THE distinctive, thoughtful voice of Gael Turnbull (1928-2004) rings out from these two pieces in Whatever the Sea: Scottish Poems for Growing Older, edited by Lizzie MacGregor with foreword by Sally Magnusson (Scottish Poetry Library/Polygon, 2016, £9.99).

IT’S BEEN

It’s been a long time

all the time we’ve spent

and we’ve had such times

though sometimes not

and at other times

just no time at all

and all the time

hard to find time

for what does take time,

to tell you

they’ve been good times

and often, countless times,

beyond that and now

it’s that time

when there’s less time than there was

but still time

and to spare,

time enough,

this time,

which is always

a long time.

A CAIRN

As by barren trackway

on a mountain crest

with view of scree and corrie,

ridge and col,

a traveller might pause,

take bearings, cast

in tribute to record:

‘A man came here, went on,

left common token, shared

with those who went before

And shall come after.’