EUNICE Buchanan, now in her eighties, has just won the Saltire Society's Scottish First Book of the Year Award with her collection, As Far As I Can See (Kettillonia, £9).

One of this talented writer's fortes is to rework classical myths with a subversive twist. Here are the opening verses of the poem which won her runner-up's prize in the McCash Scots Poetry Competition in 2011. She has also won the first prize.

from PERSEPHONE

When I wis there I gied Hell

a richt redd up.

Pit a spoke in Ixion's wheel,

shone up Tantalus's tassie,

telt Orpheus there's nae lookin back.

I suin pit the peter on Cerberus.

Yon tyke wis jist needin telt.

Let's me bye noo, baith in an oot,

wi'oot worryin ony o's heids.

O course Hades himself

wis fair bumbazed -

niver kent that Hell

cuid be that tidy.

Och, I niver mindit the puir bruit.

A wee bit houghmagandie,

an a clean sark eence a week -

he's weel content. . .