Wednesday, July 16, 2008

ABC Wednesday - Z is for Zen Speug


photograph © 2008, Euan McDonald

Z is for zen speug which is the blog of John McDonald who publishes haiku in Scots together with translations into English.

Now you don't have to squint at the screen to read his work. He has just published a collection in print titled THE THROU-GAUN CHIEL. Crows, cats and children are perhaps the topics that dominate the book. My favourites are:
furst gorblins -
voar juist gat
roarier

first fledglings -
spring just got
noisier

***

coortin kipple
a coffee atween thaim -
stame heavin

young lovers
a coffee between them -
steam rising

***

ahint steekit hingers -
the new weedower
blethers tae's guidwife

behind closed curtains -
the new widower
talks to his wife
John is not the first poet to write Scots haiku and some might argue he is not the greatest but he is certainly the latest.

JOHN McDONALD: THE THROU-GAUN CHIEL
Cyberwit.net
4/2 B, L.I.G. Govindpur Colony,
Allahabad-211004 (U.P.)
India

ISBN 978 81 8253 117 8
Rs. 100/-

visit the website of Cyberwit.net
You nearly only got a sidesway view of John. I spent a lot of time trying to upload his photograph to blogger. As I wrote in an earlier post, blogger kept rotating the image. I've only solved the problem now by hosting the image on my personal website.

To visit more ABC-Wednesday Z posts go to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

17 comments:

  1. You always have such lovely and informative posts:)

    Petunia's ABC

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  2. You win the price for the most original Z this time around - without having seen many of the others!

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  3. I agree with Runee - most original and informative post so far (and I think I've seen them all so far (10 of them anyways!!)

    Gary
    Bodge's Bulletin

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  4. Oh, these haikus almost made me weep! I must look out for his book. Thanks so much for sharing! :D

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  5. Well again I learn something new. Lucky you that you know Zen for your Z post...

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  6. This is a great post. My father used to have a book of of Scots ballads. I don't know what became of it. This is a most informative post, meriting a follow-up.

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  7. I always learn something here. :)

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  8. I go with Runee - Original and interesting!
    Cheers, Klaus

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  9. I'm thinking of certain episode of Frasier Right now! It is wonderfully original, informative and well completely out there. Excellent.

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  10. I never knew one thing about this. Thanks!

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  11. Nice to meet u Zen Speug....

    Mine in here At My Imaginary. Thanks

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  12. Great choice and lovely portrait for Letter Z.

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  13. I've never though of haiku in anything but English or Japanese/

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  14. Great stuff Gerald, as ever informative and so interesting!

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  15. Haiku in Scots. Now that's a new one on me!

    He has a lovely face.

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