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