SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 465 Title : A Small Book of Translations: 17 - Inchcolm Author(s): Alexander Hutchison Copyright holder(s): Alexander Hutchison Text INCHCOLM This morning I saw on the waters of the firth a diving bird I never saw before, turning a nimble loop to enter the wave, and the wonder of green light filtering down. What was it like for the king – Alexander, when the boat nearly foundered, and all might be tossed in the swirl of the sea? Did he kick his boots free? Did he call out by his birth-right for men to assist him? And how did they come to land? None of these things is reported with surety. But fear, if he felt it, was followed by gratitude – the gift of an abbey for the Inch of St. Colum. "Lord, I was drowning. What better can I build than this?" Then chancel and chapter-house rose on the island. Stone flourished on stone. Upon the table slab of the altar five wounds were cut like stars. "It is foolish to shrink from what cannot be avoided." Such safety was the bread they broke to sustain them. "Quicquid mali finxerit lingua" – whatever evil the tongue composes conscience may overcome. What warmth of the spirit must have wound itself round them – only one social fireplace beyond that in the kitchen – though something burned in the wall of the Choir when Richard the Bishop had his heart interred, so his ardour became part of the fabric of the building. Today we have come to the natural harbour on the lee side of the isthmus, climbed iron rungs to the pier-head, and followed a path by the narrow neck of land to stand in the grave-yard, the Relig Oran, surveying what replaced Colum's daub and wattle traces. Kings of Scotland and Norway, Danes that were slain at the "bickering" of Kinghorn, all have their rest here: some at a stiff price, and some with due reverence. It is still broad day when I take the night stair from the ruins of the Church, and climb with my sleeping child in my arms to the Dormitory, talking and singing, though she sleeps, and sitting for a while in the recess at one of the windows. The last day of January, and the weather being mild, the water will offer no menace as we make our return, not even when we pass by Aberdour, crossing the Deep of that impious Mortimer, long consigned in his shroud of lead, well short of the island for which he possessed, by gift of his forebear, the right of interment. But now there burns in my arms a burden lightly borne – her hair like a cresset or candle in the dark, her hair like a badge or blazon – my darling girl. Within this high-vaulted chamber I show you to shadows: the dreaming forms of those who sleep like mist, who looked in their own way for what holds true beneath the bewilderment of surfaces. It was a cold uncertain, isolate existence; lived besides in a tangle of dogma, that wrapped in despite: rock, grass, flesh, sea-thrift and sea-bird. I hold you here against distortion; knowing that love is work, is hard we know as breaking stones, and desperate distance even when the breath comes close. But patience with yourself, patience with the love of others is a law worth learning, a thread of blood I give you as a bond; and the water of the world to enter and feed there as in your natural element, taking your place and composure, folding life around you, your father's breath like a tide on the margin of sleep. This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: N/A Year of composition: 2004 Word count: 597 General description: Collection of poems in translation Text medium Book: Email: Leaflet/brochure (prospectus): Magazine (e-zine): Periodical/journal: Radio: Text publication details Part of larger text: Text setting Other: Literature in translation/poetry Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 420 Forenames: Alexander Surname: Hutchison Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Occupation: Writer / Senior Lecturer Place of birth: Buckie Region of birth: Banff Birthplace CSD dialect area: Bnf Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Glasgow Region of residence: Glasgow Residence CSD dialect area: Gsw Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Medical Practitioner Father's place of birth: Spey Bay Father's region of birth: Moray Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Mry Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: School Meals Supervisor Mother's place of birth: Buckie Mother's region of birth: Banff Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Bnf Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Generally/work/home etc. Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: Language: Italian Speak: No Read: Yes Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: translation Language: Latin Speak: No Read: Yes Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Socially/home/writing