Ripening
by Sheila Templeton
In green rodden timeI wanted to be you.
Scarted my knee
on reuch scabbit bark,
stappit my pockets
wi hard berries praying
you¹d run oot o supplies
an need mine.
You made planes wi balsa
an gaudy coloured tissue,
wheeched a sharp propeller
makkin contact wi the wind,
file I held the hint o the twine.
Seely tae chitter, ice-tangled
file you ignored me.
Aenoo, rodden branches
hing hunnerwechted, dairk
ripened, riddy for pickin.
Saft crame flesh, nae use
for the games we played
lang syne.
And I¹m ower thrang
tae help flee your plane.
Thrang rubbin bricht berries
atween my finger-eyns,
slowly staining my lips
tae silk in the munelicht,
waitin for you tae land.
rodden : rowan scarted : scratched reuch : rough stappit : stuffed hint : end seely : happy crame : cream thrang : busy munelicht : moonlight