by Anne Armstrong

Across the dark reflections in the loch
the sun has ruled art deco lines of light,

through which the coolly critical swans swim,
rococoing them into swirls of sky
as if to say, that’s how it should be done.

The tartan moiré ripples hit the shore,
bounce off, cross and recross themselves, and stir
white birch trunks into marbled ebru work
like the end papers of Victorian books.

Modestly, no artist has signed their work.

I made a copy with my camera:
it won me first prize and a thousand pounds.
I made damn sure they had my name spelled right.

© Anne Armstrong

Anne Armstrong is a member of Clyde Valley Writers. Anne says ‘I love Lanark Loch - every day it looks different, and I constantly struggle to describe in words the colours and textures of the water. I did some internet research into ebru - a medieval Turkish art, practised by professionals who were traditionally self-effacing and didn't sign their work. Early European tourists brought samples of ebru work home with them, and that's how so many old books ended up with marbling inside their covers.

Anne has had her poem 'Cat Food Rap' accepted for inclusion in 'The Thing that Mattered most : Scottish poems for children' . Anne's poem is about a riddle and a fairy. Anne is the third local writer to have a poem accepted for publication in this anthology (as far as we know). She admits to feeling 'chuffed but also gobsmacked'.