sweelin oot
the rice pat -
muin i the watter




washing out
the rice pot -
moon in the water

flu meesires -
throuch the chaumer winnock
craw's rispy caw




flu miseries -
through the bedroom window
crow's raspy call

the autistic laddie
conducks's ain carols -
maws beseikin




the autistic boy
conducts his own carols -
gulls beseeching

bawdrons on the palin
his bunt
strapt tae the muin




cat on the fence
his tail
strung to the moon

the hern
an the bodach:
thair boolie-backit sheddaes




the heron
and the old man:
their round-shouldered shadows

yule tree's
fume o pine wuid -
a stag's hystit antlers




Christmas tree's
smell of pine forest -
a stag's raised antlers

attercap doverin
atween twa leaves:
braw hammock




spider asleep
between two leaves:
nice hammock

sneckin aff
the entry licht -
lavein juist the fou muin




switching off
the porch light -
leaving just the full moon

neist
the reid geranium
the auld bawdrons gantin




next to
the red geranium
the old cat yawning

new stogs
leamin
amang the puddock stuils




new tree-stumps
gleaming
among the mushrooms

auld diary
frae warl war 1
a bullet hole




old diary
from world war 1
a bullet hole

faw'n ower -
threy days brennt awa
on the advent caunle




fallen asleep -
three days burnt away
on the advent candle

the dummie:
his watshod een mou
his dug's deid




deaf and dumb:
his tears tell me
his dog is dead

in the cauld
luvers pree:
gravats o braith




in the cold
lovers kiss:
scarves of breath

craw's surreal mornin -
tentie o the watter
aneath the glaister




crow's surreal morning -
watching the water
beneath the ice

furst freest -
the postie's
crumpin fuitsteps




first frost -
the postman's
crackling footsteps

licht throuch cut-gless:
wattergaw
on a page o daith poems




light through cut-glass:
rainbow
on a page of death poems

amang the faw'n aipples
a faw'n simmer-
hoose




among the fallen apples
a fallen summer-
house

burthday -
the bodach coonts:
anither cairt less this year




birthday -
the old man counts:
another card less this year

at furst glisk
leukit lik a blink:
yin-e'ed bawdrons




at first glance
it seemed a wink:
one-eyed cat

in heich brainches:
a bad-losser's
fitbaw buits




in high branches:
a bad-loser's
football boots

leafless aipple tree -
whigmaleeries hingin
reid an green




leafless apple tree -
baubles hanging
red and green

hern snokin
in a leam o sinsheen:
lang gowden neb




heron hunting
in a ray of sunshine:
long golden beak

sinny mornin -
the muin
sweirt tae lave




sunny morning -
the moon
reluctant to leave

leaves on the burn
birl an sneck:
dumfoonerin jeegsaw




leaves on the stream
spin and lock:
amazing jigsaw

whalp an poinsettia
govein at ilk ither:
tungs oot




pup and poinsettia
staring at each other:
tongues out

stour o's shock
ower -
a stilt yirdin'm




storm of his stroke
over -
a crutch earthing him

brust fitbaw -
a peerie laddie's
crumpilt neb




burst football -
a little boy's
crumpled face

fou muin -
his siller bugle:
lest post




full moon -
his silver bugle:
last post

remembrance gairden -
yirdit agane
aneath new leaves




remembrance garden -
buried again
beneath new leaves

skirls
frae the ferris wheel:
a wab




screams
from the ferris wheel:
a web

throuch the haar
a yalla rose -
indian simmer




through the mist
a yellow rose -
indian summer

jogger
throuch the hairst leaves -
a crunklin lowe




jogger
through the autumn leaves -
a crackling fire

hairst waddin -
cluds o fite
a bob o pansies




autumn wedding -
clouds of white
a posy of pansies

indian simmer -
cowpt on the brod
a poke o leemons




indian summer -
spilled on the table
a bag of lemons

anither yirdin -
on the claes line
naethin bit bleck claes




another funeral -
on the washing line
nothing but black clothes

hallae e'en -
bygaun the baurber's
he waffs's razzor




halloween -
passing the barber shop
he waves his razor

auld bawdrons
gane -
his dentit cushin




the old cat
gone -
his dented cushion


(Mainichi Daily News)

in the perk
bairns stern lowpin -
maple leaves fawin




in the park
children star jumping -
maple leaves falling

weir memorial -
nakit brainches thraw
pikit-weer sheddaes




war memorial -
naked branches throw
barbed-wire shadows

keep-fit cless
i the perk -
maws shog frae fit tae fit




keep-fit class
in the park -
gulls rock from foot to foot

reid rab
dooks
reiddens the watter




the robin
dips
reddens the water


(Mainichi Daily News)

