weedin pish-the-beds  -
his fite heid
amang fite heids




weeding dandelions  -
his white head
amongst white heads

on ilka wa
the graffiti
o sodgers' sheddaes




on every wall
the graffiti
of soldiers' shadows

deid moose  -
yince sae blate
the day landlord tae unco fowk




dead mouse  -
once so shy
today host to strangers

furst granbairn  -
crans wappin dosses
ower the hansel




first grandchild  -
swifts tying bows
over the gift

ablow the meypole
she breist-feeds'r bairn
...cosmic wab




below the maypole
she breast-feeds her child
...cosmic web

on the burn
a bricht wattergaw  -
fume o diesel




on the stream
a bright rainbow  -
smell of diesel

it the sushi coonter
sautit braze  -
myndin her tears




at the sushi counter
salted bream  -
remembering her tears

the ferm-wife's washin
stringit atween twa treen  -
braw bloomers




the farm-wife's washing
strung between two trees  -
fine bloomers

his bluid jinks
throuch the vennel's causies
...seelant syncopation




his blood zigzags
through the cobbled alley
...silent syncopation

(FOR CHET BAKER)

cowpin the rose
tae snowk  -
plowt o rainwatter




tipping the rose
to smell  -
cascade of rainwater

awthing
rowed in sinlicht  -
naethin unforgien




everything
wrapped in sunlight  -
nothing unforgiven

the aul chiel hirples alang  - 
the burn
dookin an heavin




the old man limps along  -
the stream
dipping and rising

sin
throuch the cluds  -
ox-ee gowan




sun
through the clouds  -
ox-eye daisy

olympics  -
awready on the flagpole:
snail




olympics  -
already on the flagpole:
snail

the watter slidders by  -
weet feshin oot
the creepy -crawlies




the river slithers by  -
rain bringing out
the creepy-crawlies

voar
greening
the burn




spring
greening
the stream

pish-the-beds  -
universe
o sins an muins




dandelions  -
universe
of suns and moons

i the derkness
the puppieteer snites towes:
bairns lauch...greit




in the darkness
the puppeteer tweaks strings:
children laugh ...cry

fou muin...
granny's
pandrops




full moon...
grandmother's
pandrops

the blin chiel
screedin aff the braille
o's apened flooers




the blind man
reading the braille
of his opened flowers