The Golden Fleece of Arran

By Roddy Scott Aince lang ago, when jist a gleam in ma maw’s een, I was telt the tale o’ Jock the Shepherd an’ his Golden Fleece. In the autumn, he wuid drap a sheep’s fleece intae a burn- a certain burn- oan the Isle o’ Arran, knowing that when the spring cam an’... Read More

The Table Set & Letting Go

By Basia Palka THE TABLE SET a cupful of love a plateful of emotions and a jugful of time from PAINTING WITH POETRY my prayer LETTING GO first anger, then a sort of sadness sets in followed by much weeping, when the eyes have dried out that it’s difficult to open or close eyelids... Read More

A Renfrewshire Ramble

By Brian Whittingham Along the path beside the river Cart I saunter down 50 years of memory, you keeping me company. We pass the remains of Tam Mulgrew’s golf range the fairway overgrown with gnarled bushes, its meshed perimeter fence hanging like abandoned cobwebs. These days, I can’t hear, the ‘ting ting ting’ of approaching... Read More

Breathe

By Gemma Livingstone Seven decades ago I began to breathe A new life watching over a new house Part of a new estate being built The town growing into the green belt The houses spewed black smoke as coal fires burnt The cars pumped out an awful smell into the air And when I... Read More

A Breeze of Good Fortune

By Brian Whittingham At Canal Street’s Railway Path, the church’s wrought-iron gates are padlocked with decay as if the church itself is a prop for a spooky film.  We stumble over dry twigs and crunch leaves, squelching mud underfoot, the thorny undergrowth reaching for our ankles as we wind our way past dead headstones... Read More

The Grotesque

By Claire Casey A mouth, snarling at the world, a figure of stone, standing against all the evils of this world that threaten to overrun. It forces them back from whence they came, and protects the building that it calls home. No evil shall enter, or pass beyond, the thick, ancient stone walls. Not... Read More

Interview: Brian Whittingham

Brian Whittingham is the recently-appointed Renfrewshire Makar. Peter Ross accompanied him on a poetic perambulation. Bunnet pulled low against the wind off the water, his one good ear alert for the passing muse, Brian Whittingham, shipbuilder turned poet, leads the way along the riverbank to a boundary of his realm. We pass oystercatchers, joggers... Read More

The Unthanks: interview with Becky Unthank for Mill

The Unthanks are folk troubadours in the classic tradition. We spoke to Rachel about keeping the flame alive. Since The Unthanks released their first album in 2005, Tyneside siblings Becky and Rachel Unthank have accumulated a barrage of awards and critical acclaim.  Their restless musical journey has involved collaborations with Sting, Paul Hartnoll from... Read More