April 2008: Tribute to Simon MacKenzie

Tionndadh

RODY GORMAN pays a poetic tribute to the late Simon Mackenzie, actor, writer, theatre director and Gaelic activist

Tionndadh
(i.m. Simon MacKenzie 1949-2008)

Sin agad mar a tha ‘n saoghal,
That’s life for you, a Shìm.
A’ falbh a dh’ionnsaigh the end of the peninsula
Looking over air an Rubha,
Mhothaich mi bodach thall
Air a’ chasan running along
The far side of the road
And what appeared to be a large canvas,
An Old Master aige fon achlais.

Bha mi ‘g iarraidh tionndadh air ais cho luath
‘S a bhuail e orm cò bh’ agam –
There you were, a Shìm, down
From the woods in the hills in between
Gare Loch and Loch Long, heading
For the early bus near the end of the loch,
A’ dol dhachaigh, going home, I thought.

Thug mi sùil, I checked and it had just gone
Ten on that beautiful day,
Là Buidhe Bealltainn fhèin, wasn’t it
But it had arrived on time
Is an dèidh gun do dh’èigh mi: Stad! Stad!
You were on your way already.

© Rody Gorman

Links

• Herald Obituary
• Scotsman Obituary