Saturday 23 February 2008

Dorothy Baird

The Fairy Lochs - Wester Ross

At the end of the Second World War, a plane crashed here carrying American soldiers home. There were no survivors.

Two adults, three children
trudge into hills
through juniper, heather, the clutch
and grasp of mud.

Bog cotton flickers like will-o’-the-wisps
and the fairy lochs watch us
with their soft eyes
where lilies are white prayers
hovering on the threshold
of two worlds.

We see it then: crumpled scraps
scattered on the slopes
like litter from death's pocket.

A propeller points to the sky
with names we read in silence:
a gravestone

where the dark water stirs
like settling memories
in the smirring rain.

7 comments:

Marion McCready said...

nice, never heard of her, will look her up!

Marion McCready said...

just realised that she's scheduled for doing a reading at The Great Grog, Edinburgh in september. why does everything always have to happen in Edinburgh??!

swiss said...

because after all the traffic, dirt, tourists and general scumminess they need somethig to get their spirits up.

but you shouldn't be put off. if yuo build it they will come. sort out a reading yourself. it really isn't dificult.you've got that cove park lot down your way. get some of them. do yuor own stuff etc etc

Marion McCready said...

never even heard of cove park! just googled it and can't believe I've never heard of it!

Marion McCready said...

did you see the rock carving at achnabreac? I bet it was a bit of a swamp up there!

swiss said...

unfortunately the rock trip dissolved into upsets with vehicles, an accidental stabbing (don;tmake sandwiches in a movng van!), traumatic weather and a descent into foolish drinking. and the bike trail was closed!

despite that all was well. we ate only polish food, had a grand blether with some local polish folk (it appears the locals haven't made the leap to eatern european goods yet, more fool them), spent some quality time with geo, who was on sparkling form, and on the way back stopped at uber chippy real foods in tyndrum, ate chips and watched the birds at play. couldthis be the first time i've seen siskins? not as planned but worth it all the same

we did have a bit of a poetry reading. as ever, drink + mcgonigall = funny

Marion McCready said...

mcgonigall hmmm someone's just lent me his collected (I didn't ask for it!), think I'll have a few drinks before I'll tackle it!