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

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

bi the causey
a dead mappie -
stieve in'ts hinmaist lowp




by the roadside
a dead rabbit -
stiff in its last leap

the peerie moose -
scartin scartin
a thirl i ma sloom




the little mouse -
scratching scratching
a hole in my sleep

kirk doors
wide tae the wa -
a pickle leaves




church doors
flung wide -
a few leaves

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

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

rimie haar -
the wabster's daikert
the gean tree




frosty mist -
the spider's decorated
the cherry tree

brennin leaves -
reek hoves
claps tae the brainches




burning leaves -
smoke rises
clings to the branches

Yule lichts daizzlin -
deep i the gangrel's kep
dowie broon placks




Christmas lights dazzling -
deep in the beggar's cap
dull brown pennies

the thrissel leaf:
its ain glisterin
eeshogels




the thistle leaf:
its own glittering
icicles

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

loass o a freen -
a brucken brainch
fleits awa doonstream




loss of a friend -
a broken branch
floats away downstream

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

wund i the lum -
brucken airticles
stour alang the causey




wind in the chimney -
broken things
race along the street

agin the derk lift
reid-lit brainches
...vascular




against the dark sky
red-lit branches
...vascular

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

fou muin -
honesty dirls
i the tirl




full moon -
honesty rattles
in the breeze

the day -
new roses
the colour o snaw




today -
new roses
the colour of snow

it sterts tae snaw -
the blin musicianer
leuks upwarts




it starts to snow -
the blind musician
looks upwards

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

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

skirls
frae a far awa playgrun -
ma auld scuil hauf-caw'd doon




screams
from a faraway playground -
my old school half-demolished

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

toon causey -
abodie tint i the haar
o thair ain braith




city street -
everybody lost in the fog
of their own breath

her cauld neb
whan a preed'r -
furst day o 'Wunter Haiku'




her cold nose
when I kissed her -
first day of 'Winter Haiku'

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

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

the colour
gane frae'r gairden -
wunter licht lemes on her hauns




the colour
gone from her garden -
winter light gleams on her hands

scuil playgrun -
leaves flichterin efter bairns
flichterin efter leaves




school playground -
leaves chasing children
chasing leaves

the-day
the birk -
fou o auld nests




today
the birch tree -
full of old nests

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

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

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

ruggin the hingers
reid rab settin on the stroop -
furst Yule caird




drawing the curtains
a robin sits on the pump -
first Christmas card

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

mids the burdsang
craw twangs sumthin's intimmers
oot frae the taur




amidst the birdsong
crow twangs something's intestines
out from the tar

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

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

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

throuch the nicht
the wund -
leaves scartin the causey




through the night
the wind -
leaves scratching the sidewalk

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

the maisic
o cuit-deep leaves -
a fou muin keeks oot




the music
of ankle-deep leaves -
a full moon peeps out

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

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

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

anither yirdin -
sin blinters on the spaiks
o a birlin trinnle




another funeral -
sun glitters on the spokes
of a turning wheel

abuin the burn
maws skirlin -
nae breid the day anely leaves




above the stream
gulls screaming -
no bread today only leaves

the hern gants
its neb chizorin the err -
leaves faw aroon'm




the heron yawns
its beak scissoring the air -
leaves fall around him

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

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

in the bucket
amang the yill bottles -
a hairst muin




in the dustbin
among the beer bottles -
a harvest moon

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

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)

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

keek o day -
the postie's reid bag
boabbin




sunrise -
the postman's red bag
bobbing

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

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

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

tree's sheddae
hings on the cunyie -
growein shilpit




tree's shadow
leans on the corner -
growing thin

5 am. glowers
throuch the knock's gless -
maws skirlin





5 am. stares
through the clock's glass -
gulls screaming

in a dub o licht
leaves slawly lair -
mennens tak tent




in a pool of light
leaves slowly submerge -
minnows watch

leaves hauf-green
hauf-yalla -
a'whaur hairst's flag




leaves half-green
half-yellow -
everywhere autumn's flag

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

jazz clarinet -
a bleck butterie
daunces roon the wireless




jazz clarinet -
a black butterfly
dances round the radio

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

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

in the gairden -
Buddha smirkin
cum weet cum sin




in the garden -
Buddha smiling
come rain come sun

japanese gairden -
ma sheddae switters
ower the chingle




japanese garden -
my shadow ripples
over the shingle

the auld 'boglie hoose' -
maw's sheddae
a derk corse




the old 'haunted house' -
gull's shadow
a dark cross

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

on the peth
a pickle leaves -
fuspers o hairst




on the path
a few leaves -
whispers of autumn

peerie moch
bouk o a spark
duntin throuch the weet




tiny moth
size of a raindrop
bumping through the rain

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

bi the heidstane
a wund-chime -
the anely vice as we quat




by the headstone
a wind-chime -
the only voice as we leave

fite roses
govein heivenwarts
glowe i the licht




white roses
gazing heavenwards
glow in the light


(feast of the assumption)

