Tribute to the new Scottish Makar

Poetry Scotland commissioned Mandy to write a poem to welcome and honour Liz Lochhead, the new Makar, Scotland's national poet. It is published, along with one in Scots by Bill Herbert, in the most recent issue - Spring 2011 - out now. It's called 'The Makar's Bucket'.

The Makar’s Bucket

for Liz Lochhead, Scotland’s new Makar, 2011

Here comes that Glasgow poet
filling her bucket at the stream again.
You know its source is a wild land rock
that swells with rain,
gathers, sweetens, holds
then lets it go
to chuckle and dance, burble and joke,
gush, roar, contemplate, console.

If you’ve a thirst
this woman will quench it.
She knows where the flow is fresh.
She wants us all to taste at least a drop.
The water of life’s in the Makar’s bucket.
Take her your beakers,
bring her your cups,
fill them, raise them, sup!