The best of this year’s poetry by students at the University is to be recognised at the annual poetry awards.

The McCash Prize and The Alastair Buchan Prize for poetry will be presented at a ceremony in the Department of Scottish Literature, Room 101, 7 University Gardens at 6pm on Thursday 19 November. The Mary McKinley Prize for excellence in English and Scottish literature will also be presented. Winners and runners up will read from their works.

The McCash Prize in Scots Poetry was founded in 1973 by James A McCash of Gallowhill, BSc 1924, in memory of his brother William Martin McCash, MB 1921 and of his sister Margaret Stewart Lithgow McCash, MD 1929. It is awarded annually for the selected best poem in Scots on the recommendation of a committee appointed by the Head of the Department of Scottish Literature. The poets shortlisted for this award for 2009 are Jim Carruth, Alexander Hutchison and Muriel McNair (read their poems below).

The Alastair Buchan Prize is offered annually for the best poem on a prescribed subject and is open to matriculated students who have attended or are attending any class in English Literature, Scottish History or Scottish Literature.  The theme for 2008-09 was ‘Homecoming’ and the winner was Nelly Rheinhold, who has since transferred to Aberdeen University (read her winning poem below). The prize was a cheque for £900. The runners up, in order, were Henry King, Alan McDougall and Freddie Chick. 

Michael Schmidt, Professor of Poetry at the University said: “I am pleased to be able to report that this year’s field for the Alastair Buchan Prize was a strong one. Consequently the decision has been difficult. The theme chosen was open to many possible interpretations, Nelly Reinhold, whose poem wins this year’s prize, took a very direct approach and was at once moving and oblique, imagery that seems archetypal, verging on cliché, recovering particularity and freshness in the movement of the verse.”

Also presented will be The Mary McKinley Prize was established in 1995 in memory of the late distinguished schoolteacher, Mary McKinlay who had interests in the teaching and research areas represented by all three departments in the School. It is awarded annually, usually to a student who performs with excellence in at least two of the three Level 1 classes (English Language, English Literature and Scottish Literature) within SESLL. The prize of £100 for 2008-09 was awarded to Leigh Doherty.


McCash 2009 Poems

Hame Tongue

Beltane fire sproots frae oor Fergie tractor
As it pleuchs lines ablow the gull rabble.
It will saison aw the reiks o Renfrewshire
Workin the auld leid o seed an stubble,
A constant diesel muse; while we harra
The guid grun, shake dialect frae the shaw,
Gaither bushels o wirds frae everie furrow,
Steck em in the barn as turses o straw.
Athort the law a flock o blackface yowes
Pairt sweet phrases o cock’s-foot an fescue
Wi the Friesian coos ower on the knowes;
Bit oor prood kintra tongues mean naucht to you
Fir ye hiv turnt awa sae fail to see
Fields o warkin beauty an their poetry.

Jim Carruth


Aye, Plenty, an Mair

A'm nae aa that sure aboot Glumsh or Glunsh –
bit Grizzel an Happit are in aboord onywye.
Is the back door snibbit?  Mak sure it's wide open.
There micht be some neebors cam through the back
gairden or in ower the waa.  Golach and Glit were nivver
my bosom freens, bit ye winna keep them oot if there's
ither fowk in.  A'm nae haein Drittle nor Fouter, though –
nane o them – there's aye some scutter or sotter wi yon.
Hud back the fancies – bit pit them oot later.  Shortbreid
an tablet, an twa or three panjotteries – there wis nae
oofum-ploofums at the baker's the day.  Bit there's broon
breid and pan loaf an butter an honey, an plinty o sassidges,
fae Tommy, the best. Ye can aye pit on tatties, there's broth
on the simmer, an fish winna keep.  Oh, there's galshach
o some kind – jist mindit this meenit – in the press
oot the back.  So rowe up the cairpets, redd the fleer,
space for dancin.  Bring aabody ben as seen as they're in.
An mind noo fit I tell't ye: the finest particles are langest
suspendit, so maist o oor relatives are still t' come doon.

Alexander Hutchison


Rembrandt’s Prodigal

A’body’s best kent tale o comin hame
is pentit here by yin who suffert dree
o lossin freens an walth an wife an weans
yet fand the faither in that misery.

Agin the rich but sombre shadowy scene
jist luik the younger laddie’s lowdened heid,
the worn-oot sandals an the sair-torn feet
o the far travelled, ragged, broken bairn.

See the twa hauns the faither raxes doun –
the yin sae strang, the tither slenderer
like mither’s haun tae bliss an confort him –
the spendrife wildie – noo at last cam hame.

An see the bide-at-hame, sae dour, sae faur
fae bein hame, tho nivir gane awa.

Muriel McNair



The Alastair Buchan Prize

Homecoming

Dark trees in the headlights,
Silent guardians over the quiet road.
Bend by bend through the leafy night,
Winding along.
The country sleeps,
Soft mist covers the fields.
A cat stalks through an empty village,
Where is it going?
Passing quietly,
The lights touching a strange world.
Again the trees close in,
An old wall along the road.
Somewhere a bird begins to sing,
Another answers in the night.
Suddenly,
The road curves towards the sea.
The headlights flash across the shore,
Following the coast.
Not far now.
Towards the East,
A pink glow paints the horizon.
The trees are familiar now,
Each bend taken a hundred times.
Almost…
The silent house at the end of the drive,
Sleeping and waiting.
The lights stop,
Then disappear.
Outside the air smells peaceful,
The cool breeze blows from the sea.
A deep breath,
Familiar scents filling the air.
Then into the house,
Hush! not to wake the sleeping.
The dear old creaking step,
Softly to the quiet room.

Nelly Reinhold

First published: 13 November 2009

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