BOOKS | Feature
POETIC LICENCE Kirsty Logan chooses four Scottish poems for whatever romantic situation you fi nd yourself in this Valentine’s Day
FOR A FIRST DATE ’HOW TO DRINK ON THE FIRST DATE’ BY TRACEY S ROSENBERG You’re different. I can tell. For you I’ll say: let’s skip the pub entirely. I know this little place off the Links where the only drinks they serve are chocolate. Let’s start slowly, with these drinks I could indulge in till dawn: plain hot chocolate, or spiked with chilli. They offer whipped cream and marshmallows. I forgive you asking if I want either or both; you’ve only just met me. You don’t know yet. There’s a round table in the front window, big enough for two. Set down your mug; squeeze it with both hands and breathe. Let chocolate introduce itself before you dive in. DonDonDonDonDonDonDonDonDonDoDonDonDDDoDono ’t’t’t’t’t’t’t’t’’tt rusrusrusrusrusrusrusrususrusrusrusrusrususruuu h. h. h. h.hh.h.hhhhh Don’t rush. tytyty yytytyttytytytyttyyytytyytytytytytyytyytyyyytytttytytyytytyyy of of of of of of of ofofof ofofoffoooofofofofofofofofoffofffofofooff timtimtimtimtimtimmmtimmtimimtimtimtimmimtimmmtimtimtimtimtimtimtimtimmmmtimtimtimmtimmmmtimtimtimmtt mtt mme.e.e.e.e.e.ee.e.e.ee.e.ee.e.ee.eeee.e.e.e..e.eee.ee We have plenty of time. ty ty ty ty lusluslusluslusluslusluslusluslususluslluuss (S(S(S(SS(S(S(S(S(S(S(S(S(S(SS(SStewtewtewtewtewtewtewtewewtewtewtewewtewtewttewewewed ed ed ed eded ed ed ded ed eed edddd RhuRhuRhuRhuRhuRhuRhuRhuRhuRhuhuRhuRhuhRhRhuhhhhRRhhRhR babarbarbarbarbarbarbarbabarbarbarbarbaaarbarbaaraaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrb)b)b)b)b)b)b)b)b)b)bb)b)b)b)b)bb ■ Taken from Lipstick is Always a Plus (Stewed Rhubarb) We We We We WeWe We We We We We WeWWWe WeWeWe WWeWeWeWeWeWeWeWWeWeWWeWeeeWeWeWeWeWWeWWWWWWWWW havhavhavhavhavhavhavhavhavhavhavhahavhavavhavhavavhavhavvavhavvvhavhavhavhahaahahavvvhavavvvvvvhavhavhahahavhhahhahah ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■■■ ■■■■■ TakTakTakTakTakTakTakTakTakTakakkTakTakTT en en en en en en enen enen enenenenenennnnnn frofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofroffrfrooffrofrooooom Lm Lm Lm LLLmm Lm Lmm m Lmm Lm Lmm ipsipsipsipsipsipsipsipipspsipssipspsippp tictictictictictticticiticticicccccccck ik ik ik ik ik ik ik ik ik ik k iik kkkkkk iis As As As As As As As AAAs As As AAAss AAAs Ass Alwalwalwalwalwalwawalwalwalwlwalwawawalwwlwwlwwww ysysysysysysysysysysysyssysssy a Pa Pa Pa PPa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa Pa PPPa a PPPPPa e pe pe pe pe pe pe pe pe e pe ppe pe pe pee pe pppe pe pe pe pe ppe pee pe ppe pppe ppe pe ppeee ppe lenenlenlenenlenlenlenlenlenllenenlenleeneneelenlenlenlenlenenennenelenlennnennnlelelenlellleelell
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42 THE LIST 23 Jan–20 Feb 2014 42 THE LIST THE LIST 23 Jan 20 Feb 2014
FOR A SEDUCTION ’SEX POEM NUMBER 3’ BY WILLIAM LETFORD buckles belts buttons clips jeans jeans socks stretch for the socks negotiate the heel negotiate the heel pants slow for the pants then another person’s skin i ngertips i ne hairs follicles then couch to carpet elbows knees focus acknowledge the clues quickness of breath pressure on shoulders pressure on hips don’t get distant smile make eye contact love if at all possible love ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■ ■■ ■■■■■■■■■■ ■ ■ ■■ ■■ ■ ■■TakTakTakTakTakTakTakakTakTTakTakTTTakTakTakakTaTaTakTTakTaTakTakTakTaTaTakTaTakTakTTakTaakTaTakTakTaTaTaTakakaakakkkkTakakakakakka enenen enenen eneneneeeneneneneneneneneeeeneneneneneneeeneneennenenenenennnnennnenfrofrofrofrofrorofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofrofrororfrofrfroofrofrofrofffrofrofrofrofrofrofrrorofrofrofrororoooofrorrooooofrfrfr m Bm Bm Bmm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bm Bmm Bm Bm Bmmm Bm Bm Bmm Bmm Bm Bm BBmmmm Bm Bmmm Bm BBm BBBBBBeveeveeveeveeveeveeveeveeeveeveeveeveeveeveveeveeveveeveveevveveeveveeveeveeveeveevveveeveveevevveeevevveveeeeeeee eeee eel (l (l (l (l (l (l (ll (l (ll (ll (l(l ((lll(l (l(l(l(ll(l(ll(ll ((l (((((((((l CarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCarCaCaCarCarCarCarCarCCarCCarCaaCaCarCarCaaCarCaaraaararrrcancancancancancancanacancancancancancancancanccancancccacancancanccacancanccccaccancanccccancanaananaannannet et et etet et etet etet et et eteteteteteteteteteteteteeettetetetetetetttt PrePrePrePrePrePrePrePrePrePrPrePrePrePrePrePrPrePrePrePrePrePrePrePrePrePrePPrePrePrePrePrePrePPrePPPrePreeeP ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)ss)sss)ss)ss)sss)ss)ss)sss)ssss)ss)ss)ss)ssss)ss)ssss)s)s)s)s)s)s))))sss ■ Taken from Bevel (Carcanet Press) F O R T H E R E C E N T LY S I N G L E F R O M ‘ G O L D ’ BY K AT H E R I N E M C M A H O N s e n t m e a p i c t u r e o f a c r a c k e d p o t M y e x - g i r l f r i e n d w i t h f a t , s p a r k l i n g v e i n s , a n d a l e g e n d t h a t s a i d w h e n t h e J a p a n e s e m e n d o b j e c t s s o m e t h i n g l i k e : t h e y a g g r a n d i s e t h e d a m a g e b y i l l i n g t h e c r a c k s w i t h g o l d , b e c a u s e t h e y b e l i e v e t h a t t h e r e i s t r e a s u r e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h i n g s . S o m e t i m e s i t ’s h a r d t o b e l i e v e i n g r e e n s h o o t s , a n d c o m i n g b a c k . t h a t c a n o n l y g e r m i n a t e a f t e r f o r e s t i r e s , F a c t : t h e r e a r e p l a n t s w h e n t h e g r o u n d f o r g i v e s t h e b u r n i n g t r e e s ■ Ta k e n f r o m Tr e a s u r e i n t h e H i s t o r y o f T h i n g s ( S t e w e d R h u b a r b ) w i t h f e r t i l e a s h e s .