a leaf faws
fleits doonstream -
a fooneral hauds by




a leaf falls
floats downstream -
a cortege passes

the lassie keeks oot
frae'r muckle umberellae
...a snail




the girl peeps out
from her huge umbrella
...a snail

aneath
a hap o leaves
troot dover




beneath
a quilt of leaves
trout sleep

distreebutin
the sacrament -
her wine-coloured tae-nails




distributing
communion -
her wine-coloured toe-nails

wundy day -
leaves
stertin tae dirl




windy day -
leaves
starting to rattle

fou muin -
pokey hats
frae a late-nicht shoppie




full moon -
ice-cream cones
from a late-night parlour

abuin the flautist
flutherin weengs
hove an faw




above the flautist
fluttering wings
rise and fall

airt gailerie -
ablow the scuddit lass:
coorse loon settins




art gallery -
below the nude:
naughty boy plants

licht on the causies -
muin's
ruchsome neb




light on the cobbles -
moon's
craggy face

the bodach
staps tae sneesh -
leaves sweel doon




the old man
stops to sneeze -
leaves swirl down

bi the door
o the x-ray dept.:
derk hairst brainches




by the door
of the x-ray dept.:
dark autumnal branches

quate mornin -
leaves juist
suddentlie lowsin




calm morning -
leaves just
suddenly letting go

they hunker sonsie
as buddhas:
faw'n aipples




they sit solid
as buddhas:
fallen apples

thair drucken sangs
gie wey yin bi yin
tae the sang o the charker




their drunken songs
give way one by one
to the song of the cricket

zen dug
laipin the dub
swallaein the tide




zen dog
lapping the puddle
swallowing the ocean

skailt sinlicht -
leaves blawn
intae a neuk




scattered sunlight -
leaves blown
into a corner

amang the aipples
skwurrels'
reid nebs




among the apples
squirrels'
red faces

sneddin buddleia -
the nicht
a purpie chack flourishin




pruning buddleia -
tonight
a purple bruise blossoming

craw an me:
twa sheddaes
on the burn




crow and I:
two shadows
on the stream

bag-wifie i the perk -
bairns' sheddaes
sweengin athort'r neb




bag-lady in the park -
childrens' shadows
swinging across her face

the auld kipple
stravaig the olive plantin -
arthritic sheddaes




the old couple
wander the olive grove -
arthritic shadows

tapless strand -
papaya hing
frae the treen




topless beach -
papaya hang
from the trees

pouin lamb's tongues
she fumes
the hail gairden




pulling mint
she perfumes
the whole garden

lavein the kirk -
frae ahint a clud
leams o a monstrance




leaving church -
from behind a cloud
rays of a monstrance

greek waddin
the nervish kipple -
mandoline's trummlin




greek wedding
the nervous couple -
mandoline's trembling

sinny day
haudin by the kirkyaird
...aw thae girnin mort-heids




sunny day
passing the graveyard
...all those grinning skulls

liggin in muinlicht
we neck anely nou,
...hairst's brainches




lying in moonlight
we embrace only now,
...autumnal branches

muin on the puil -
the auld wytress gaithers in
a hinmaist ashet




moon on the pool -
the old waitress gathers in
a last plate

maws an thair sheddaes
wyvein
...tuim nets




gulls and their shadows
weaving
...empty nets

equal-aqual
on the telephone weer:
craw yatterin




balancing
on the telephone wire:
crow chattering

mornin deow
glisters -
the mappie dichts its neb




morning dew
glitters -
the rabbit washes its face

cailleach
pouin brummles -
her blae smirk




old lady
picking brambles -
her blue smile

auld scuil
hauf dung doon:
ghaistly ribs




old school
half demolished:
ghostly ribs

muckle attercap
deid on ma flair:
derk brooch




huge spider
dead on my floor:
dark brooch

he pynts oot the aipples
tae's gran-bairn
...reid chaftit




he points out the apples
to his grandchild
...red cheeked

waukrife nicht -
thrawin stanes
intae the derkness




sleepless night -
throwing stones
into the darkness

hairst -
the ploo'd perk's
glisterin cley




autumn -
the ploughed field's
glittering clay

throuch
the wuid's green licht:
reid aipples




through
the wood's green light:
red apples

roon the aul fowks hame -
leaves
haipin up




round the old folks home -
leaves
piling up

weet cluds gane -
doos' weengs
shakkin the licht




