hogmanay
eemages wabble in dubs
whuskie braiths




new year's eve
images wobble in puddles
whisky breaths

sin on thair riggins
they breenge towarts the muin
ower the trampit yirth




sun on their backs
they race towards the moon
over the trampled earth

(race meeting)

readin Issa
hearin
the weet fawin




reading Issa
hearing
the rain falling

ma peerie Buddha
nae hap fir's heid -
the bonsai's deid




my tiny Buddha
no cover for his head -
the bonsai is dead

New Orleans jazz -
throuchoot the hoose
ma Gran Marischal strunt




New Orleans jazz -
throughout the house
my Grand Marshal strut

blowster wairnin
the gairden sweeng
slawly sterts tae sweeng




gale warning
the garden swing
slowly starts to swing

deuks hyste thair heids
tak tent:
the fish-cadger's tooter




ducks raise their heads
listen:
the fishmonger's horn

snell wund frae the sea
a maw hunkers on a pall
greetin in'ts een




cold wind from the sea
a gull sits on a bollard
tears in its eyes

derk watter stourin
faemin fite
agin hern's trams




dark watter racing
foaming white
against heron's legs

boxin day
buckets skailin:
craws' Yule




boxing day
dustbins overflowing:
crows' Christmas

hinmaist day o advent
oot frae the haar
sumthin takkin shape




last day of advent
out from the freezing fog
something taking shape

burn in spate
a fairmer corses
on unvisible stanes




flooded river
a farmer crosses
on invisible stones

alane
at the bus-stap
a tuim yill bottle




alone
at the bus-stop
an empty beer bottle

Yule
throuch scuddit brainches
blue bonnets blinter




Christmas
through naked branches
blue tits flicker

maws
skirlin
juist wi joy




gulls
crying
just with joy

racin his maister
the auld dug
his lang reid tung sweengin




racing his master
the old dog
his long red tongue swinging

sundoon
aye wairmth
in her rosary beads




sunset
still warmth
in her rosary beads

Yule bells -
myndin a deid fere
...hingin




Christmas bells -
remembering a dead friend
...hanging

bawdrons tentie o me
threidin thairms
...wins awa suddent lik




cat watches me
threading gut strings
...suddenly leaves

blae lift
fuff-ba cluds
maggie haiks's tail athort




blue sky
puff-ball clouds
magpie drags his tail across