovein sin on's breist
every morning
a robin -
the rising sun on his breast
Thursday, December 20, 2007
the makar's but an ben
tint in yowden-drift -
a threid o reek
the poet's cottage
lost in drifting snow -
a thread of smoke
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
rimie haar -
the wabster's daikert
the gean tree
frosty mist -
the spider's decorated
the cherry tree
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
brennin leaves -
reek hoves
claps tae the brainches
burning leaves -
smoke rises
clings to the branches
Friday, December 14, 2007
Yule lichts daizzlin -
deep i the gangrel's kep
dowie broon placks
Christmas lights dazzling -
deep in the beggar's cap
dull brown pennies
Thursday, December 13, 2007
the thrissel leaf:
its ain glisterin
eeshogels
the thistle leaf:
its own glittering
icicles
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
the rooster's skirl
snecks throuch the mornin's freist -
het eggs amang the strae
the cockrel's cry
cuts through the morning's frost -
warm eggs amongst the straw
Saturday, December 08, 2007
loass o a freen -
a brucken brainch
fleits awa doonstream
loss of a friend -
a broken branch
floats away downstream
Friday, December 07, 2007
muinlit:
a shilpit bawdrons
his bunt waffin in space
moonlit:
a skinny cat
his tail waving in space
her wechty pokes faw
she faws -
snaw moutens on her govein een
her heavy bags fall
she falls -
snow melts on her staring eyes
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
wund i the lum -
brucken airticles
stour alang the causey
wind in the chimney -
broken things
race along the street
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
agin the derk lift
reid-lit brainches
...vascular
against the dark sky
red-lit branches
...vascular
Monday, December 03, 2007
dubs reiddenin -
anither day
ens
puddles reddening -
another day
ends
advent caunles
blinterin -
the wund's lang raik
advent candles
flickering -
the wind's long journey
Friday, November 30, 2007
fou muin -
honesty dirls
i the tirl
full moon -
honesty rattles
in the breeze
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
the day -
new roses
the colour o snaw
today -
new roses
the colour of snow
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
it sterts tae snaw -
the blin musicianer
leuks upwarts
it starts to snow -
the blind musician
looks upwards
Monday, November 26, 2007
wund chirts
atween heidstanes -
throuch the leaves:Kaddish
wind squeezes
between headstones -
through the leaves:Kaddish
(old Jewish cemetery:Prague)
snell -
the tooter crunkles
the clarinettist
blaws on's fingers
cold -
the cornet crackles
the clarinettist
blows on his fingers
pawtin the deepth
o the Hebrew scrieve:
shivers i the dorbie's baird
fingering the depth
of the Hebrew script:
chips in the stone-mason's beard
a snell wund -
the bodach hunkers
his box souchin
a bitter wind -
the old man sits
his accordion wheezing
Monday, November 19, 2007
a neon watergaw
skimmers on her sheeny buits -
doontoon leddy
a neon rainbow
glitters on her shiny boots -
downtown lady
hungower -
a'where he leuks
reid berries
hungover -
everywhere he looks
red berries
Friday, November 16, 2007
skirls
frae a far awa playgrun -
ma auld scuil hauf-caw'd doon
screams
from a faraway playground -
my old school half-demolished
Thursday, November 15, 2007
the auld makar
hame frae the burnside -
breidnirls aye in's pooch
the old poet
home from the riverside -
breadcrumbs still in his pocket
mornin licht
muves athort the herth -
stour steerin
morning light
moves across the hearth -
dust stirring
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
toon causey -
abodie tint i the haar
o thair ain braith
city street -
everybody lost in the fog
of their own breath
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
her cauld neb
whan a preed'r -
furst day o 'Wunter Haiku'
her cold nose
when I kissed her -
first day of 'Winter Haiku'
Monday, November 12, 2007
maple tree nakit -
its huil
o skimmerin licht
maple tree naked -
its skin
of glittering light
auld dug
steek in's mou -
wushin he'd rin fir't
old dog
stick in his mouth -
wishing he had ran for it
Friday, November 09, 2007
unner the brig
a yaised condom -
ettlin tae heave i the tirl
under the bridge
a used condom -
trying to rise in the breeze
fite mait dreepin
frae craw's neb -
a hinmaist aipple
white flesh dripping
from crow's beak -
a last apple
at ma door
leaves in a bing
...chitterin
at my door
leaves in a pile
...shivering
Thursday, November 08, 2007
the colour
gane frae'r gairden -
wunter licht lemes on her hauns
the colour
gone from her garden -
winter light gleams on her hands
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
scuil playgrun -
leaves flichterin efter bairns
flichterin efter leaves
school playground -
leaves chasing children
chasing leaves
Sunday, November 04, 2007
the-day
the birk -
fou o auld nests
today
the birch tree -
full of old nests
Saturday, November 03, 2007
licht throuch the treen -
monks'
orange cloots
light through the trees -
monks'
orange robes
the jakie -
his sheddae on the wa
amangst the graffiti
the wino -
his shadow on the wall
amongst the graffiti
Thursday, November 01, 2007
aw saunts' day -
ten rodden berries
fir a rosary
all saints' day -
ten rowan berries
for a rosary
her reid pownie-tail
slaikit bi the wund -
leddie firefechter
her red pony-tail
licked by the wind -
lady firefighter
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
hallae e'en
pilkin beetroot:
bluid-colourt hauns
halloween
peeling beetroot:
blood-coloured hands
aipple-tree brainches
mair nakit -
aipples growein reidder
apple-tree branches
more naked -
apples growing redder
hairst mornin -
maple leaves
on a gean tree
autumn morning -
maple leaves
on a cherry tree
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
ruggin the hingers
reid rab settin on the stroop -
furst Yule caird
drawing the curtains
a robin sits on the pump -
first Christmas card
Monday, October 29, 2007
the hail orchard
shakkin -
skwurrels a'where
the whole orchard
shaking -
sqirrels everywhere
the pail muives aff -
a bleckie yitters
on the tuim burd-table
the hearse moves off -
a blackbird chatters
on the empty bird-table
