Mohair silk Iona wool

Here, in blowy mid-Sound,
a line where Mull water’s
drape turns to knotted tufts.

I grab the deck rail,
expecting a disturbance
—a pitching and yawing—

but the ferry glides smoothly
over the sea’s fleecy crimp,
like a brush through kid fibre.

Handwoven handmade button

At first glance, it’s the tiled floor
of a cathedral viewed from above
(squints can’t sharpen the blur,
or breaths counter the vertigo).

Brushed left, the nap is peat-
pelted, a sheep’s soiled snout;
brushed right, a shoal of mackerel:
darting, slipping, veering.

Up close, the yarn marches
in ranks, shoulder-to-shoulder,
with orders to slip through
holes disguised as cloth.

In the end it’s only tartan,
and my skirting words
betray a native fraudulence,
lay bare my lowland legitimacy.

John Kefala Kerr is a British-Greek composer, sound artist and writer. He has had
work presented at festivals and venues in the UK, Europe, USA and Japan. His
poetry is published by Live Canon, Arachne Press and Crowstep Journal, and his
debut novel ‘Thimio’s House’ is published by Roundfire Books. John is currently
Associate Artist at An Tobar and Mull Theatre. His website is: http://www.johnkefalakerr.com