At the meeting of the Cumbrae Contemporary Poetry Society on Saturday July 8 the session was presented by the well known local poet Bill Torrie Douglas who led the session on 'Scottish poetry.'

Bill read several of his own poems and those of historical importance citing that above all that the use of dialect and Scots language should reflect in an honest fashion the character and characteristics of the people of a given region.
A lively debate ensued involving opinions of the use of the Scots language and how it has been effected historically by 'standard English' but most agreed that now days Scottish poets have an international standing based on a strong representation of poets, from early to modern. Bill read his Scots poem 'Madonna', which was highly appreciated.

The poem is below...

  Madonna

Ah wis puggled wi whisky
an John wouldnae let me go hame on ma ain;
we took a taxi tae his hoose.
Marge his wife took tent o me,
gied me some broth an breid.
Ah saw this Madonna on the wa,
a cowl oan her heid, a wean in her airms
an a look in her een that spoke tae yer hert.
Ah tellt them Ah wis gey taein wi it.

Marge died a few months syne
an efter the funeral John says tae me
  'Ah've got somthin fur ye.'
Ah didnae greet but it wis gey close.
Madonna is on the wa abune ma desk.
She's aye lookin ayont me,
ower ma shooder.

Ah like tae think she's takin tent o me noo. 


The next meeting of the Cumbrae Contemporary Poetry Society is on Saturday 22nd of July at 11am meeting at the Art Studio on Cumbrae. All are welcome. It will be 'Poetry in the park' so bring sandwiches and your three best loved/own nature poems as the members explore local surroundings.