Sunday, October 28, 2007
mids the burdsang
craw twangs sumthin's intimmers
oot frae the taur
amidst the birdsong
crow twangs something's intestines
out from the tar
Saturday, October 27, 2007
amang the leaves
a fedder -
dichtit smeeth bi arctic wunds
among the leaves
a feather -
brushed smooth by arctic winds
beekin thair hauns
at the bleeze
...reid maple leaves spreid
warming their hands
at the bonfire
...red maple leaves spread
Friday, October 26, 2007
the bodach
hauds oot the wanits -
runkilt broon hauns
the old man
holds out the walnuts -
wrinkled brown hands
fitba pitch merkit oot:
stents o the gemme -
owerheid a bomber souchs
football field marked out:
grids of the game -
overhead a bomber drones
toon sirens skirl -
a fou muin agane
...ayewis smirkin
city sirens scream -
a full moon again
...always smiling
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
sauch leaves fawin -
oor lest
fareweels
willow leaves falling -
our last
farewells
(for padres Ron and E.J. of chicago)
coortin kipple
a coffee atween thaim -
stame heavin
young lovers
a coffee between them -
steam rising
Monday, October 22, 2007
throuch the nicht
the wund -
leaves scartin the causey
through the night
the wind -
leaves scratching the sidewalk
Sunday, October 21, 2007
leaves tummlin
the aipples byde
...reid-chaftit bairns fuffin
leaves falling
the apples remain
...red-cheeked children puffing
on a stob
a craw tentie -
fite burds abuin the kirk
on a post
a crow watching -
white birds above the church
afore licht
afore burdsang -
the monastery bell
before light
before birdsong -
the monastery bell
Friday, October 19, 2007
the maisic
o cuit-deep leaves -
a fou muin keeks oot
the music
of ankle-deep leaves -
a full moon peeps out
Thursday, October 18, 2007
cocktail pairty -
a peerie moch wyvein
wearyin ilka ane
cocktail party -
a tiny moth weaving
annoying everyone
in the sin
streekin a gentie spyog -
the monastery bawdrons
in the sun
stretching an elegant leg -
the monastery cat
the Angelus bell -
twa butteries jine us
...syne a bummer
the Angelus bell -
two butterflies join us
...and then a bee
mornin incaains -
the cushats' cheetlin
throuch the cloisters
morning prayers -
the wood-pigeons' warbling
through the cloisters
freesty mornin -
oot frae a jaur
the rizzard lavender's blae braith
frosty morning -
out from a jar
the dried lavender's blue breath
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
a flee slawly
corses the lozen -
we skair its hinmaist day
a fly slowly
crosses the pane -
we share its last day
the bodach
heelds on's besom -
yin hinmaist leaf tae faw
the old man
leans on his brush -
one last leaf to fall
(for Tom)
a faw'n petal
weet dings on't -
its reidness
a fallen petal
rain beats on it -
its redness
Monday, October 08, 2007
aneath the nicht's
bricht constellations -
snail's siller fuit-prents
beneath the night's
bright constellations -
snail's silver foot-prints
his shuin
left oot aw nicht -
fou o leaves
his shoes
left out all night -
full of leaves
Friday, October 05, 2007
anither yirdin -
sin blinters on the spaiks
o a birlin trinnle
another funeral -
sun glitters on the spokes
of a turning wheel
Thursday, October 04, 2007
abuin the burn
maws skirlin -
nae breid the day anely leaves
above the stream
gulls screaming -
no bread today only leaves
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
the hern gants
its neb chizorin the err -
leaves faw aroon'm
the heron yawns
its beak scissoring the air -
leaves fall around him
Sunday, September 30, 2007
kirstenin -
the bairn an the watter
groozlin thegither
christening -
the baby and the water
gurgling together
catchit i the pent
a peerie flee - its weeng
glentin i the licht
caught in the paint
a tiny fly - its wing
flashing in the light
Saturday, September 29, 2007
tuim playgrun -
leaves rowin ower
the peever beds
empty playground -
leaves rolling over
the hopscotch beds
the maggie haps
frae brainch tae brainch -
the bodachs daffin at chess
the magpie hops
from branch to branch -
the old men playing chess
Thursday, September 27, 2007
in the bucket
amang the yill bottles -
a hairst muin
in the dustbin
among the beer bottles -
a harvest moon
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
frae door tae door -
the postie
the craw
from door to door -
the postman
the crow
(for my grandmother who thought a bird at the window
was a harbinger of bad news)
snell mornin
the bairns' reid nebs -
hollin-berries tae
cold morning
the childrens' red faces -
holly-berries too
leaves
the colour o deuks' nebs -
amang the deuks' nebs
leaves
the colour of ducks' bills -
among the ducks' bills
Monday, September 24, 2007
his wab
spreids athort the winnock -
blinterin colours
his web
spreads across the window -
flickering colours
a hinmaist leam o sin -
a wesp beeks's feet
on the letterbox
a last ray of sun -
a wasp warms his feet
on the letterbox
screedin aff
the poor's-hoose makar -
a bog corses the page
reading aloud
the skid row poet -
a bug crosses the page
(for Buk)
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
in the yin sinny cheer -
tentie o the oam's
cheengin pattrens
in the one sunny chair -
watching the condensation's
changing patterns
untouchit brummles
glister -
naebodie cums
untouched brambles
glitter -
no one comes
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
keek o day -
the postie's reid bag
boabbin
sunrise -
the postman's red bag
bobbing
Monday, September 17, 2007
hail-water -
snail in's glore
steeks oot's chist
torrential rain -
snail in his element
sticks out his chest
the drouthie's gairden -
twa reid aipples gove
at the bleck-ee'd susan
the drunkard's garden -
two red apples stare
at the black-eyed susan
on her hunkers
settin oot neist year's bulbs -
the cailleach
on her knees
planting next year's bulbs -
the old lady
Friday, September 14, 2007
a hinmaist koi yirdit -
anely sheddaes nou
in the dub
a last koi buried -
only shadows now
in the pond
hairst wund -
a lang wab-threid
pits oot fause news
autumn wind -
a long web-thread
sends false messages
Thursday, September 13, 2007
biggin a shrine
Reid Rab tentie -
the verra dab...sum reid!
building a shrine
a robin watches -
just what's needed...some red!
