Anticipation and Trepidation. A Glasgow lockdown poem by Mairi Jack

shhhhh – its
gey wheesht ootside
hee-haw in the shoaps

folks roon here
kippin quizzin
stuffin their faces

aye splashin sanitiser
tae stave aff they
sleekit wee bastirts

am stuck in here
in aw that sunshine
missin oot big time

nae kiss’n’cuddle
wi ma grandweans
tae lift ma spirits

nae feelin braw when
haar lick-spits
a brand new morn

nae listenin tae
sun pennies jingle
oan a blue blue sea

just hingin oan
an oan
an oan…

an then

oh ya beauty
breeze blowin ma
cheeks aw rosy

a wee bitty smirr
pure soakin ma
druthy skin

spoon-sippin
cappuccino froth
frae Sonny & Vito

seein faimily
haun in haun
cheek tae cheek

drappin a kiss
oan thon saft wee nook o
a bairn’s neck

meanderin dwammin
cavortin then
clockin that

ye huv tae keep
yer wits aboot ye
wi pavement

free-fur-aws
runners rammin
bikes scrapin by

aw fur wan
an that wan
bein wanself

too mony selfs
stackin packin
backtrackin

uh oh
it’s in the news
spikes aw o’er the place

hell slappit intae them
lettin they wee bastirts back
efter aw that daein withoot

ah cannae bear it
ah cannae go back
intae ma box

hee-haw in the shoaps
gey wheesht ootside
shhhhhh…

…………

Mairi Jack worked as a journalist and teacher in Scotland.