rain clouds gone -
doves' wings
shaking the light

tentie o the sin
gaein doon -
lipstick on'r gless




watching
the sun go down -
lipstick on her glass

hairst -
whurrin o weengs
athort the gairden




autumn -
whirring of wings
across the garden

muinlicht dookin:
snail
on the funtain-nude's erse




moonlight bathing:
snail
on the fountain-nude's bottom

hairst blawin in -
leaves
gaein stieve




autumn blowing in -
leaves
stiffening

daunce-ha dung doon -
throuch the grummel
youthie treen sweyin




demolished dance-hall -
through the rubble
young trees swaying

gran-bairn
on'r sweeng
...pendle skelpin




grandchild
on her swing
...pendulum ticking

rackets -
her een
skinklin




fireworks -
her eyes
sparkling

kingfisher's
blae straik -
nae time fir yin braith e'en




kingfisher's
blue streak -
no time for one breath even

weet -
frae burn tae clud
the yin watter




rain -
from stream to cloud
the one water

lichts on
dominies busk -
hinmaist day o seelence




lights on
teachers prepare -
last day of silence

craws heave up -
the bodach
apens's bleck umberellae




crows rise up -
the old man
opens his black umbrella

fou muin -
hystin
a freithy yill




full moon -
raising
a frothy beer

throuch her gairden
o sinflooers
the cailleach flichters




through her garden
of sunflowers
the old lady flickers

dug stourin
throuch the sned girse:
his green neb




dog racing
through the cut grass:
his green nose

burn in spate -
the snaik's
runkilt bouk




flooded stream -
the slug's
wrinkled body

throuch the sparred pailin
her whurly claes-drier -
breeks gae racin by




through the slatted fence
her rotary-drier -
trousers go racing past

moch agin
ma lichtit winnock -
a derk warl at's rig




moth against
my lighted window -
a dark world at its back

days o weet -
cuddy purls
washt tae bricht caff




days of rain -
horse manure
washed to bright chaff

ceilidh
i the perk -
leaves dreepin




concert
in the park -
leaves dripping

the laddie's jaur
o leddy launners, smusht:
a reid spatch spreedin




the boy's jar
of ladybirds, smashed:
a red patch spreading

in's auld buit:
the aye-bricht petal
o a muntain flooer




in his old boot:
the still-bright petal
of a mountain flower

the gairdner
heelds ower's flooers -
they gove up at'm



the gardener
leans over his flowers -
they gaze up at him

hinmaist train gane -
muinlit rails
mizzlin




last train gone -
moonlit rails
disappearing

maisic o the weet -
the tom-tom
o a laiky dreep




music of the rain -
the tom-tom
of a leaky drip

pleuch sock
sheenin i the sin
...a maw's weeng




ploughshare
shining in the sun
...a gull's wing

the cailleach's yett
moose wabt:
lyart wi thrisseldoon




the old lady's gate
spider webbed:
hoary with thistledown

sindoon -
she rugs a reid threid
throuch her flooerin




sunset -
she draws a red thread
through her embroidery

i the shed
o a sparred pailin: bawdrons
drames o bein a teeger




in the shade
of a slatted fence: cat
dreams of being a tiger

sicht o the killin -
a maw sclices bin-bags
insides skail oot




site of the murder -
a gull slices trash-bags
insides spill out

the mawkie rists -
sin glisters on's
batterin-ram heid




the bluebottle rests -
sun glitters on his
battering-ram head

apenin the door
tae the
gairden's bizzin




opening the door
to the
garden's buzzing

snowkin the buddleia:
ma neb
amang bummers' weengs




sniffing the buddleia:
my nose
amongst bees' wings

the tuim chaumer -
aroon the vause
petals heapin




the empty room -
around the vase
petals piling

on pailin weers
sparks: bricht spatrils
on a stave




on fence wires
raindrops: bright notes
on a stave

...weshin's caur -
snail coories up
tae the laiky hose




...washing his car -
snail cuddles up
to the leaky hose

throuch ramstam traffeck:
a bummer
...stourin




through rush-hour traffic:
a bee
...rushing

hen-pairty:
pentit cougirls whoop!
a paircel o cluds oxter by




hen-party:
painted cowgirls whoop!
a herd of clouds jostle past

throuch an apen winnock
a pairtie -
flooers haud up thair tassies




through an open window
a party -
flowers hold up their cups

furst daunce:
