The Crown & Anchor

Out on the spit

between the river and forth,

the cool grey sunshine

of a late autumn afternoon

has welcomed me here.

October has brought the

log burner to life

as conversation echoes

around the bar.

In anticipation of the

match tomorrow,

this pub feels homely.

A place to arrive at,

a place to remember

and return.

And two hours on,

the sandbanks are throwing shapes

in the outgoing tide.

Wind upon the water,

water currents under the wind.

All this would have been

under ice 10,000 years ago.

It's retreat has made a space for

humanity.

And after the match,

which didn't go according to plan,

I'm back at the Crown

watching and listening.

In the wider world

glaciers are calving

and the seas are rising.

Stick with me, it's life.

Sandy Wilkie

October 2024