hairst jeel
a lane cran snokes -
no sae monie jinks an jouks
autumn chill
a lone swift hunts -
not so many twists and turns
Monday, September 10, 2007
tree's sheddae
hings on the cunyie -
growein shilpit
tree's shadow
leans on the corner -
growing thin
Sunday, September 09, 2007
5 am. glowers
throuch the knock's gless -
maws skirlin
5 am. stares
through the clock's glass -
gulls screaming
Friday, September 07, 2007
in a dub o licht
leaves slawly lair -
mennens tak tent
in a pool of light
leaves slowly submerge -
minnows watch
Thursday, September 06, 2007
leaves hauf-green
hauf-yalla -
a'whaur hairst's flag
leaves half-green
half-yellow -
everywhere autumn's flag
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
furst hairst wunds -
the gairden
chitters an shaks
first autumn winds -
the garden
shivers and shakes
the cailleach
joukin an jinkin -
conkers fawin
the old lady
ducking and dodging -
chestnuts falling
grown-up gairden
lavender progs throuch the palin -
wints slaikin
overgrown garden
lavender pokes through the fence -
wants caressing
yin lowe
i the gairden bouet's gless:
Rose o Sharon
one flame
in the garden lantern's glass:
Rose Of Sharon
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
jazz clarinet -
a bleck butterie
daunces roon the wireless
jazz clarinet -
a black butterfly
dances round the radio
Monday, September 03, 2007
wuidcarver's shoppie
waffin o pine
...his gurlie hauns
woodcarver's shop
smelling of pine
...his gnarled hands
drapt rosary
snaggit on a breer -
a drap o bluid
dropped rosary
caught on a thorn -
a drop of blood
Sunday, September 02, 2007
twa flees on her airm
ill-daein -
mornin glories apen- mou'd
two flies on her arm
being naughty -
morning glories open-mouthed
yin scuip o ice-cream -
in the siller spuin
licht o a hairst muin
one scoop of ice-cream -
in the silver spoon
light of a harvest moon
lik the aipples
reid chaftit:
ower muckle wine
like the apples
red cheeked:
too much wine
drumlie
muin-leukin hindert -
mak dae wi schnapps
cloudy
moon-viewing cancelled -
make do with schnapps
fleitin
athort a fou muin -
the deid koi
floating
across a full moon -
the dead koi
flee cannae heave up
frae the flair -
skailt brandy
fly can't rise up
from the floor -
spilt brandy
a backgrun
o blues -
cluds improvisin
a background
of blues -
clouds improvising
Friday, August 24, 2007
in the gairden -
Buddha smirkin
cum weet cum sin
in the garden -
Buddha smiling
come rain come sun
Thursday, August 23, 2007
japanese gairden -
ma sheddae switters
ower the chingle
japanese garden -
my shadow ripples
over the shingle
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
the auld 'boglie hoose' -
maw's sheddae
a derk corse
the old 'haunted house' -
gull's shadow
a dark cross
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
the hail brae set aff -
a heel-merk
aside ilka saplin
the whole hillside planted -
a heel-mark
beside each sapling
faimlie ceilidh -
granfaither aye
a hauf-souch laicher
family sing-song -
grandfather always
a half-tone lower
Monday, August 20, 2007
on the peth
a pickle leaves -
fuspers o hairst
on the path
a few leaves -
whispers of autumn
Saturday, August 18, 2007
peerie moch
bouk o a spark
duntin throuch the weet
tiny moth
size of a raindrop
bumping through the rain
Friday, August 17, 2007
deuks:
tapsalteerie, reengin
cluds at thair feet
ducks:
upsidedown, searching
clouds at their feet
scuil's back:
causey
o peerie dramas
school's back:
street
of tiny dramas
Thursday, August 16, 2007
bi the heidstane
a wund-chime -
the anely vice as we quat
by the headstone
a wind-chime -
the only voice as we leave
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
fite roses
govein heivenwarts
glowe i the licht
white roses
gazing heavenwards
glow in the light
(feast of the assumption)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
kettle's
box maisic -
pirls on the watter
picnic's
accordion music -
ripples on the water
in her gairden
the cailleach dovers -
the sinflooer's heid stints
in her garden
the old lady dozes -
the sunflower's head droops
Monday, August 13, 2007
thrisseldoon stack
tae the speuggie's neb -
seems tae lou his baird
thistledown stuck
to the sparrow's beak -
seems to enjoy his beard
on the lown watter -
gowsts o wund
apenin fans o pirls
on the still water -
gusts of wind
opening fans of ripples
skreich o day -
licht muives athort
the boo o the aipple
dawn -
light moves across
the curve of the apple
Saturday, August 11, 2007
fou muin
follaes me hame - fite bawdrons
curlt on ma doorstane
full moon
follows me home -
white cat curled on my doorstep
Friday, August 10, 2007
'anither sodger deid' -
they blaw cuil tirls
athort thair tae-cups
'another soldier dead' -
they blow cool breezes
across their tea-cups
bubblie on a peth -
sauch brainches
scuff her shouthers
tearful on a path -
willow branches
touch her shoulders
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
on a lanely peth
a bummer bizzes
...reasseerinly
on a lonely path
a bee buzzes
...reassuringly
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
sin throuch the leaves -
gies granny a tattoo
an aw
sun through the leaves -
gives grandmother
a tattoo also
Monday, August 06, 2007
frae the brig
tentie o the frog corssin
...the hern bidein
from the bridge
watching the frog crossing
...the heron waiting
bairn's neb at the winnock -
mornin glories
fouin wi weet
child's face at the window -
morning glories
filling with rain
Sunday, August 05, 2007
weet spae -
snail strunts
oot fir the day
wet forecast -
snail swaggers
out for the day
Saturday, August 04, 2007
pishin i the camp shunkie
attercap rins...
keeks...rins
peeing in the camp latrine
spider runs...
