Brekin rainbows
He wis just a wee lad
dibblin in a puddle,
glaur fae heid tae fit,
enjoyin haen a guddle.
He micht hae bin a poacher
puin salmon fae the beck.
He coulda bin a paratrooper,
swamp up tae his neck.
Mibbe he wis brekin rainbows
reflectit in the watter,
his ill-shod feet wid split the prism
an mak the colours scatter.
Onywey he wis faur awa,
deep wandert in his dreams;
it richt sobert me tae mind
a dub’s no whit it seems.
An while ah watched an grieved
the loss that maks a man a mug,
alang the road fair breenged his maw
an skelpt him roon the lug.
About this poem
This poem was reproduced on a postcard for National Poetry Day 2007. Eight poetry postcards are published each year by the Scottish Poetry Library to celebrate National Poetry Day and are distributed throughout Scotland to schools, libraries and other venues. The theme for 2007 was dreams. You can find out more about National Poetry Day in our National Poetry Day pages, where you’ll also find resources to go with the poems.
Learn more
Janet Paisley
Janet Paisley was a poet, novelist, playwright and writer for television and radio who promoted the Scots Language.
