Smeddum

25/05/11

Smeddum by Mary Smith

Mary Smith, a SPEN member, is a writer, freelance journalist and poet. She worked in Pakistan and Afghanistan for ten years and her experiences there inform much of her writing. Her debut novel No More Mulberries is set in Afghanistan. Her poetry has been published in magazines including Markings, Lallans, Poetry Scotland and in two pamphlets Voices from Glentrool & Merrick and Cairnsmore: The Big Hill following a collaboration with artists Silvana MacLean and sculptor Matt Baker. Her first full collection is to be published in 2012 by Indigo Dreams.

Mary's website is at www.marysmith.co.uk

SMEDDUM

SMEDDUM

Whit they hud tae thole,
Afghan weemin,
doon-hauden, sair traitet.
Bit, dinnae think they taen it laen doon,
waitin fir a haun fae Bush's bombers.
Naw, they focht wi whit they hud,
douce, quate, happt in burquas,
ghaists flitterin saftly,
ayewise chancin
a baitin, jile, oar warse
tae bring buiks an learnin tae lasses.
Filmin a wumman pit tae death,
shot in a fitba stadium,
smugglin lipsticks
tae secret hooses,
mindin life
wis still wirth haein.

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