watches...runs
wund throuch
the new palin-reens -
anither vice i the gairden
wind through
the new fence-slats -
another voice in the garden
Thursday, August 02, 2007
pattrens o licht
fleitin throuch the treen -
plash o an aipple fawin
patterns of light
floating through the trees -
splash of an apple falling
furst brummles
bricht een
gove at me frae the buss
first brambles
bright eyes
gaze at me from the bush
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
fir a spleet saicont -
maw an butterie
on the samen loopin peth
for a split second -
gull and butterfly
on the same winding path
sae drearifu -
wesps deein
in a dub o hinny
so sad -
wasps dying
in a puddle of honey
in the yin licht -
her apen ha-bible
his tuim yill bottle
in the one light -
her open bible
his empty beer bottle
Saturday, July 28, 2007
maws heave up
intae the licht
lavein thair sheddaes
gulls lift off
into the light
leaving their shadows
Friday, July 27, 2007
licht blinters
on a far awa burn -
deuk landin
light flickers
on a distant stream -
duck landing
sin throuch the brainches -
calligraphy:
tree on watter
sun through the branches -
calligraphy:
tree on water
Thursday, July 26, 2007
twa 'road-ragers'
gang gyte -
the caird dovers awa
two 'road-ragers'
rage -
the tramp sleeps on
foondert on the causey
she goves up at nebs -
sirens yowlin
collapsed on the street
she stares up at faces -
sirens wailing
juist whan the buss
leuks duin - a yalla rose
apens i the sin
just when the bush
looks finished - a yellow rose
opens in the sun
athort the leaves
a twa-heidit sheddae -
skwurrel reivin the orchard
across the leaves
a two-headed shadow -
squirrel raiding the orchard
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
the jimpest blue bonnet -
bawdrons' een glent
...green
the daintiest blue tit -
cat's eys flash
...green
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
threids on ma neb -
reengin fir'm
a'm snaggit in's wab
threads on my face -
searching for him
I'm caught in his web
faw'n petal -
brichtens
a dreich deuk
fallen petal -
brightens
a dull duck
Monday, July 23, 2007
on a brainch
narrest the sin
an aipple sterts tae reidden
on a branch
nearest the sun
an apple starts to redden
Sunday, July 22, 2007
the day brichtens
a sinflooer keeks oot
frae ahint a hollyhock
the day brightens
a sunflower peeps out
from behind a hollyhock
Saturday, July 21, 2007
lown chattert -
a snail unnerfuit
i the lang girse
silence shattered -
a snail underfoot
in the long grass
Thursday, July 19, 2007
crematorium
bonnie reid roses
...lowes slaikin
crematorium
beautiful red roses
...flames licking
heich thrissels -
throuch the leaves
cloots o blae lift
tall thistles -
through the leaves
rags of blue sky
on the peth
a bricht reid berry -
brocht here
on the path
a bright red berry -
brought here
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
a leaf
fawin dowlessly - scuffin
the ithers short an lang
a leaf
falling helplessly -
touching the others briefly
festival toon -
he sweers at the motorist,
an waffs's baguette
festival city -
he curses the motorist,
and waves his baguette
scartit
on the cell door:
a jibbet...a boatie
scratched
on the cell door:
a scaffold...a ship
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
agin the fite cluds -
a swalla
anchorin ma thochts
against the white clouds -
a swallow
anchoring my thoughts
(after Ian Hamilton findlay: concrete poet)
unner the brig
a brucken bottle
spreedin the licht
under the bridge
a broken bottle
spreading the light
a brek i the cluds -
a rousty bike
wabbles i the burn
a break in the clouds -
a rusty bicycle
wobbles in the stream
(Mainichi Daily News)
oot frae the sheddaes
a sheddae raxes
...craw
out from the shadows
a shadow stretches
...crow
Sunday, July 15, 2007
doon the rod
echt-wheelers thunnerin -
a leddy launners daunerin
down the highway
eight-wheelers thundering -
a ladybird walking
Friday, July 13, 2007
dugs stour
throuch the sned girse -
a green haar
dogs race
through the cut grass -
a green mist
Thursday, July 12, 2007
rivin's wheel-chair -
a peth throuch
breers an snorlie ruits
forcing his wheel-chair -
a path through
thorns and twisted roots
ahint steekit hingers -
the new weedower
blethers tae's guidwife
behind closed curtains -
the new widower
talks to his wife
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
bi the jile wa -
brummle breers
skailin bluid
by the prison wall -
bramble thorns
spilling blood
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
efter incaains
geeglin frae the sheddaes -
nuns on retreat
after prayers
giggling from the shadows -
nuns on retreat
bi the embassy
a chiel murmellin -
sheddae-baurs athort's neb
by the embassy
a protestor -
shadow-bars across his face
on toon lums
maws hunkerin -
thair sangs o the sey
on city chimneys
gulls sitting -
their songs of the sea
Monday, July 09, 2007
ootby the monastery -
the preachin
o the auncient aik
outside the monastery -
the sermon
of the ancient oak
Sunday, July 08, 2007
'jazz on a summer's day' -
a skep fou o flooers
fou o bummers
'jazz on a summer's day' -
a basket full of flowers
full of bees
oot frae a lift
o bleck an fite cluds -
craws an maws
out from a sky
of black and white clouds -
crows and gulls
Saturday, July 07, 2007
thrissel's purpie toorie -
bummer's wecht
cowps it croosly
thistle's purple bonnet -
bee's weight
tips it jauntily
scuil hoalidays -
in the playgrun
the widden dug's weet een
school holidays -
in the playground
the wooden dog's wet eyes
taigilt in refleckshuns
the pheelosopher
goves intae the dub
tangled in reflections
the philosopher
gazes into the pond
Friday, July 06, 2007
deuk scarts'r heid
wi an orange fuit -
easement on sic a gray day
duck scratches her head
with an orange foot -
relief on such a grey day
Thursday, July 05, 2007
fleedin quallt -
a clint heaves frae the burn
dichtit claen
flooding abated -
a rock rises from the stream
washed clean
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
smoorichin the het stane -
a lane rose
deein o drouth
hugging the hot stone -
a lone rose
dying of thirst
threy speuggies scash
on a roobrub blade -
druckenly
three sparrows squabble
on a rhubarb leaf -
drunkenly
'anither deid sodger' -
the brawest thrisseldoon
panders awa
'another dead soldier' -
the finest thistledown
drifts away
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
inveesabil midgies -
waggitie's
mid-err ballet
invisible midges -
wagtail's
mid-air ballet
bawdrons gittin auld -
ilka day his bell
narer the plainstanes
cat getting old -
every day his bell
nearer the pavement
the breer's fume
sneddin throuch
the diesel reek
the wild-rose's fragrance
cutting through
the diesel fumes
Monday, July 02, 2007
day daws
derkness sperfles -
leain the craws ahint
day dawns
darkness disperses -
leaving the crows behind
twa bleck dugs rin an daff -
thair reid tungs
thair fite banes
two black dogs run and play -
their red tongues
their white bones
simmer mornin -
tae glisk sic blitheness
wammlin throuch a cuddy
summer morning -
to see such joy
