Do You
after Jacques Charpentreau
Do you see who dodges away,
disappearing into the blue?
That is life, on its way,
dancing beyond you.
Do you feel a breath tease
your cheek, stir the grass, lift the dew?
That is time, like the breeze,
having fun with you.
Do you hear singing, a choir
of echoing voices, promising anew?
Relax. That is only desire
playing tricks with you.
Do you sense at your elbow
an old friend but can’t guess who?
That is death, faithful shadow,
laughing with you.
About this poem
This poem was included in Best Scottish Poems 2004. Best Scottish Poems is an online publication, consisting of 20 poems chosen by a different editor each year, with comments by the editor and poets. It provides a personal overview of a year of Scottish poetry. The editor in 2004 was Hamish Whyte.
Editor’s comment:
Gael Turnbull’s death in July this year has robbed us of a truly individual voice. ‘Do You’ is typically Turnbull: sparked by another work (he was a great homager), full of repetition, a sing-song quality, a wry humour, an enticing simplicity saying profound things.
