Full Description
`The Flechitorium presents an enormous range of subject matters, forms, styles and language but all of them are lynch-pinned by the author's deep and sometimes ambivalent relationship with his native Fife ... But what is a "Flechitorium"? You'll have to
read the poem therein to find out, dear reader, but be careful - this is a collection with a real bite to it.
`On the bill in this particular Flechitorium are a fistful of narrative ballads, historical and humorous to get us off to a flier. Then the mood changes and becomes more reflective and sombre ... That old Scottish literary tradi on of flyting is resumed and developed in the contretemps between the allegorical squirrel and the peacock in Dunfermline Glen .... And as a bonus, the gathering of braw poems is enhanced by a sulfurous tale to conclude - though one more RLS than Hammer House of Horror.
`The Flechitorium is a delicious Fife broth or even Langtoun bouillabaisse ... with its many hints and references to other literary cuisines beyond Fife and Scotland. At mes it is funny, at others serious, it is always humane in its span of concerns from bawdy to spiritual yet the poems are crafted to address and engage intellectually as well as emotionally. Whether supped with short or lang spuin it will satisfy all tastes.' From the Preface by William Hershaw
Contents
Preface by William Hershaw ix
Ballads 1
Ballad of the King, the Cuddy and the Makar 3
Ballad of Michael Scot and the Bleck Cooser 7
The Treisure o Norrie's Law 11
The Flechitorium 18
The Bampot 20
Gaitherin 1 27
Scottish Muid 29
Northern Rose 30
Dialogue of the Peacock and the Squirrel 31
The Duchess o Kinglassie 33
The Legend 37
Isolde's Luve-Daith 39
Gaitherin 2 47
Inverkeithing 1952 - 49
Fife Child of the Fifties 51
Grandmother's Wartime Song 52
Amadan Naomh 54
The Goth, Bowhill 57
The Return 61
A Falkland Suite 62
The Pillars o Hercules 62
Stanes 62
Witches' Cave 63
The Yad 63
The Temple of Decision 63
Craigmead Carnival 64
The Tale 67
Uncle Nick 69
Glossary / Wordleet 79
About the author 105