wriggling through a horse
Friday, June 29, 2007
autistic laddie
faw'n ower
cartoons jiggin on's neb
autistic boy
fallen asleep
cartoons dancing on his face
sin braks throuch -
a steel caber
boos i the burn
sun breaks through -
a steel beam
bends in the stream
Thursday, June 28, 2007
haggit wuid -
a singul burd
dairtin throuch the quate
felled forest -
a single bird
darting through the silence
treen owerhing -
the burn chynges
frae bibblin licht tae grumlie
trees overhang -
the stream changes
from bubbling light to gloomy
bairns skelloch
airms i the err -
playgrun fou o bibbles
children scream
arms in the air -
playground full of bubbles
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
cluds
passin ower
fou o dubs
clouds
passing over
full of puddles
Monday, June 25, 2007
saumon fir tae -
ma fingers
jowelt
salmon for tea -
my fingers
jewelled
weet fir days -
in the syver
pran o yestreen's speirins
rain for days -
in the gutter
pulp of yesterday's news
Sunday, June 24, 2007
furst communicants'
blinterin croons -
leaf-pynts hingit wi sparks
first communicants'
glittering diadems -
leaf-tips hung with raindrops
hauf-fou halflins
sclimin the sterr -
paidlin squaiks intae'r drame
tiddly teenagers
climbing the stairs -
pressing squeaks into her dream
Friday, June 22, 2007
doverin -
Yamaguchi's haiku
heavin an fawin
dozing -
Yamaguchi's haiku
rising and falling
ranter -
muckle-boukit in a dub
aneath the wildfire
reveller -
pregnant in a puddle
beneath the lightning
...doon the burn
a singul rose petal
wyves atween the deuks
...down the stream
a single rose petal
weaves between the ducks
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
a blink
frae the puppie -
a bummer in'ts ee
a wink
from the poppy -
a bumblebee in its eye
athort the new rin-in
bawdrons' fitprents -
sall ootlast us baith
across the new driveway
cat's footprints -
shall outlast us both
raxin fir a clud
the bairn tottles -
sits i the dub smirkin
reaching for a cloud
the toddler topples -
sits in the puddle smiling
Monday, June 18, 2007
weet stertin
attercap rinnin
atween the draps
rain starting
spider running
between the drops
Saturday, June 16, 2007
a splatch
o wull roobrub
diddlin i the weet
a patch
of wild rhubarb
singing in the rain
weet - tirrin
the gean's petals
yin bi yin
rain - stripping
the rose's petals
one by one
craw
wi's muckle neb
sowps a singul spark
crow
with his huge beak
sips a single raindrop
Friday, June 15, 2007
hern, stane-still -
wund suddentlik
pooks a fedder frae's weeng
heron, stone-still -
wind suddenly
plucks a feather from his wing
govein doon on hern -
govein doon
intae the watter
gazing down on heron -
gazing down
into the watter
Thursday, June 14, 2007
a breer -
nettles heeld forrit
gairdin it
a wild rose -
nettles lean forward
gaurding it
blowster -
wabs bairdie
wi thrisseldoon
gales -
webs bearded
with thistledown
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
the fisher
kestin's piece-box
catchit a burd
the fisherman
casting his sandwich-box
caught a bird
frae'r daith-bed
she seis the brummle's flourish
gie wey tae the fruit
from her death-bed
she sees the bramble's blossom
give way to the fruit
a mornin
o dubs:
rhymin awthing
a morning
of puddles:
repeating everything
the convent gairden's
gnomes hae pawkie smirks -
yin plays the box
the convent garden's
gnomes have roguish smiles -
one plays the accordian
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
clematis
raxin apen -
nae bummers the day
clematis
straining open -
no bees today
deuklins on the towe-peth -
amangst the yella gowans
bawdrons' een
ducklings on the tow-path -
amongst the buttercups
cat's eyes
Monday, June 11, 2007
sainit wi haly ile
a prees ma broo
agin ma guidwife's
blest with holy oil
I press my forehead
against my wife's
twa bleckies on a stug
centuries-auld sangs
in thair nebs
two blackbirds on a stump
centuries-old songs
in their beaks
butterie
foryettin,myndin,
foryettin...the wey
butterfly
forgetting,remembering,
forgetting...the way
ootby the howf
youthie speuggies
in a stramash
outside the pub
young sparrows
disturbing the peace
Saturday, June 09, 2007
ootby the vennel
a puil o bluid -
fuchsias owerhingin
outside the alley
a pool of blood -
fuchsias overhanging
michaelmas gowans
gove athort the causey
tae the kirk ferr
michaelmas daisies
gaze across the street
to the church fair
aw day
sneddin treen -
a bog on ma pillae
all day
pruning trees -
a bug on my pillow
Friday, June 08, 2007
reid puppies
heeld thegither
...derk een
red poppies
lean together
...dark eyes
roukie mornin -
sheddae burds unnerwatter
sheddae burds i the err
misty morning -
shadow birds underwater
shadow birds in the air
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
atween the bodach
an the speuggie:
brukken breid
between the old man
and the sparrow:
broken bread
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
a furst burd veesits -
the peerie aipple tree
boos
a first bird visits -
the tiny apple tree
bows
the cailleach's roses
heeld oot
intae the ceetie
the old lady's roses
lean out
into the city
Monday, June 04, 2007
pheelosopher:
bleart refleckshun
in's fuskie
philosopher:
bleary reflection
in his whisky
roses hing frae the wa
...nebs o the
orphantage bairns
roses hang from the wall
...faces of the
orphanage children
Sunday, June 03, 2007
bummer slidderin oot
frae the lady's thummles -
its wark duin
bee slipping out
from the foxglove's bell -
its work done
Saturday, June 02, 2007
the deein sinflooer
goves
intae the bicker
the dying sunflower
stares
into the teacup
in the sin
a craw hunkers
in a dub o bleck fedders
in the sun
a crow sits
in a puddle of black feathers
leaf fleitin slawer
nor the rist o the burn -
the makar in't
leaf floating slower
than the rest of the stream -
the poet in it
a hinmaist
pish-the-bed
taisilt bi the tirl
a last
dandelion-clock
teased by the breeze
abuin the burn
mudges - ower fest
tae lave a sheddae
above the stream
midges - too fast
to leave a shadow
seturday mornin fitbaw -
anither baw
fleits doon the watter
saturday morning football -
another ball
floats downstream
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
twa swans
thair nest tuim
soom anent the deuklins
two swans
their nest empty
swim alongside the ducklings
in the scrappie's yaird
a'whaur
bonnie growthe
in the breaker's yard
everywhere
beautiful weeds
craw an maw -
scashin ower
the hinmaist lum can
crow and gull -
squabbling over
the last chimney pot
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
soon
o the chingle strand's
souchin
sound
of the shingle shore's
breathing
in the barber's
a jaur o smeeth stanes -
flair kivvert wi herr
in the barber-shop
a jar of smooth stones -
floor covered with hair
the foggies
tissle tae skair
a peerie umberellae
the old couple
struggle to share
a tiny umbrella
simmer -
ilka leaf thristin
oot intae space
summer -
each leaf thrusting
out into space
bleezin azalea -
priest in's
pentacostal simmit
fiery azalea -
priest in his
pentacostal vestments
Sunday, May 27, 2007
