Jock Scot captures a memorable moment at sunset in Edinburgh.

His poem comes from the anthology Untitled One, edited by Kevin Williamson and Michael Pedersen (Polygon/ Neu  Reekie! Publishing, 2015).

       ABOVE THE VOLCANO

We climbed to the top of Arthur’s Seat

And looked down on the castle

Through the haar you could see Inchkeith

And in the city, the glint of granite

Was caught in the setting sun

At that moment when we two were one

Standing there together

With the whole town spread before us

The sun set over Glasgow way – and, yes!

The colours they were glorious.

-

Then the lights came on

And street by street

A transformation transformed

Leith Walk, George Street, Easter Road

With Clermiston beyond.

-

I was trying to explain to you how I felt

I was going on and on

But you weren’t even listening –

You were humming a Bob Dylan song.

-

We were slipping on the shallow earth

Where the rock broke through;

The rock was breaking through

The shallow earth.

You slipped, and I caught you, and you laughed,

Just then.

As I prayed that the moment would never end.

The end