bride's divorcit pawrents -
laser-licht's fause wattergaw




first dance:
bride's divorced parents -
laser-light's phony rainbow

neebors'
stoundin maisic:
snail snuils intae's shall




neighbours'
pounding music:
snail cringes into his shell

peth o the scunger:
fa'n
rose petals




path of the prowler:
fallen
rose petals

in the green tae
mongolian een
...aboot tae teem




in the green tea
mongolian eyes
...about to pour

ristit on bin-bags
he maits's crippilt laddie:
chopsticks pickin




rested on trash-bags
he feeds his handicapped son:
chopsticks pecking

roses' heids
abuin the wa
...geeglin




roses' heads
above the wall
...giggling

midnicht tod
throuch the dubbit causey:
his bunt thrawin the muin




midnight fox
through the puddled street:
his brush distorting the moon

in a scuggit neuk:
a pish-the-bed-knock
...stapt




in a shaded corner:
a dandelion-clock
...stopped

a rose petal faws -
the leprone
hunkers trummlin




a rose petal falls -
the baby rabbit
sits trembling

Bach's Cello Suites
lave the chaumer -
corn-shanks trummlin




Bach's Cello Suites
leave the room -
corn-stalks trembling

craw's heid stucken
in a crisp-poke -
...muted tooter




crow's head stuck
in a crisp-packet -
...muted trumpet

unchancie hauflins -
the gangrel slumps
intae the howe o's baird




dangerous youths -
the tramp sinks
deeper into his beard

mappie's
brakfast o gowans:
sinny-sides up




rabbit's
breakfast of daisies:
sunny-sides up

fushionless -
tentie as gray cluds
dae a jeegsaw puzzle




listless -
watching grey clouds
do a jigsaw puzzle

the hern gaes stieve -
chork o
the bodach's laiky buits




the heron stiffens -
squelch of
the old man's leaky boots

nursery day oot
bairns' flags, balloons,
...tirl throuch the puppies




nursery day out
childrens' flags, balloons,
...breeze through the poppies

wull flooer
hingin blae an yalla
...airtist's dreepin brush




wild flower
hanging blue and yellow
...artist's dripping brush

douce fite rose
skiffin'r lips:
teenge o pink




sweet white rose
brushing her lips:
tinge of pink

muinlit perk -
wide-eed i the girse:
puddock stuils




moonlit field -
wide-eyed in the grass:
toadstools

freight train
rummles by -
spores win awa on the waff




freight train
rumbles past -
spores leave on the draught

craw hunkerin
on a siller birk -
thunner an lichtnin




crow sitting
on a silver birch -
thunder and lightning

flee raxes i the wab -
a bonnie lassie
plets'r gowden herr




fly struggles in the web -
a pretty girl
plaits her golden hair

washerwives stoiter
ablow bings o sheets -
a cludless lift




laundry ladies stagger
under piles of sheets -
a cloudless sky

lossin candidate
in's gairden
a clappit balloon




losing candidate
in his garden
a shrunken balloon

poorin weet -
in hoaspital winnocks
trummlin patients




pouring rain -
in hospital windows
trembling patients

his furst flicht -
the callant's
tuinless fusslin




his first flight -
the young man's
tuneless whistling

i the rose's heid
whurls
o derk sheddae




in the rose's head
whorls
of dark shadow

treen heeld
intae the timmer-yaird
...chitter




trees lean
into the timber-yard
...shiver

laddie an's dug doverin -
a wab-threid
leashin thaim




boy and his dog asleep -
a web-thread
binding them

the autistic laddie
traipses upstream -
derkness o craws abuin'm




the autistic boy
wanders upstream -
darkness of crows above him

the sloosh o a troot -
the lift
queevers




the splash of a trout -
the sky
quivers

swans preenin -
kinches
o a luvers' hank




swans preening -
loops
of a lovers' knot

ma neebor
flittin -
weet derns's watshod een




my neighbour
moving away -
rain hiding his tears

new puppies
govein aw airts:
dumfoonert




new poppies
gazing in all directions :
astounded

in the troke
a fryin pan -
sinlicht spreidin




in the trash
a frying pan -
sunlight spreading

amang the grummel
pish-the-beds:
thair heids blawn aff




among the rubble
dandelions:
their heads blown off

the sauch's refleckshun
raxes up:
...cannae...haily...win at...




the willow's reflection
stretches up:
...can't...quite...reach...