airport shunkie
unalikenesses mouten
pishin in a raw
airport toilet
differences dissolve
peeing in a line
Saturday, May 26, 2007
a deuk sooms by -
hankilt boats
heave an faw
a duck swims by -
tied up boats
rise and fall
bleckie's chirmin
fous the air -
e'en craw taks tent
blackbird's singing
fills the air -
even crow listens
Friday, May 25, 2007
waff o wull lickerie -
the bairn in me
wints sweeties
smell of wild liquorice -
the child in me
wants sweets
fawin intae the scug
o the speengie rose -
the speengie's petals
falling into the shade
of the peony -
the peony's petals
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
hern swallaes
the wammlin moose -
the lang craig runklin
heron swallows
the wriggling mouse -
the long neck wrinkling
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
a tirl
frae whae kens whaur
apenin ma chaumer door
a breeze
from who knows where
opening my bedroom door
soun o a linn
...wund throuch
the green sauchs
sound of a waterfall
...wind through
the green willows
Monday, May 21, 2007
in ablow pink cluds
bleckie chirms the day
intae derkness
under pink clouds
blackbird sings the day
into darkness
sweltrie day -
bummer chaaves
in's fur cot
hot day -
bumble-bee struggles
in his fur coat
Friday, May 18, 2007
i the wund
a peerie buttery
faws...turns intae a leaf
in the wind
a tiny butterfly
falls...turns into a leaf
smatters o clud
maws heelstergowdie
i the wund
scraps of cloud
gulls tumbling
in the wind
Thursday, May 17, 2007
thigger wifie -
her sheddae
skiffs me
beggar woman -
her shadow
touches me
weet -
azalea tassies
reamin ower
rain -
azalea cups
overflowing
craw shaks
its marrow's stieve bouk
...fite sichtless een
crow shakes
its mate's stiff body
...white sightless eyes
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
speuggie hunkert
keeks throuch the flourish
...laburnum rainglets
sparrow sitting
peeps through the blossom
...laburnum ringlets
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
throuch a perk
o pish-the-beds -
the wund's gate
through a field
of dandelion clocks -
the wind's route
swans doverin -
magnolia petals
on the girse
swans asleep -
magnolia petals
on the lawn
speengie rose uncleikin
its reidness
...stoundin heart
peony unclenching
its redness
...beating heart
cumulus cluds
...swans
pander by
cumulus clouds
...swans
drift by
Saturday, May 12, 2007
scuil's voar ferr -
ingaun clinks
slooshin intae the mullie
school's spring fair -
entrance fee
splashing into the tin
Friday, May 11, 2007
the bodach
tentie o the rackets -
sterns in's een
the old man
watching the fireworks -
stars in his eyes
slaw burn -
cluds grundit
i the shallaes
slow stream -
clouds beached
in the shallows
Thursday, May 10, 2007
craw heaves up
frae the dub
...cheen o glentin draplets
crow rises
from the puddle
...chain of sparkling droplets
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
throuch freestit gless
flams lowp
...reid azalea
through frosted glass
flames leap
...red azalea
on the plainstanes
a doo's egg - washt oot
claen's a fou muin
on the pavement
a pigeon's egg - washed out,
clean as a full moon
the mull's
lanely watter-wheel -
the drouthie burn
the mill's
lonely water-wheel -
the dried-up stream
gean tree:
anely yestreen
flourish freithin ower
cherry tree:
only yesterday
blossom frothing over
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
keelies stane the deuks -
in the shallas
watter sclims hern's trams
vandals stone the ducks -
in the shallows
water climbs heron's legs
aneath
the sin's glister
the derk burn
beneath
the sun's glitter
the dark stream
threy deuks
anely threy deuks
runklin the hail burn
three ducks
only three ducks
wrinkling the whole stream
Sunday, May 06, 2007
chynge i the wedder
burd-bath
slawly fouin
change in the weather
bird-bath
slowly filling
hinmaist licht
on the brae
rap flourish
last light
on the hillside
rape blossom
at Jesus' feet
a vause o roses
...yin petal hings on a breer
at Jesus' feet
a vase of roses
...one petal hangs on a thorn
Saturday, May 05, 2007
auncient aiks
a baiten peth
...breidth o a deuk
ancient oaks
a beaten path
...width of a duck
rin-ower craw:
bleck weengs
streekin oot o sicht
run-over crow:
black wings
stretching out of sight
Friday, May 04, 2007
atween clematis leaves
the crottilt warl
o the lameter wifie
between clematis leaves
the fragmented world
of the crippled lady
Thursday, May 03, 2007
sin muves athort
snaggit in a moose wab
a sheddae
sun moves across
caught in a spider's web
a shadow
birlin
gliffin oot a leam -
coke-tinnie on the burn
turning
flashing out a beam -
coke-can on the stream
sin progs
doon throuch the leaves -
the pyotie burn rins
sun pierces
down through the leaves -
the piebald stream runs
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
fernyear's leaf
thrawin a sheddae
o kittlie tracery
last year's leaf
casting a shadow
of delicate tracery
in siccan
unchancy warl
speuggie's spurtle-legs
in such
a dangerous world
sparrow's thin legs
lown watter
fleitin
frae clud tae clud
peaceful stream
streaming
from cloud to cloud
scufflin:
the cailleach's knockles
...bowders fiten i the burn
hoeing:
the old lady's knuckles
...rocks whiten in the stream
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
mey day
anarchists daunce -
sin on polis steeks
may day
anarchists dance -
sun on police batons
Monday, April 30, 2007
ma freen's dug
taigils me in'ts leash -
voar jig...fir threy
my friend's dog
tangles me in its lead -
spring jig...for three
abuin the deid daffins
aipple-flourish -
on an on...wizzen's sets
above the dead daffodils
apple-blossom -
on and on...life's shapes
on the lown watter
swan's sheddae-shaw:
a swan preenin
on the still water
swan's shadow-show:
a swan preening
Saturday, April 28, 2007
gean flourish
shours doon -
mensefu clappin frae the cress
cherry blossom
showers down -
polite applause from the crease
(cricket match)
Friday, April 27, 2007
in the burn's blinter
hern's
lang sheddae
in the stream's glitter
heron's
long shadow
the tottie reenges -
his buggy
fouin wi gean flourish
the toddler explores -
his push-chair
filling with cherry blossom
voar wund
mither an dochter
taigilt in ilk ither's herr
spring wind
mother and daughter
tangled in each other's hair
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
gean flourish
fleets on the burn
...plowp o a troot
cherry blossom
floats on the stream
...plop of a trout
gean flourishins
thair dowie nebs
runklin
cherry blossoms
their sad faces
wrinkling
finin the temple
we cast aff oor shuin
sit wi holiepied fitties
finding the temple
we remove our shoes
sit with holes in our socks
a tirl souchs
athort the perks -
geanflourish-drifts
a breeze sighs
across the fields -
cherryblossom-drifts
Monday, April 23, 2007
the beadle
a blithefou chiel -
tuim biddy bottles
the gravedigger
a happy man -
empty wine bottles
Sunday, April 22, 2007
gean flourish
the bummer quats
...stoiterin
cherry blossom
the bee leaves
...unsteadily
Friday, April 20, 2007
craw stauns
govein intae the girse
...ah, haiku wark!
