George Bruce's affectionate glimpse of the Clyde island as a holiday destination is a reminder that this is Glasgow's autumn weekend break.
The piece can be found in Today Tomorrow, Bruce's Collected Poems 1933-2000 (Polygon, £14.99).
BOARDING HOUSE, ARRAN
The marmalade is thick
with Glasgow accents.
The cornflakes flute
with Freda's giggles.
Betty and Alec go
bounce bounce
in the
cold lemonade sea
that waited the round year,
as did the soft rain
for them, dripping
and yawning into their
honey moon-suckled night,
misted: in the morning
she collected
a smooth sea stone,
put it on the step
with love;
a stone is enough
with love.
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