furst sake -
Santoka's haiku
soom by




first sake -
Santoka's haiku
swim past

mappie
dernin i the girse -
his lang lugs




rabbit
hiding in the grass -
his long ears

bawdrons streekit
on the hap -
yin splatch o sinlicht




cat stretched
on the quilt -
one patch of sunlight

licht throuch
the gean orchard -
luvers beamin




light through
the cherry orchard -
lovers blushing

in the nest's derk bowlie:
a sheddae
cleckin a sang-burd




in the nest's dark bowl:
a shadow
hatching a song-bird

bairn's graveyaird -
teddies an skailt wheerums
quat




children's graveyard -
teddies and scattered toys
left

a heidless doo -
gean flourish
slawly yirdin it




a headless pigeon -
cherry blossom
slowly burying it

throuch the blawort
bawdrons' bell
plinkin




through the bluebells
cat's bell
tinkling

on the claddach
yestreen's squeak:
lassie in a dookin ootrig




on the riverbed
yesterday's newspaper:
girl in a bathing costume

aneath the sotter
o deuks matin -
the quate burn




beneath the chaos
of ducks mating -
the silent stream

backlans wrackt -
a fou muin
leukin sae bricht




ghettos demolished -
a full moon
looking so bright

fou muin -
on the derk watter
a swan




full moon -
on the dark river
a swan

a fedder blaws
throuch the gairden -
she greits fir'r tint bairn




a feather blows
through the garden -
she cries for her lost child

flee draps on the page:
its unco sheddae
wycelik wi the japanese




fly drops on the page:
its strange shadow
fitting with the japanese

sookin'r bairn -
in the lift
a lang fite contrail




breast-feeding her child -
in the sky
a long white contrail

flourishins in's pooch:
the bodach
ettles tae mind...




blossoms in his pocket:
the old man
tries to remember...

zen gairden:
sumyin's fuitprents
athort the watter




zen garden:
someone's footprints
across the water

throuch faw'n flourishins:
peerie brides
mak thair wey tae scuil




through falling blossoms:
tiny brides
make their way to school

the sin's raik
het on the airn bink:
a bodach rists




the sun's journey
hot on the iron bench:
an old man rests

at the en
o a siller steid:
snail dramein




at the end
of a silver trail:
snail dreaming

throuch the perk:
buits jowelt
wi gean flourish




through the park:
boots jewelled
with cherry blossom

heronious traffeck -
dubs lowp sidelins,
clap tae throu-gaun fowk




outrageous traffic -
puddles leap aside,
cling to passers-by

simmer burn -
bairns' nebs
boabbin amang the deuks




summer stream -
childrens' faces
bobbing amongst the ducks

a'where
petals waffin -
butterie leuks deezie




everywhere
petals waving -
butterfly looks dizzy

reid-tapt aipple flourish -
bummer veesits the
hoose o a thoosan preeins




red-tipped apple blossom -
bee visits the
house of a thousand kisses

keek o day
the easin
...a spreidin smirk




sunrise
the horizon
...a spreading smile

sic blitheness
gean flourish sweelin:
yin gits a hurl on a dug's neb




such joy
cherry blossom swirling:
one rides on a dog's nose

thunner an lichtnin -
a blin chiel
fite steek chappin the yirth




thunder and lightning -
a blind man
white stick tapping the earth

skirls o delicht -
mither's umberellae's
cum a fleein draigon




screams of delight -
mother's umbrella's
become a kite

a faw'n
magnolia petal -
a haunfae o weet




a fallen
magnolia petal -
a handful of rain

shofukuji tempel
speuggies daff i the stour:
the day's preachin




shofukuji temple
sparrows play in the dust:
today's sermon


(Japan's first Zen temple)