crow stands
staring into the grass
...ah, haiku business!
sumyin's thochts
snorlt
in a bumt wrapper
someone's thoughts
knotted
in a thrown-away wrapper
bodach at's winnock
the saisons brichten
an derken's neb
old man at his window
the seasons brighten
and darken his face
Thursday, April 19, 2007
a sotter -
craw stammers
on the riggin-heid
bad workmanship -
crow trips
on the roof-ridge
swan liggs
pirlt in a dover -
lown mids o the burn
swan lies
coiled in sleep -
still centre of the stream
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
bawdrons skooks -
deuklins soom in sweels
...thair clockwark trams
cat skulks -
ducklings swim in circles
...their clockwork legs
doon an arbour
o gean treen
craw dauners...growein sma'er
down an arbour
of cherry trees
crow strolls...growing smaller
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
gean flourishins
fleetin doon the watter
...whaurivver it taks thaim
cherry blossoms
floating downstream
...wherever it takes them
Monday, April 16, 2007
aw day the hover-flee -
gliskin itsel
in ma windaes
all day the hover-fly -
seeing itself
in my glasses
snaggit amang
the brummle's jags
a riven-up scrieve
snagged amongst
the bramble's thorns
a torn-up letter
hern, snokin sheddaes -
jeels
in gled's
heron, hunting shadows -
freezes
in hawk's
somewey the gairdner:
his cuttie-reek
douce i the air
somewhere the gardener:
his pipe-smoke
sweetening the air
bawdrons on'ts rigg
wummlin
sin in'ts cleuks
cat on its back
squirming
sun in its claws
Saturday, April 14, 2007
hover-flee's sheddae
muves ower'r breist:
its lang trams lag
hover-fly's shadow
moves over her breast:
its long legs linger
doverin sheddaes
streetch
the gairden sterts tae bummle
sleeping shadows
stretch
the garden starts to hum
sprots heeld
thair sheddaes:
koi ahint baurs
reeds lean
their shadows:
koi behind bars
yin bricht stern
sheenin
intae the vennel
one bright star
shining
into the alley
(Dylan concert)
brucken shalls -
somewey a bleckie,
a snail's glaize in'ts weeng
broken shells -
somewhere a blackbird,
a snail's gloss in its wing
Thursday, April 12, 2007
cantie
ma lap fou
o bawdrons' murrins
contented
my lap full
of cats' purrings
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
gean flourishins -
grumphie shop lassie
scoors thaim wi'r besom
cherry blossoms -
grumpy shop girl
chases them with her broom
(Mainichi Daily News)
Monday, April 09, 2007
dowie
as veesitors win awa -
daffins
sad
watching visitors leave -
daffodils
Sunday, April 08, 2007
daffins
ootby the concert ha
lang-craigit sopranos
daffodils
outside the concert hall
long-necked sopranos
Easter wauk -
dunt o the altar- laddie's
reel-fit
Easter vigil -
thump of the altar-boy's
club-foot
Easter mornin -
lowsit
the fankilt flee toves
Easter morning -
released
the trapped fly soars
Friday, April 06, 2007
Guid Friday -
he spreeds's freet
a bittie thinner
Good Friday -
he spreads his butter
a little thinner
in a cantie puil
a hinmaist pucklie daffins
gove at thirsels
in a placid pool
a last few daffodils
gaze at themselves
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
ower tottie
tae win tae thair chapper
he daffs alane
too tiny
to reach their doorbell
he plays alone
japanese lassie -
pintin oot airts
wi ma haiku pen
japanese girl -
pointing out directions
with my haiku pen
hoaspice flooers
oot wi the chookie banes
...a vause tapsalteerie
hospice flowers
out with the chicken bones
...a vase upturned
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
frae'r poke
a bra skailin -
flittin
from her bag
a bra spilling -
moving house
aw day
the yin butterie
fouin the gairden
all day
the one butterfly
filling the garden
voar sinsheen -
bummer waukens me
dunnerin at the winnock
spring sunshine -
bee wakens me
banging at the window
Monday, April 02, 2007
on a brainch
speuggie hysts's weeng
lats the sin unner
on a branch
sparrow lifts his wing
lets the sun under
licht on watter
skimmers throuch
the larie's leaves
light on water
shimmers through
the laurel's leaves
Easter -
a monk on's knees
scoors oot the confessional
Easter -
a monk on his knees
scrubs out the confessional
Sunday, April 01, 2007
passion sabbath -
on the brod
the lily's skailt pollen
passion sunday -
on the table
the lily's spilt pollen
a furst reid-admiral
chowlin's chafts
on a bowder
a first red-admiral
making a face
on a rock
atween the goalposts
an orange sin
slawly drappin
between the goalposts
an orange sun
slowly dropping
Friday, March 30, 2007
unweelness gane -
at the winnock her bricht een
forsythia- lit
illness gone -
at the window her bright eyes
forsythia- lit
Thursday, March 29, 2007
cluds furmin
moutenin -
Lady's dowie vice
clouds forming
dissolving -
Lady's sad voice
(for Billie Holiday)
his furst veesit
tae the clinic -
a wab streens i the wund
his first visit
to the clinic -
a web strains in the wind
mornin deow -
ilka bledd o girse
enlichtens
morning dew -
every blade of grass
enlightens
mavis
back on'ts heels -
wirm losses
thrush
back on its heels -
worm loses
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
kirkyaird gien ower
lairstanes cowpt ...aye
the daffins mynd on
derelict churchyard
headstones toppled...still
the daffodils remember
craws gae haufers
on a chinky
...thair chopstick nebs
crows share
a spilt chinese meal
...their chopstick beaks
Saturday, March 24, 2007
day aff -
the baunker
coonts's daffins
day off -
the banker
counts his daffodils
bi the Madonna's shrine
a camellia buss -
buds reiddenin blately
by the Madonna's shrine
a camellia bush -
buds reddening shyly
Friday, March 23, 2007
scuil-bell - the sotter
cuils tae wammly raws
aside the stane crocodile
school-bell - the chaos
cools to wriggly lines
beside the stone crocodile
on the tree
a kervit hert
whaur the trunk sinders
on the tree
a carved heart
where the trunk seperates
Thursday, March 22, 2007
craw widdie
twa craws muve in -
she sens'm oot fir browls
rookery
two crows move in -
she sends him out for twigs
deid mappie -
...aw thae fur-lined
nests
dead rabbit -
...all those fur-lined
nests
mappie's neb etten
...a hinmaist muin
in tod's ee
rabbit's face eaten
...a last moon
in fox's eye
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
furst day o voar
smirks brustin oot
a'whaur
first day of spring
