Here are a few of my most recent poems. To read more, please visit my poetry blog Gaelic Dreams.
the taste of laughter
i wish i knew more than this,
more than the listless dribblings
that fall from my memorizing tongue
ceaselessly turning pages
composed by knowledgeable others
whose certainties transpose my doubts
i would have seen more,
gleaned more from the engagings
of life’s merry makings and sheddings
i would have played gleefully
without a care for the cold haunting,
the distracting dissatisfactions of others
and i would stop wallowing
tearfully swallowing the pills of regret,
which is why the now is for me and for us
you see, at this moment i
tremble at the sight of you smiling
again, my dear love, and i am exultant
years may have swept away
my receding needs and pleases
leaving empty regard for times unheld
but i so very am—i am still
beyond the graying yesteryears
and despite them all, i know the taste of laughter
i wish i knew more than this,
more than the listless dribblings
that fall from my memorizing tongue
ceaselessly turning pages
composed by knowledgeable others
whose certainties transpose my doubts
i would have seen more,
gleaned more from the engagings
of life’s merry makings and sheddings
i would have played gleefully
without a care for the cold haunting,
the distracting dissatisfactions of others
and i would stop wallowing
tearfully swallowing the pills of regret,
which is why the now is for me and for us
you see, at this moment i
tremble at the sight of you smiling
again, my dear love, and i am exultant
years may have swept away
my receding needs and pleases
leaving empty regard for times unheld
but i so very am—i am still
beyond the graying yesteryears
and despite them all, i know the taste of laughter
Scotland For All
Spires of stone mark this place
Where the bleating of the yowes
Blends with the cackle of painted puffins
This is a place of wonder and prayer
Where the cold clings to your heart
Calling the silent faithful to kneel
A place where the sun teases laughter
And time allows a respite of days
When whiskey flows casually and fair
Before the ever grasping English
Eager descendants of Saxon stock
Had hung their demands from swords
Before the Norsemen had landed
To pillage and plunder and finally
To settle old scores with blood
Before the clans of Caledonia had arisen
And bloody feuds and ceaseless war
Had stained this beautiful land
Even before the Picts their cairns
Had mournfully raised over the dead
Or bowed their heads to Ninian’s plea
There was this—a country shaped by God
Scotland, not for one people alone
But for all who give it their hearts
Spires of stone mark this place
Where the bleating of the yowes
Blends with the cackle of painted puffins
This is a place of wonder and prayer
Where the cold clings to your heart
Calling the silent faithful to kneel
A place where the sun teases laughter
And time allows a respite of days
When whiskey flows casually and fair
Before the ever grasping English
Eager descendants of Saxon stock
Had hung their demands from swords
Before the Norsemen had landed
To pillage and plunder and finally
To settle old scores with blood
Before the clans of Caledonia had arisen
And bloody feuds and ceaseless war
Had stained this beautiful land
Even before the Picts their cairns
Had mournfully raised over the dead
Or bowed their heads to Ninian’s plea
There was this—a country shaped by God
Scotland, not for one people alone
But for all who give it their hearts
nighean ruadh
it came as no surprise to me then
and yet i delighted in the sight
of you standing beneath the great tree
still gathering sparkles of sunlight
jealously shielded by the canopy above
the sun could not bear to part from you
delighted at your gentle touch
along the bark of this ancient weaver
entwining emeralds in the air about you
bobbing lightly through the shadows
wanting only to be close to you
the finest jewels suffer at your sight
how can i express the joy i felt
seeing you there, your lovely hair
gleefully glancing here waving there
nothing could i even now compare
to the serenity in your face
peace itself bows reverently before you
that moment belonged to you, m’eudail
mind you the music across the park
the pipes had begun to play and all would say
that the melody so fair was like the song
that flows from your sweet lips
music adores thee as well, my love
i will always mind that tree in Hyde Park
and how you glowed even in the shadows
for the truth of your very being is such
that no darkness could ever shroud the beauty
of my beloved nighean ruadh*
* “Nighean ruadh” translates as “red-haired lass”.
it came as no surprise to me then
and yet i delighted in the sight
of you standing beneath the great tree
still gathering sparkles of sunlight
jealously shielded by the canopy above
the sun could not bear to part from you
delighted at your gentle touch
along the bark of this ancient weaver
entwining emeralds in the air about you
bobbing lightly through the shadows
wanting only to be close to you
the finest jewels suffer at your sight
how can i express the joy i felt
seeing you there, your lovely hair
gleefully glancing here waving there
nothing could i even now compare
to the serenity in your face
peace itself bows reverently before you
that moment belonged to you, m’eudail
mind you the music across the park
the pipes had begun to play and all would say
that the melody so fair was like the song
that flows from your sweet lips
music adores thee as well, my love
i will always mind that tree in Hyde Park
and how you glowed even in the shadows
for the truth of your very being is such
that no darkness could ever shroud the beauty
of my beloved nighean ruadh*
* “Nighean ruadh” translates as “red-haired lass”.
nothing so dear
Gae wi’ me noo, love, far awa’
tae a land sae ancient an’ braw
whaur oor sweet weans an’ aye we twa
a life shall mak’ sae dear.
