Scots poem of the month - August 2006

Tae Boryborygmusses (Valéry Larbaud) Rift n’ pump! Rift n’ pump! Deep curmurrrin uv yer tummy and yer trollie-bags, Girnin, fidgety flesh, Voices, unstoppable whispery organs, Wee yelps, the only patter ’at doesny lee, An which persists even a bit eftir ye’ve popped yer veritable clogs … Doll, time n’ again wi huv taen a wee brek fae oor rumpy-pumpy Tae listen tae the sang o oor ain intimmers; Ach but it said it all – interminably sometimes – While we tried oor level best no tae get thi kinks! Up it cam fae deep doon, Daft an ringin, Louder an aw oor houghmagandy, Mair unepectit, mair inexorable, mair sairious – Och the inevitable sang of thi oesophagus! - stifled glug glug o a wee refreshment the plop gloop plop o thi oary boats plyin the pond i Queen’s Park – Christ but if it isny thi maist mysterious hingmygig Ah’ll niver be able tae deny; Sweet Mary an Joseph if it isny thi verra last wurd ah’ll utter When, still warm, ah’ll be thi puir soul at soils the soil: a final ‘Gardez-lou! from Un Tour d'Ecosse by David Kinloch, reproduced with kind permission from Carcanet. This title and David Kinloch's latest collection, In My Father's House, are both available to purchase from Carcanet's website. Poem supplied by the Scottish Poetry Library

About the poet David Kinloch was born and brought up in Glasgow. He is the author of four books of poetry including Un Tour d'Ecosse (Carcanet, 2001) and In My Father's House (Carcanet, 2005). In 2004 he won a Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial Award. He currently teaches Creative Writing and Scottish Literature at the University of Strathclyde.

If you have enjoyed this poem, you can borrow a range of poetry from the Scottish Poetry Library, who also lend by post. Telephone 0131 557 2876 or email reception@spl.org.uk. For an online catalogue, poetry events listings and more featured poems, please visit the Scottish Poetry Library website.