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drinking

My Papa’s Waltz

{ Poem }

The whiskey on your breathCould make a small boy dizzy;But I hung on like death:Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pansSlid from the kitchen shelf;My mother’s countenanceCould not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wristWas battered on one knuckle;At every step you missedMy right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time […]

The Ferryman’s Arms - by Don Paterson

{ Poem }

About to sit down with my half-pint of Guinness
I was magnetized by a remote phosphorescence
and drawn, like a moth, to the darkened back room
where a pool-table hummed to itself in the corner.

A Scotch Night - by Will H. Ogilvie

{ Poem }

If you chance to strike a gathering of half-a-dozen friends
/ When the drink is Highland whusky or some chosen Border blends,
/ And…

Last Chance Saloon - by Lyn Moir

{ Poem }

‘Set ‘em up, kid’ was your usual cry
/ as you sauntered through the door
/ with a look in your eye and…

Best Drink of the Day - by Judy Brown

{ Poem }

The mug comes steaming, pulled / from the gasping dishwasher / in mid-monsoon, a thick white saucer / like a…

Lucozade - by Jackie Kay

{ Poem }

My mum is on a high bed next to sad chrysanthemums.
/ ‘Don’t bring flowers, they only wilt and die.’
/ I am scared…

The Silver Tassie - by Robert Burns

{ Poem }

The Silver Tassie
/
/ Go bring to me a pint o wine,
/ And fill it in a silver tassie;
/ That I may drink, before…

The Daft-Days - by Robert Fergusson

{ Poem }

Now mirk December’s dowie face
/ Glowrs owr the rigs wi sour grimace,
/ While, thro’ his minimum of space,
/ …

Oor Location - by Janet Hamilton

{ Poem }

A hunner funnels bleezin’, reekin’,
/ Coal an’ ironstane, charrin’, smeekin’;
/ Navvies, miners, keepers, fillers,
/ Puddlers, rollers, iron millers;
/ Reestit, reekit,…

Blodyn - by Elin ap Hywel

{ Poem }

Un swrth yw Sharon. Un bigog, un grin
/ sydd wedi plygu mewn am hi’ hun
/ yn blisgyn di-ildio, brown
/ fel rhisgl
/ castanwydden ola’r hydref.
/
/ Mae…

Disneyrímur, 1978 - by Thorarinn Eldjárn

{ Poem }

Úr mansöng þriðju rímu
/
/ 1
/ Opnast munnur enn á ný,
/ ómar þunnir líða um skolt.
/ Þó ég kunni að koðna á því
/ kveð ég…

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