Michael Stephenson of Bathgate has been awarded the runner-up prize of £500 in the 2016 James McCash Scots Poetry Competition, on the theme of “Change in Lichtsome,” with this sensitive but unsentimental tale of reconciliation to loss, and an awareness of new optimism.

 Hogmanay         

Chuckin-oot time

in the no-man’s land atween years.

Walkin hame

an bevvied enough tae feel nae cauld

this saft onfaw o snaw

seems a gey lithesome blanket tae hap aroond memory.

~

This past year’s been a sair yin

syne he’s been awa.

I tell masel nothin’s lost, jist chynged.

Even death’s jist wan kin o energy kythed intae anither.

His speerit shiftit fae his hert tae mine –

chynged, aye, but ayebidin.

~

Up the street

the Christmass lichts are lowed up yet.

Stars faw, then blink back intae place.

Bells swing in seelent annunciation

an somethin quickens, wells up lik sang –

~

a feelin

bricht as the bells

an deep as auld hymns

that awthing will be weel.

New licht, new life. Hopes and fears.

Bairns and faithers. Aw the years.

~

The dark streets are shinin.