Scotland - its cities, mountains, landscapes, wildlife, poetry, art and music is the theme of this collection of poems. From Glasgow to Aberdeen, from Skye to Lower Largo, Derek Alsop traverses the country, exploring its history, mythology and culture with a keen outsider s eye. What emerges is a land of incomparable richness, diversity and beauty. Whether the subject is the seals of Portnahaven or the birds of Jura, the whisky of Islay or the races at Ayr, Alsop finds his own view of Scotland. There are darker moments, too, as the violent history of Scotland reveals itself amongst the ruins, monuments and glens. Sian Hughes, winner of the Arvon International Poetry Competition and author of the prizewinning volume The Missing, has said: Derek Alsop is a well-respected teacher of poetry, and now it turns out he is also a very winning poet in his own right .
