crippilt bairn hauds's
palm-corse tae the licht
...hings on'ts sheddae




crippled child holds his
palm-cross to the light
...hangs on its shadow

(Palm Sunday)

a peerie shaw -
weet an birks
souchin thegither




a tiny grove -
rain and birches
singing together

furst gean flourish -
blate straiks
o reid




first cherry blossom -
shy streaks
of red

the dentist's gairden
thirlin -
ruits o the auld aik




the dentist's garden
quivering -
roots of the old oak

dreich mornin
bit fir a joug o blitheness:
daffins




depressing morning
but for a jug of joy:
daffodils

aises
on ma broo
the priest's snell thoum




ashes
on my forehead
the priest's cold thumb

(winner Caribbean Kukai #11)

mairch wunds
booin
the bodach




march winds
bending
the old man

leddies
i thair burkas
roon the cosmetic coonter




ladies
in their burkas
round the cosmetic counter

labster fishers
argie-bargie -
a poke o cleuks




lobster fishermen
arguing -
a bag of claws

forleetit scuil -
voar flooers'
shooglin nebs




derelict school -
spring flowers'
jostling faces

muinlicht
throuch the winnock
fouin a bleck bra




moonlight
through the window
filling a black bra

bawdrons dernin -
amang the snawdraps
yin siller bell




cat hiding -
among the snowdrops
one siver bell

throuch palm leaves:
the sin
in sclices




through palm leaves:
the sun
in slices

bi the herbour:
beached baits
fush oot o watter




by the harbour:
beached boats
fish out of water

ootby the bulraing
waff
o hamburger




outside the bullring
smell
of hamburger

she greets
wi'r
mizzlin snawman




she weeps
with
her melting snowman

mizzlin snaw -
the burn slawly
sclims the hern's shanks




melting snow -
the stream slowly
climbs the heron's legs


(winner Sketchbook kukai: melting snow)