Tae thee shall A e’er be leal
’twas thee taught me richt how tae feel
how tae ken truest love aye weel
wi’ nae at all tae fear.
Come climb wi’ me yon rollin’ knowes
amang heather an’ wand’rin’ yowes
whaur the day to yer beauty bows
an’ gi’es yer tender haun.
Throu glens painted rich wi’ life
sae far from warldly cares and strife
whit joy tae kneel doon wi’ ma wife
alang the gentlest straun.
In winter let us dare the snaw
the silence tae drink in oor shaw
nae matter hou the winds maun blaw
A’ll always hauld ye near.
Gin ye could but love me so then
A wad the warld should truly ken
e’en tae the peak o’ the highest ben
fer me is nathin’ sae dear.
IN ENGLISH
Go with me now, love, far away
to a land so ancient and fine
where our sweet children and yes we two
a life shall make so dear.
To thee shall I ever be loyal
’twas thee taught me right how to feel
how to know truest love so well
with not at all to fear.
Come climb with me yon rolling hills
among heather and wandering ewes
where the day to your beauty bows
and give me your tender hand.
Through glens painted rich with life
so far from worldly cares and strife
what joy to kneel down with my wife
along the gentlest shore.
In winter let us dare the snow
the silence to drink in our grove
no matter how the winds may blow
I’ll always hold you near.
If you could but love me so then
I would the world should truly know
even to the peak of the highest mountain
for me is nothing so dear.
Gae wi’ me noo, love, far awa’
tae a land sae ancient an’ braw
whaur oor sweet weans an’ aye we twa
a life shall mak’ sae dear.
Tae thee shall A e’er be leal
’twas thee taught me richt how tae feel
how tae ken truest love aye weel
wi’ nae at all tae fear.
Come climb wi’ me yon rollin’ knowes
amang heather an’ wand’rin’ yowes
whaur the day to yer beauty bows
an’ gi’es yer tender haun.
Throu glens painted rich wi’ life
sae far from warldly cares and strife
whit joy tae kneel doon wi’ ma wife
alang the gentlest straun.
In winter let us dare the snaw
the silence tae drink in oor shaw
nae matter hou the winds maun blaw
A’ll always hauld ye near.
Gin ye could but love me so then
A wad the warld should truly ken
e’en tae the peak o’ the highest ben
fer me is nathin’ sae dear.
IN ENGLISH
Go with me now, love, far away
to a land so ancient and fine
where our sweet children and yes we two
a life shall make so dear.
To thee shall I ever be loyal
’twas thee taught me right how to feel
how to know truest love so well
with not at all to fear.
Come climb with me yon rolling hills
among heather and wandering ewes
where the day to your beauty bows
and give me your tender hand.
Through glens painted rich with life
so far from worldly cares and strife
what joy to kneel down with my wife
along the gentlest shore.
In winter let us dare the snow
the silence to drink in our grove
no matter how the winds may blow
I’ll always hold you near.
If you could but love me so then
I would the world should truly know
even to the peak of the highest mountain
for me is nothing so dear.
moments sae pure
afore there were promise and sang
afore wintry nights had grown lang
afore our guests frae afar did thrang
there were cumbria’s brawest dales
just afore we twa were wed, m’eudail
just as our passions had led
afore our vows sae true were said
we traveled through love’s sweetest tales
’twere ye and the grass and the trees
and there i quickly fell tae my knees
this image tae capture with ease
yet i still had nae seen full well
no, not the blush in yer cheek
nor the joy that ye surely did seek
my soul being ever too mild, too meek
the clearest of truths tae tell
when i rose and finally drew near
yer sweet gentle voice tae hear
expecting naught but great cheer
i saw then the tears in yer eyes
oh how could i but trace, then
in this most idyllic place
the tears that slid doon yer face
abuin derwent water serene
how could i then have known
all the mysteries yet tae be shown
despite how close we had grown
my beauteous, my wondrous queen
there are moments aye sae pure
beyond all the pain we endure
which in sharing might yet ensure
that love maun ne’er gae agley
in keswisk we wandered and played
o’er knowes and glens we strayed
yet for a moment on that hill we stayed
as i kissed yer tears away
afore there were promise and sang
afore wintry nights had grown lang
afore our guests frae afar did thrang
there were cumbria’s brawest dales
just afore we twa were wed, m’eudail
just as our passions had led
afore our vows sae true were said
we traveled through love’s sweetest tales
’twere ye and the grass and the trees
and there i quickly fell tae my knees
this image tae capture with ease
yet i still had nae seen full well
no, not the blush in yer cheek
nor the joy that ye surely did seek
my soul being ever too mild, too meek
the clearest of truths tae tell
when i rose and finally drew near
yer sweet gentle voice tae hear
expecting naught but great cheer
i saw then the tears in yer eyes
oh how could i but trace, then
in this most idyllic place
the tears that slid doon yer face
abuin derwent water serene
how could i then have known
all the mysteries yet tae be shown
despite how close we had grown
my beauteous, my wondrous queen
there are moments aye sae pure
beyond all the pain we endure
which in sharing might yet ensure
that love maun ne’er gae agley
in keswisk we wandered and played
o’er knowes and glens we strayed
yet for a moment on that hill we stayed
as i kissed yer tears away