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