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

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

fou muin
follaes me hame - fite bawdrons
curlt on ma doorstane




full moon
follows me home -
white cat curled on my doorstep

'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

on a lanely peth
a bummer bizzes
...reasseerinly




on a lonely path
a bee buzzes
...reassuringly

sin throuch the leaves -
gies granny a tattoo
an aw




sun through the leaves -
gives grandmother
a tattoo also

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

weet spae -
snail strunts
oot fir the day




wet forecast -
snail swaggers
out for the day

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

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

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

maws heave up
intae the licht
lavein thair sheddaes




gulls lift off
into the light
leaving their shadows

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

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

the jimpest blue bonnet -
bawdrons' een glent
...green




the daintiest blue tit -
cat's eys flash
...green

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

on a brainch
narrest the sin
an aipple sterts tae reidden




on a branch
nearest the sun
an apple starts to redden

the day brichtens
a sinflooer keeks oot
frae ahint a hollyhock




the day brightens
a sunflower peeps out
from behind a hollyhock

lown chattert -
a snail unnerfuit
i the lang girse




silence shattered -
a snail underfoot
in the long grass

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

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

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

doon the rod
echt-wheelers thunnerin -
a leddy launners daunerin




down the highway
eight-wheelers thundering -
a ladybird walking

dugs stour
throuch the sned girse -
a green haar




dogs race
through the cut grass -
a green mist

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

bi the jile wa -
brummle breers
skailin bluid




by the prison wall -
bramble thorns
spilling blood

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

ootby the monastery -
the preachin
o the auncient aik




outside the monastery -
the sermon
of the ancient oak

'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

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

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

fleedin quallt -
a clint heaves frae the burn
dichtit claen




flooding abated -
a rock rises from the stream
washed clean

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

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

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

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

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

cluds
passin ower
fou o dubs




clouds
passing over
full of puddles

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

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

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

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

weet stertin
attercap rinnin
atween the draps




rain starting
spider running
between the drops

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

atween the bodach
an the speuggie:
brukken breid




between the old man
and the sparrow:
broken bread

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

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

bummer slidderin oot
frae the lady's thummles -
its wark duin




bee slipping out
from the foxglove's bell -
its work done

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

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

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

airport shunkie
unalikenesses mouten
pishin in a raw




airport toilet
differences dissolve
peeing in a line

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

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

hern swallaes
the wammlin moose -
the lang craig runklin




heron swallows
the wriggling mouse -
the long neck wrinkling

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

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

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

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

speuggie hunkert
keeks throuch the flourish
...laburnum rainglets




sparrow sitting
peeps through the blossom
...laburnum ringlets

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

scuil's voar ferr -
ingaun clinks
slooshin intae the mullie




school's spring fair -
entrance fee
splashing into the tin

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

craw heaves up
frae the dub
...cheen o glentin draplets




crow rises
from the puddle
...chain of sparkling droplets

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

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

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

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

atween clematis leaves
the crottilt warl
o the lameter wifie




between clematis leaves
the fragmented world
of the crippled lady

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

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

mey day
anarchists daunce -
sin on polis steeks




may day
anarchists dance -
sun on police batons

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

gean flourish
shours doon -
mensefu clappin frae the cress




cherry blossom
showers down -
polite applause from the crease



(cricket match)

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

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

the beadle
a blithefou chiel -
tuim biddy bottles




the gravedigger
a happy man -
empty wine bottles

gean flourish
the bummer quats
...stoiterin




cherry blossom
the bee leaves
...unsteadily

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

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

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

gean flourishins
fleetin doon the watter
...whaurivver it taks thaim




cherry blossoms
floating downstream
...wherever it takes them

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

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

cantie
ma lap fou
o bawdrons' murrins




contented
my lap full
of cats' purrings

gean flourishins -
grumphie shop lassie
scoors thaim wi'r besom




cherry blossoms -
grumpy shop girl
chases them with her broom

(Mainichi Daily News)

dowie
as veesitors win awa -
daffins



sad
watching visitors leave -
daffodils

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

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

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

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

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

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

unweelness gane -
at the winnock her bricht een
forsythia- lit




illness gone -
at the window her bright eyes
forsythia- lit

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

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

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

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

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

furst day o voar
smirks brustin oot
a'whaur




first day of spring
smiles bursting out
everywhere

anither yirdin -
craw in's bleck's
forrit




another funeral -
crow in his black
attends

snell day
the tinker's baries
her guidman's gowden cheens




cold day
the gypsy's bare feet
her husband's golden chains

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

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

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

craw nest biggin -
his baird
o swansdoon




crow nest building -
his beard
of swansdown

bi the weir cairn
the gean's flourish
cum an gane




by the war memorial
the cherry tree's blossom
come and gone

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

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

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

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

gurly lift
a siller birk stauns
wildfire on the brae




stormy sky
a silver birch stands
lightning on the hill

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

chynge i the wedder
a chitter
throuch the binwuid




change in the weather
a shiver
through the ivy

abuin the scuilyaird
pokes sweel
an dook




above the playground
paper bags swirl
and dive

blae lift
cluds chase a furst bummer
athort the lozen




blue sky
clouds race a first bee
across the pane

throu incaains
an onding
dichtin




during prayers
a downpour
cleansing

bleck bawdrons
throuch the 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

tree hingit wi sparks
bourachin blue bonnet
caws doon a shour




tree hung with raindrops
rummaging blue tit
brings down a shower

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




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

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





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

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




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

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




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

maisic fest
jazz in the auld graveyaird
bairns jig on mools




music festival
jazz in the old churchyard
children dance on graves

on the scrievein dask
faw'n petals
hae yirdit the pen




on the writing desk
fallen petals
have buried the pen

saft tirl
a telegraph-powl
wammles athort the burn




soft breeze
a telegraph-pole
wriggles across the stream

lavein kirk
craw stauns in ma rod
leukin forritsome




leaving church
crow stands in my way
looking defiant

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




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

zen gairden
hapt in snaw:
zen gairden




zen garden
covered with snow:
zen garden


(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

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



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