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

Thursday, February 15, 2007

maggies gove
intae dubs
fou o brainches an cluds




magpies gaze
into puddles
full of branches and clouds
a chattert raip-sweeng
the tree-hoose crottlin
foggies at the winnock




a frayed rope-swing
the tree-house crumbling
old folks at the window

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

fushmunger's winnock -
caller saumon sclices
an his reid hauns




fishmonger's window -
fresh salmon slices
and his red hands
valentine's day
lesbian lovies
skair a bowlie o macallum




valentine's day
lesbian lovers
share a bowl of ice-cream

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

giein bluid -
throuch the winnock
the reiddest tulips




giving blood -
through the window
the reddest tulips

Monday, February 12, 2007

bawdron's neb
amang voar flooers -
a deid moose hingin




cat's face
amongst spring flowers -
a dead mouse hanging

Sunday, February 11, 2007

fower hyacinths
flourishin in a pat -
nae greter meesterie




four hyacinths
blooming in a pot -
no greater mystery
sparks hingin
aw o the mornin licht
in ilka yin




raindrops hanging
all of the morning light
in each one
sin
on the freestit binwuid
a green leam




sun
on the frosted ivy
a green beam

Saturday, February 10, 2007

craws' clatter
pouin me deeper
intae the wuids




crows' calling
drawing me deeper
into the woods
match day
cadgers sellin flags -
sprittelt crocuses




match day
vendors selling flags -
multi-coloured crocuses

Thursday, February 08, 2007

in 'The Gairdens'
muckle herts an kisses
in the snaw




in 'The Gardens'
giant hearts and kisses
in the snow
mither an bairn
dumpin snaw at ilk ither
...skirls




mother and child
kicking snow at each other
...squeals

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

muinlicht
ower the freestit perk
hoolet's dowie neb




moonlight
over the frosted field
owl's sad face

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

the postie -
the cauld
scrieve




the postman -
the cold
letter
jeelin
eeshogels an slidder
...a jowin bell




freezing
icicles and ice
...a chiming bell

Monday, February 05, 2007

lowpin oot o bed
ma erse scartit -
guidwife's tint rosary




leaping out of bed
my buttocks scratched -
wife's lost rosary
freesty mornin
swan beeries its heid
in the brawest swansdoon




frosty morning
swan buries its head
in the finest swansdown
on the freestit perk
a singul craw
hantinly bonnie




on the frosted field
a single crow
hauntingly beautiful

Sunday, February 04, 2007

amang yaised condoms
an champt tinnies -
daffins




among used condoms
and crushed cans -
daffodils

Friday, February 02, 2007

mexican voar
a roon yalla leaf
trinnles alang the strand




mexican spring
a round yellow leaf
rolls along the shore
neb tae the chaumer wa
tentie o sheddae burds
sheddae brainches




face to the bedroom wall
she watches shadow birds
shadow branches

Thursday, February 01, 2007

angert honkin
a fremmit deuk
ettles tae jyne the parrock




angry honking
a foreign duck
trys to join the group
ilka day
mair trok in the burn
new runkles on the scruif




every day
more rubbish in the stream
new wrinkles on the surface