GEORGE Bruce paints a scene with familiar elements of the Scottish landscape and weather at this time of year.
The piece can be found in Today Tomorrow, his Collected Poems, spanning almost seven decades of admirable creativity (Polygon, £14.99).
CHILD AND TREE IN AUTUMN
Last night's rains ran the river mute
giving no sound to the morning's sun.
The fir planation bends to the flowing hill
down which a straggle of copper beeches take
their doused fires to the water's edge.
From the bank the haws' red suns flare;
drenched rowans shake their fruits above.
Herds with swaying udders fulfil
the autumn day. Painted by a child
a house sits square in the middle.
Upstairs a face at a small pane peeks,
travels the canvas as if it might tear open,
the precarious moment swallowed in dark.
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