PERHAPS THE THRUSH

Cycling through the city
through diesel fumes
the smell of buddleia

__ink blot
__turns into a butterfly

backwards flight
revisited
in sleep

__the dancers turn
__to face a new partner

tracing the loch edge
she follows
her breath home

__stirred embers
__glow into life

grab it
while you can
young ?un

__sweethearts
__holding out for dessert

two spoons
fit together
snugly

__slipping
__into the North Sea

the splashes 
in front
of my eyes

__gulls gone inshore
__clean up on chips

scrumping
by torchlight
ouch!

__chestnuts in husks
__thin-soled shoes        

stamping I holler
listen to me
I have something to say

__no-one hears
__the answering echo

perhaps the thrush
whose wings dip
in unseen salute

__cuckoo cuckoo
__cuckoo                               

into a half pint glass
the small girl
carefully places snowdrops

__there’s fruit
__hidden in this garden.

a nijuuin renga in Summer
the hidden gardens, Glasgow
August 14, 2004

Participants

Gerry Loose (master)
Anne-Marie Culhane (host)
Vicky Hale (co-ordinator)
Morven Gregor
Diana Treffry
Ashby McGowan
Amanda McGowan
Maggie Graham
Marc Sherland
Dominic Boyle
Simone Fleming
Mirren Boyd
Laura Boyd
Roberta McLennan
Leslie McLennan
Nancy Bain