Identities  

Click here for a review in Sphinx Issue No. 8

Scots Independent

Review by David Purves

Opinions differ on what constitutes poetry and perhaps it can be defined by what it is not: that covering oneself with ordure and crying, "Look at me!" is not poetry. An essential ingredient in poetry in Scots is certainly the ability to extend awareness and generally, real poems are about the human condition, about life, love and death, or are simply impressionistic. Although some who write verse are not, George Hardie is certainly a poet, and 'Identities' is an appropriate title for this worthy collection.

Hardie has a particular aptitude for perceiving the essential identity as a species, of predatory birds and that is evident in Heron and Herrin Gull which originally appeared in Lallans 35, 1990. These birds need no personal identity and the Herrin Gull is described as: "An unco cheil ti cross, fechtan his endless war." But aiblins ane o his ill-faured 'Fairm Dugs' micht hae lykit a bit clap, whyles.