NORMAN MacCaig describes an electifying moment with his usual originality and wit, in a piece composed half a century ago.

It can be found in the treasure-trove of his Collected Poems, edited by his son Ewen (Polygon).

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

The tall transformer stood

Biblically glorified, and then turned blue.

Space split. The earth tossed twelve hens in the air.

The landscape's hair stood up. The collie flew,

Or near it, back to the house and vanished there.

Roofed by a gravel pit,

I, in a safe place, as I always am,

Was, as I always am, observer only

- Nor cared. Why should I? The belief's a sham

That shared danger or escape cures being lonely.

Yet when I reached the croft

They excluded me by telling me. As they talked

Across my failure, I turned away to see

Hills spouting white and a huge cloud that walked

With a million million legs on to the sea.