japanese tae-hoose -
a rose
foondert on'ts breers




japanese tea-house -
a rose
collapsed on its thorns

a lanely tempel -
koi gaither at the brig
apen- mou'd




a lonely temple -
koi gather at the bridge
open-mouthed

origami cless -
sin throuch the winnock
unfaulds a tulip




origami class -
sun through the window
unfolds a tulip

mither's hauns
yirdit i the yirth -
her gean flourishin




mother's hands
buried in the earth -
her cherry tree blossoming

tirl throuch the tulips:
footers, footers,
gin the petals faw aff




breeze through the tulips:
tinkers, tinkers,
until the petals fall off

cluds abuin the treen -
the fusher
feuchs's cuttie




clouds above the trees -
the angler
puffs his pipe

deid phaesant -
the fusher's een
licht up




dead pheasant -
the angler's eyes
light up

the cailleach's breid -
oot frae tide cluds
maws,weet




the old lady's bread -
out from ocean clouds
gulls, rain

i the dubs
gean flourishins:
kaleidoscope i the tirl




in the puddles
cherry blossoms:
kaleidoscope in the breeze

deid maw -
speuggie gaitherin
saftest fedders




dead gull -
sparrow gathering
softest feathers

hert ward -
sheenin herts stoondin
...sterns throuch the derk lozen




intensive care -
luminous hearts pulsing
...stars through the dark pane

rose petals sinderin -
the indian lassie's
smile




rose petals seperating -
the indian girl's
smile

washin-day -
cluds spuein
...blae unnerweir




washing-day -
clouds billowing
...blue underwear

craw:
i the howe o'r derk fedders
a green egg




crow:
deep in her dark feathers
a green egg

a furst bummer duntin
throuch the forsythia:
sleeperie lik




a first bee bumping
through the forsythia:
sleepily

rairin o saws -
new railrod
throuch the blawort




roaring of saws -
new railroad
through the bluebells

throuch the winnock
on the blae lift -
an attercap daunerin




through the window
on the blue sky -
a spider strolling

punlers gane
weet ginges the sawins:
tree's hert bled oot




foresters gone
rain gingers the sawdust:
tree's heart bled out

voar tirl -
youthie leaves
pruive thair vices




spring breeze -
young leaves
try out their voices

weet blatters on thaim:
twa craws
staunin in inky dubs




rain beats on them:
two crows
standing in inky puddles

furst day o simmer time -
the playgrun chute
a siller watterfaw




first day of summer time -
the playground slide
a silver waterfall

silhouette airtist
sneckin aroon sheddaes
...fou muin




silhouette artist
snipping around shadows
...full moon

fawin flichans -
far awa swans
driftin




falling snowflakes -
distant swans
drifting

wundy agane -
craw hystes
a raggity weeng




windy again -
crow raises
a ragged wing

bawdrons skooks -
derk weengs
in's een




cat skulks -
dark wings
in his eyes

sica stramash
frae the nursery playgrun:
speuggies




such an uproar
from the nursery playground:
sparrows

thrang speug:
a lang threid o girse
tae wyve aroon'r




busy sparrow:
a long thread of grass
to weave around her

brainch sheddaes
jeegsawin the plainstanes -
bairns lowp amang thaim




branch shadows
jigsawing the pavement -
children hop among them

the cailleach
an the burn
...at thair ain slaw raik




the old lady
and the stream
...at their own slow pace

'incident trappin' dirls -
wund sclices throuch
the vennel lik a gullie




'incident tape' rattles -
wind slices through
the alley like a knife

a vause o tulips
oot-yallain the sin -
snod in ma chaumer




a vase of tulips
out-yellowing the sun -
snug in my den

furst gorblins -
voar juist gat
roarier




first fledglings -
spring just got
noisier

Guid Friday -
hailstanes scartin,
teirin the flesh




Good Friday -
hailstones sctratching,
tearing the flesh

cadger an's dug -
his dowie sang
follaes me hame




beggar and his dog -
his sad song
follows me home

fou muin -
maundy siller
fir awbodie




full moon -
maundy silver
for everyone


(Maundy Thursday)

shakkin wi lauchter:
the nuns
...the daffins




shaking with laughter:
the nuns
...the daffodils

yill bottle taps skailt -
he hunkers
refleckin on the galaxy




beer bottle tops scattered -
he sits
musing on the galaxy

simmer shows -
the attercap biggs
his hoose o dreid




summer fairground -
the spider builds
his house of horror

muinlicht -
a fite bawdrons slidderin
doon the gairden stairs




moonlight -
a white cat slithering
down the garden steps

furst gean flourish -
brainches reak
intae snaw cluds




first cherry blossom -
branches reach
into snow clouds

atween twa jags:
the brummle's flourish
makkin'ts wey




between two thorns:
the bramble's blossom
making its way



(Holy Week)

thrang bleckies
flee athort the sin -
thair fuskert sheddaes




busy blackbirds
fly across the sun -
their whiskered shadows

hingin sparks
tremmle i the tirl -
farawa kirk bells




hanging raindrops
tremble in the breeze -
distant church bells

throuch the olive plantin:
pyne
o shot joints




through the olive grove:
pain
of arthritic joints

smirr,
haar -
the muin dreeps



drizzle,
mist -
the moon drips

ma auld neebor
flittin:
offers a perr o buits




my old neighbour
moving house:
offers a pair of boots

midnicht weet -
on toon plainstanes
colours rin




midnight rain -
on city pavements
colours run

blue bonnet's sang -
pen an jotter
pit by




blue tit's song -
pen and notebook
put away

deid makar -
agin the wa
his hey-sned roostit




dead poet -
against the wall
his scythe rusted


(for Hugh MacDiarmid)

