Spider's Spin On It

Just back from Stanza- bagless, unhappily. Who will inherit my smelly socks, flog the first draft of 'The Role of the Oatcake in Scottish History' to the university of Texas after my death? I enjoyed Stanza in my own way and I may write more on this later. Let me announce to the anticipating millions, however, the new project, 'The Spider's Spin On It': Poems inspired by Scottish History. Illustrated by the incomparable Hugh Bryden, this booklet is a mere 8 squid. You can buy one at one of the launches in April or May- watch this space- or by poking my button, yes that's it just there on the right, up a wee bit, uh huh..


The Sma’ Folk

(“It was once thought that artisans and Scottish soldiers’ wives, seeing the tide of battle turn in favour of the Scots at Bannockburn, tied blankets to poles and rushed down Ghillies Hill to join the fray. Modern scholars doubt this.”)

Ave heard it tell we werenae there
but we aye are;
close as craws to sodgers
an the reek o’ bluid.
We’re sma’ but we cover the groon
like haar,
thieves, hoors and ither scum,
bone-pickers.
Dad’s Army we’re no,
but we won the battle, a’ richt.
We aye dae.