freest mizzlin -
day muin
dwines intae the cluds




frost melting -
day moon
disappears into the clouds

i the muinlicht
fawin leaves
...derk sterns




in the moonlight
falling leaves
...dark stars

faw'n leaves -
bairns hove thaim liftwarts
an rin throuch thair fawin




fallen leaves -
children toss them skywards
and run through their falling

ceilidh -
throuch the herp strings
the weedie's begrutten neb




recital -
through the harp strings
the widow's tear-stained face

hairst sinlicht -
beasties an stour
daunce in a leam




autumn sunlight -
insects and dust
dance in a beam

swans gaither
...bit the day the bodach
maits the wirms




swans gather
...but today the old man
feeds the worms

eller berries -
bleck een
atween the leaves




elder berries -
beady eyes
between the leaves

hairst -
the skep's putt
gaein cannie




autumn -
the beehive's pulse
slowing down

chessie shall -
the duntit bed
whaur the conker liggit




chestnut shell -
the dented bed
where the nut lay

hern i the weet -
a fireflaucht glent
... wammlin troot




heron in the rain -
a lightning flash
... wriggling trout

pheelosophie cless -
ootby the winnock
a monkey-puzzle tree




philosophy class -
outside the window
a monkey-puzzle tree

hairst wund -
the owerturnin leaves
o the gospel




autumn wind -
the turning leaves
of the gospel


(The Pope's Mass in Scotland 2010)

hairst -
the maister spreids's
orange hap




autumn -
the master spreads his
orange robe

her alsatian
chattles ma fingers:
prees the dree




her alsatian
nibbles my fingers:
tastes the fear

mornin haar -
atween the treen
attercap's ghaistly brig




morning mist -
between the trees
spider's ghostly bridge

i the perk
craws pikein faw'n aipples
...cooried junkies




in the park
crows spiking fallen apples
...huddled junkies

...gaislins
haud by
i thair fedder boatties




...goslings
pass by
in their feather boats

auld freen -
oxterin'm
oor banes bairge




old friend -
embracing him
our bones collide

his neb
tint in's baird -
een blae eggs in a nest




his face
lost in his beard -
eyes blue eggs in a nest

ower the palin
ma neebor's sinflooer
...freenly neb




over the fence
my neighbour's sunflower
...friendly face