airlie mornin clockin -
nuns
gaitherin eggs




early morning clucking -
nuns
gathering eggs

gairden
fou o the sea's rair -
the craw's nest sweys




garden
full of the sea's roar -
the crow's nest sways

stourin tae scuil -
thair fuitprents
left i the glaur




racing to school -
their footprints
left in the mud

draigon- fleein -
faither hauds's laddies
cot-tail




kite-flying -
father hold his son's
coat-tail

oot frae the
forsythia: reid rab
...bricht sperk




out from the
forsythia: a robin
...bright spark

day-daw -
abuin the nest's lip
bleckie's gowden neb




dawn -
above the nest's edge
blackbird's golden beak

daffins govein
intae the burn -
teepical narcissi




daffodils gazing
into the stream -
typical narcissi

day efter the gemme -
the altar-laddie's
bleck- ee




day after the game -
the altar-boy's
black-eye

bleck plastic poke
fluthers on the pikit weer -
craw threeps tae't




black plastic bag
flutters on the barbed wire -
crow talks to it

mairch wunds -
chirms o peerie burds
blawn bogshaivelt




march winds -
chirps of tiny birds
blown shapeless

maggie no shair:
tae hunker wi the maws
or the craws




magpie not sure:
to sit with the gulls
or the crows

blawin on the braeside
siller birks
...skime o swords




blowing on the hillside
silver birches
...flash of swords

throuch the perk
coortin kipples -
daffins' heids heeld an tig




through the park
young lovers -
daffodils' heads lean and touch

poussin its new buds
throuch the razzor-weer -
forsythia




pushing its new buds
through the razor-wire -
forsythia

crcuses -
haudin thair bickers
up tae the sin




crocuses -
holding their cups
up to the sun

swan
risin
a fite fan apens




swan
approaching
a white fan opens

leain hame -
e'en his sheddae gaes
intae the flittin van




leaving home -
even his shadow goes
into the removal van

mither's day -
in a derk vennel
she slerps'r gin




mother's day -
in a dark alley
she slurps her gin

in the voar sin -
a signscriever
onlayin gowden straiks




in the spring sun -
a signwriter
laying on golden strokes

stations o the corss -
throuch the flooers
a monk souchs




stations of the cross -
through the flowers
a monk drones

coll-bleck craws
hovein
frae the lum




coal-black crows
rising
from the chimney

jazz parawd -
daffin tooters
streenin




jazz parade -
daffodil trumpets
straining

draigons i the blowster -
dugs gove
cailleachs tove oot ahint




kites in the gale -
dogs stare
old ladies stream out behind

a farawa swan
soomin
towarts the cluds




a distant swan
swimming
towards the clouds

a singul
fite fedder
brookin the tirl




a single
white feather
enjoying the breeze

slaw watter
takkin in the licht
jowellin the troot




slow river
taking in the light
jewelling the trout

the baunk clark gaes stieve
gies me the siller -
attercap on the wa




the bank clerk stiffens
gives me the money -
spider on the wall

craws
drap intae the perk
humphin light on thair weengs




crows
drop into the field
carrying light on their wings

creckit fitpeth -
crocuses
reak oot tae the sin




cracked footpath -
crocuses
reach out to the sun

Voar wund -
bangsterin,
hystin coats




Spring wind -
bullying,
lifting skirts

wund
i the lum -
braithy saxophone




wind
in the chimney -
breathy saxophone

heid-cauld -
craw'll sit alane the day
...wull he wunner, a wunner?




head-cold -
crow will sit alone today
...will he wonder, I wonder?

voar -
a green sheddae spreidin
athort the treen




spring -
a green shadow spreading
across the trees

playtime -
the sin hings abuin
the netba skep




recess -
the sun hangs above
the netball basket

drameit o a draigon -
the riven bouk
clootit wi a haiku




dreamt of a kite -
the torn body
patched with a haiku

sin sheenin -
on the blae lift
muin's thoumprent




sun shining -
on the blue sky
moon's thumbprint

walcomin voar -
craw nevels the err
wi's neb




welcoming spring -
crow punches the air
with his beak

maws birl
i the sin -
bleck scarts on the burn




gulls wheel
in the sun -
black scribbles on the stream

scuil hoalidays
awmaist ower -
the janny chacks the bell




school holidays
almost over -
the janitor tests the bell

yin reid rose
its heid
as big's a hert




one red rose
its head
as big as a heart



(valentine for Ann)