smiles bursting out
everywhere
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
anither yirdin -
craw in's bleck's
forrit
another funeral -
crow in his black
attends
Monday, March 19, 2007
snell day
the tinker's baries
her guidman's gowden cheens
cold day
the gypsy's bare feet
her husband's golden chains
Sunday, March 18, 2007
mither's day
athort her photy
sheddae o a burd
mother's day
across her photograph
shadow of a bird
furst snaw
on the tosie brainches
mizzlin
first snow
on the warm branches
melting
Friday, March 16, 2007
wunter wisteria
huils hing
...bawkies i ma drames
winter wisteria
pods hang
...bats in my dreams
craw stots narrer
cocks's heid at oor leid:
suddron in a gylick lan
crow hops nearer
cocks his head at our language:
english in a gaelic land
lum reek liggs flet
howf winnocks shak
...tin fussle spring
chimney smoke lies flat
pub windows shake
...tin whistle reel
Thursday, March 15, 2007
skirlin saws aw day -
the nicht oor neibour's lichts
rax oot till us
screaming saws all day -
tonight our neighbour's lights
reach out to us
douce reek
o brennin scrogs heaves
...speirins o a fere's daith
sweet incense
of burning brushwood rises
...news of a friend's death
haudin by the hospice -
suddentlie wintin
tae find masel fir kernels
passing the hospice -
suddenly wanting
to feel myself for lumps
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
craw nest biggin -
his baird
o swansdoon
crow nest building -
his beard
of swansdown
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
bi the weir cairn
the gean's flourish
cum an gane
by the war memorial
the cherry tree's blossom
come and gone
Monday, March 12, 2007
on her nest
deuk skews her ee
a clud faws in
on her nest
duck turns her eye
a cloud falls in
bawdrons streeks i the sin
abuin'm
gean sproots dae the samen
cat streches in the sun
above him
cherry buds do the same
brummle buss sprootin
deep doon
the fruit's bree gaitherin
bramble bush budding
deep down
the fruit's juices gathering
efter the onding -
she cycles shooglie lik
atween the cluds
after the shower -
she cycles shakily
between the clouds
Sunday, March 11, 2007
hailin mass: hailie uilie
fous ma luif's lifeline -
a first meysie smirks
healing mass: holy oil
fills my palm's lifeline -
a first primrose smiles
o the hail wuid
myndin the peerie
raing o daffins
of the whole forest
remembering the tiny
ring of daffodils
Saturday, March 10, 2007
nestin time
craw goves
intae the derk lum
nesting time
crow gazes
into the dark chimney
derk cluds rowe awa -
a craw sowps
frae glaizie tractor-steids
dark clouds roll away -
a crow drinks
from glittering tractor-tracks
hairst muin:
on a throu-gaun bus
ilka neb reflecks
harvest moon:
on a passing bus
every face reflects
coble hindert -
we hunker tentie
o the maws lavein
ferry-boat cancelled -
we sit watching
the gulls leave
Saturday, March 03, 2007
jazz souchs
throuch the gairden
awthing shaks a fit
jazz wafts
through the garden
everything dances
voar mornin -
a chiel
fusslin
spring morning -
a man
whistling
Friday, March 02, 2007
gurly lift
a siller birk stauns
wildfire on the brae
stormy sky
a silver birch stands
lightning on the hill
Thursday, March 01, 2007
novice
her spleet-new robes
...her lick
novice
her new robes
...her speed
parkit, tentie:
jazz upmak - asweil's
reid-neb
parked, listening:
jazz improvisation - plus
oyster-catcher
tide's oot
maws an boaties
lie at peace
tide's out
gulls and boats
sitting motionless
mairch wunds -
daffins
lichtenin, derkenin
march winds -
daffodils
lightening, darkening
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
chynge i the wedder
a chitter
throuch the binwuid
change in the weather
a shiver
through the ivy
abuin the scuilyaird
pokes sweel
an dook
above the playground
paper bags swirl
and dive
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
blae lift
cluds chase a furst bummer
athort the lozen
blue sky
clouds race a first bee
across the pane
throu incaains
an onding
dichtin
during prayers
a downpour
cleansing
Monday, February 26, 2007
bleck bawdrons
throuch the yella gowans
yalla een
black cat
through the buttercups
yellow eyes
git-weel cairts in the winnock:
lairstane sheddaes
on her wa
get-well cards in the window:
tombstone shadows
on her wall
a maw
hauds by slawly
sklentin east, syne wast
a gull
passes slowly
glancing right, then left
Sunday, February 25, 2007
tree hingit wi sparks
bourachin blue bonnet
caws doon a shour
tree hung with raindrops
rummaging blue tit
brings down a shower
Saturday, February 24, 2007
the day, licht hunkers
on brainches, gairden sates,
deuks' nebs
today light sits
on branches, garden seats,
ducks' bills
Friday, February 23, 2007
frae'r derkness
the blinn cailleach ootstreeks
...licht rins alang'r wand
from her darkness
the blind lady stretches out
...light runs along her cane
Thursday, February 22, 2007
throuch the winnock
the crescent muin
...a petal fawin
through the window
the crescent moon
...a petal falling
aw's lithe
the wund-bell
weet dreeps frae'ts tung
all is stillness
the wind-bell
rain drips from its clapper
maisic fest
jazz in the auld graveyaird
bairns jig on mools
music festival
jazz in the old churchyard
children dance on graves
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
on the scrievein dask
faw'n petals
hae yirdit the pen
on the writing desk
fallen petals
have buried the pen
Monday, February 19, 2007
saft tirl
a telegraph-powl
wammles athort the burn
soft breeze
a telegraph-pole
wriggles across the stream
Sunday, February 18, 2007
lavein kirk
craw stauns in ma rod
leukin forritsome
leaving church
crow stands in my way
looking defiant
Saturday, February 17, 2007
voar cluds
on the claes-rope
her bed-sheets spue
spring clouds
on the washing-line
her bed-sheets billow
zen gairden
hapt in snaw:
zen gairden
zen garden
covered with snow:
zen garden
(Mainichi Daily News)
a deuk an twa drakes
it's luve...til
there's scran tae skair
a duck and two drakes
it's love...until
there's food to share
crescent muin
liggin on'ts rigg
yin muckle smirk
crescent moon
lying on its back
one huge smile
Friday, February 16, 2007
flooers laid
whaur the cailleach dee'd
...day efter Valentine's day
flowers laid
where the old lady died
...day after Valentine's day