A SAMPLE from William Hershaw's new collection, Postcairds Fae Woodwick Mill (Grace Note Publications, £7.50).

The Fife dominie is in first-class form in these poems with an Orkney background. As for the Scots language he employs to such effect, he advises, "Dinnae be feart."

BUIRD

A buird flew tae ma gairden -

a byordinar thing.

The ither buirds tuik tae the air:

it sat thonder like a King.

A hunting buird, faur fae hame,

wi talons and cruel beak,

its wings fauldit awaa -

whither Sparrowhawk or Buzzard,

I cuidnae puit a nemme on it ataa.

Nae need tae film it on ma phone,

tae log it in some buirdy buik,

tae figure out its flichtpath,

or why it flew intae ma neuk.

A thing ayont ma ken,

that I goved at till it left,

jalousin was I in its thocht?

Whither Kestrel or Red Kite,

I was gled for whit it brocht.