daffin
i the hait
the dug bowfs at the sin




frolicking
in the heat
the dog barks at the sun

in's upturnt bunnet
placks fir the gangrel -
twa fir's deid een




in his upturned cap
pennies for the beggar -
two for his dead eyes

pittin oot the bucket
a peerie skelloch -
haar swurlin towarts her




putting out the trash
a tiny scream -
fog swirling towards her

in the haar
craws murrin
heich i thair derk nests




in the mist
crows murmuring
high in their dark nests

skreich o day -
throuch the burdsang
heich-heels knackin




dawn chorus -
through it all
high-heels clicking

heeldin ower
a breist cowps oot
crescent muin




leaning over
a breast falls out
crescent moon

agin the kirkyaird wa
the tide
showdin




against the churchyard wall
the ocean
rocking

maws
reiddenin
i the eenin lift




gulls
reddening
in the evening sky

agane
leaves apenin
oot frae the meesterie




again
leaves opening
out from the mystery

auchteent burthday -
tethert tae'r pawrents' yett
balloons raxin tae be lowst




eighteenth birthday -
tied to her parents' gate
balloons struggling to be free

craw
lans on's sheddae
sooks it up




crow
lands on his shadow
sucks it up

licht throuch
the kirk winnock -
bairns mak mappie sheddaes




light through
the church window -
children make rabbit shadows

on ma wa
ma retiral mindin
tinglin the oors...the saiconts




on my wall
my retiral gift
chiming the hours...the seconds

guidwife doverin -
muinlicht
spreid on the bed




wife asleep -
moonlight
spread on the bed

craw -
a derk thocht
kythes i the mind




crow -
a dark thought
enters the mind

the toon
in the derkness
a stainit gless winnock




the city
in the darkness
a stained glass window

weet cluds gane -
the canaul towe-peth
a bricht blae




rain clouds gone -
the canal tow-path
a bright blue

athort the blae lift
a singul contrail muves -
scriever's clag ower




across the blue sky
a single contrail moves -
writer's block over

alang the burnside
snawdraps -
snaw faws




along the waterside
snowdrops -
snow falls

the jaur
o bricht daffins
...fusslin a jig aw day




the jar
of bright daffodils
...whistling a jig all day

a stour -
the cailleach stoaps
tae mait the maws




a blizzard -
the old lady stops
to feed the gulls

chinese lassie
her yalla pouther -
a furst daffin




chinese girl
her yellow powder -
a first daffodil

brucken yill bottle -
in a splinder
freithy cluds




broken beer bottle -
in a fragment
frothy clouds

upwind a laddie
blawin bibbles -
a streetch intae a dramewarl




upwind a boy
blowing bubbles -
I walk into a dreamworld

'ROADWORKS' -
navvies roon the bore
gove doon oan a siller sin




'ROADWORKS' -
labourers round the hole
gaze down on a silver sun

ootside the scuil
a fecht -
reid berries i the snaw




outside the school
a fight -
red berries in the snow

craw's neb
pikes the girse
the hale perk chitters




crow's beak
spikes the grass
the whole field shivers

tirl -
sheddaes stravaig
throuch the chaumers




breeze -
shadows wander
through the rooms

brainches streek oot
green taps
tig the tirl




branches stretch out
green tips
touch the breeze

thowe
dubs creckin -
a greitin bairn's runkilt neb




thaw
puddles cracking -
a crying child's crumpled face

in the clessroom winnock
new bulbs
sprootin




in the classroom window
new bulbs
sprouting

throuch the fawin weet
his bleck umberellae
muivin amang the craws




through the falling rain
his black umbrella
moving amongst the crows

in a seelent vennel
a maw skirls
swallaein the jeelin wund




in a silent alley
a gull screams
swallowing the icy wind

bawdrons curlt
i the monastery cheer -
ma maister




cat curled
in the monastery chair -
my master

Mornin Mass -
a fite wunter sin
...beekin




Morning Mass -
a white winter sun
...warming

a lift fou o sterns -
clinkin o glesses
dirr o the crack




a sky full of stars -
clinking of glasses
hum of conversation

a coortin perr sit -
her neb tae the sin
muves as it muves




young lovers sit -
her face to the sun
moves as it moves

sunlicht wyvein
throuch the brainches -
planets in luve




sunlight weaving
through the branches -
planets in love

frae
the t.v. aerial
bleckie luve sangs




from
the t.v. aerial
blackbird love songs

gled
on the heichest brainch
a contrail progs'm




hawk
on the highest branch
a contrail pierces him

oot frae the snaw
a siller birk
makkin a plash




out from the snow
a silver birch
making a splash

maw
ower freestit perks
lit frae aneath




gull
over frosted fields
lit from beneath

janiveer jazz -
the wund-section's
blawn the ruif aff




january jazz -
the wind-section's
blown the roof off

granda hauds'm
up tae the winnock
...dichts a fou muin ontae't




grandfather holds him up
to the window
...rubs a full moon onto it

snell wund -
throuch the causeys
a joogler jooglin gullies




bitter wind -
through the streets
a juggler juggling knives

youthie chiels
fellin youthie chiels -
weet blatters on sclidder




young men
killing young men -
rain beats on ice

takkin doon
Yule lichts -
the gairden snawlit




taking down
Christmas lights -
the garden snowlit

licht throuch the winnock -
in ilka pictur
fawin snaw




light through the window -
in every picture
falling snow

plainstanes chackert
wi snaw an snawmelt -
a haud tae the bleck




pavements chequered
with snow and snowmelt -
I keep to the black

on a brig
twa trevellers
skair a wurd... 'pace'




on a bridge
two travellers
share a word... 'peace'

hogmanay -
rackets agane
flourishin fir a saicont




new year's eve -
fireworks again
blossoming for a second