from The Wee Raggit Laddie to the Laird of Blackford Hill - by
Stout Laird o’ Blackford Hill, let me
/ But gain your honour’s lug a wee,
/ I fain wad let your lairdship see
/ …
Place: Edinburgh
Betrayal in Morninside - by
Embro my ain, ye are aye meant
/ tae be a city o middle-class douceness
/ …
Cougate Revisited - by
“Aa ony o us ever wantit was a hoose in Jeffrey Street”
/ – Old lady, reminiscing on her life in the…
The Daft-Days - by
Now mirk December’s dowie face
/ Glowrs owr the rigs wi sour grimace,
/ While, thro’ his minimum of space,
/ …
from Auld Reikie - by
… Now morn, with bonny purpie-smiles,
/ Kisses the air-cock o’ St Giles;
/ Rakin their een, the servant lasses
/ Early begin their lies and…
Assynt and Edinburgh - by
From the corner of Scotland I know so well
/ I see Edinburgh sprawling like seven cats
/ on its seven hills beside…
‘Quhy will ye, merchantis of renoun’ - by
Quhy will ye, merchantis of renoun,
/ Lat Edinburgh, your nobill toun,
/ For laik of reformatioun
/ The commone proffeitt tyine, and…
Embra buses - by
I like tae sit at the front of the bus
/ and keek through the hole
/ at the driver’s heid.
/ As he pulls on…
If Leaving You - by
our blackness
a bond
before speech
or encounter
For the Opening of the Scottish Parliament, 9 October 2004 - by
Open the doors! Light of the day, shine in; light of the mind, shine out!
/ We have a building which is…
Meadow Lane Riffs, Edinburgh - by
A punk thistle with mauve mohican
/ nods to its own beat and the riff of leaves,
/ traffic, sirens and sea-gulls.
/
/ Buccleugh Parish School…
from Dumb Show, With Candles - by
Now the night has fallen, Edinburgh comes alight
/ as if each building’s shell
/ has a fire inside that burned. The follies
/ –…