Anna MacDonald

Local words and expressions
(Many relegated tae th' past)
Survive in conversation
It's to be prayed they're here tae last

Unintelligible - perhaps!
Tae th' young'r generation
Below - a chosen few
Listed with discretion

Jump aff the kribbie
Dance in a dub
Fa' doon a kundie
There's a rammie in th' pub

Tea at th' bunker
Watch oot- ye're slaiver'n
Doon on ye're hunkers
Cut th' comedy - ye're haiver'n

A shottie o' a book
Plooterin' squeezin' a persistent plook Read more......

Pray conversation
May never be 'non-event'
As Information Technology
Floods with intent

Attempted business calls
(even with Smart Phones)
Can drive to sheer distraction
Lowering language tones

"We ARE very busy
Thank you for holding the line
Your call IS valuable to us"
(But it's wasting precious time)

"Press 1, 2 or 3 (instructs automation)
(in welcomed surprise)
"Or 4 - without hesitation
To connect with one who'll advise" Read more......

To the listener
The spoken word
Seldom remains unheard
Perhaps lingering on
Long after conversation's done

Leaving behind
Keepsakes
In corners of the mind

Round City circles (in roundabout way)
Travellers are travelling every day

Inner circles - outer circles
Serving old and young

'The Circle' falls fluently
From the tongue

May she remain
True to her own good name

Leaving little doubt
She knows with certainty

She's a Roundabout

Kundie - peculiar to Dundee
Is descriptive
To you and me

Foreign to Fife - Forfar - Perth
Ask tourists the meaning
They'll give wide berth

Travelling abroad
Away from home
Kundie is in a league of its own

Let Kundie - a mystery be
In the colourful language
Of Dundee

The Citadel – now razed to the ground
Leaves behind the silent sound
Of Salvation Army Silver Bands
Of tambourines in soldiers happy hands

Songs of praise of “Blood and Fire”
A motto truly to inspire

No last post or bugle sound
As her walls came tumbling to the ground

Spring awoke this morning
With snowdrops in her hand
And primroses of delicate colours
To decorate the land

Daffodil gold
Cherry blossom pink
Shades of winter
Vanished in a wink

Lush green leaves and grassland
Under a sky of youthful blue
Transformed the landscape
Into a stunning view
 

An Aladdin’s cave it seemed tae be
In the early 80’s – for you an’ me!

Bargain-huntin’ hopin’ tae find
Perhaps an unusual “Vassart” (signed)

Or Clarice Cliff – Moorcroft – Weymss Ware
Among the junk depositied there

For many stall-holders a family affair
Workin’ the’ gather selling their ware

Some selt second-hand claes
That’d mair’n often seem better days!
An’ if the ‘student-look’ was in the mind
It was nae ower hard tae find
Odd apparel has an academic ring
An’ youth (ye ken) must hae it’s fling Read more......

Exquisite jewel displayed in antique fair
Opulently sparkling there
From jaded presentation case
Swathed in old Victorian lace

Oh! The drama you inspire
Pearls fluster as rubies desire
To tease transparent peridot
Clasping a lover’s knot

Were skies always sapphire blue
Did silver bells all ring true
Did emerald or turquoise sea
Bring a beloved back to thee

Were you the fairest ever seen
Did you grace a regal queen
Or perhaps a maiden fair
With shining crown of platinum hair Read more......