Postcards From The Hedge

Postcards from the Hedge

Penpont based writer Hugh McMillan is launching his new book of poetry this month. The collection, ‘Postcards from the Hedge’ is a limited edition Artist’s Book designed and illustrated by Hugh Bryden. The limited edition collection is based on a frenetic tour of Scotland and comes along with a specially designed tour map! A poster version of the map is also available with the poems printed on the back. The book is to be launched at Gracefield Arts Centre on Friday September 19th at 7.00pm and in Thomas Tosh, Thornhill on Saturday September 6th at 3.30pm.

Hugh McMillan is a well published, prize winning poet with five full collections of poetry to his credit. He has been anthologised widely in Scotland and abroad and has been awarded several Scottish Arts Council Bursaries, including one last year to help write the present collection.

Hugh Bryden took early retirement after 30 years as an Art Teacher in August 2005 to concentrate on Printmaking and Artists Books. He was a regular exhibitor in national and international exhibitions and was involved for a number of years in the gallery business in Dumfries. In 2005 he founded Roncadora Press to allow him to concentrate on personalised artist’s books.

“A desire to get at the truth is at the heart of every genuine writer’s work. I see this genuineness everywhere in McMillan’s writing, even at its most light hearted…he is a born writer.” Gerry Cambridge



My Feet

Tuesday: the birds softly bugle
end of day. I look at my feet,
bare and wriggling on hot concrete.
They are pitted, spurred, I see,
cracked as white wood.
They are at the business end, my feet,
still dodging, chasing lost causes,
up in the night silent as slippers.
To my head, at the other extreme,
they are mere beasts of burden.
Though they work for the same body
there is no camaraderie there,
no joint sense of mission.
My feet think my head’s had it easy,
up there in the fresh air all these years,
talking crap. Where would it be without
them to do the donkey work?
No fancy products wasted on their upkeep,
just soap and water, cheap socks.
I think if my feet ever met my head again
they’d give it a good kicking.