The Fiction Shelf

Scotland is awful cold this time of year. The Highlands are snowy, the coastlands windy, and the Lochs are crisp and chilly. So much has been written about them, a lot which exaggerates the relevance of nature with strained metaphors, that it’s refreshing to find a poem which is, frankly, just pretty.

‘Grey Seal, Loch Etive’ looks – and sounds – beautiful. It’s panoramic yet focused, natural yet real, and wonderfully three‐dimensional.

The poem captures the playfulness of the seal and the greyness of the landscape. Rhyming elements flow freely, giving the poem a lovely rhythm. It feels timeless, reflecting Scotland’s unspoilt heritage.

There’s a feel that we’re sat on a boat, bobbing on the water, taking in the view, while around us nature makes its noises and continues, regardless of us. A feat achieved by the wonderful use of broken paragraphs.

A nature poem that asks nothing of the reader, just that we look.

• Is writing about nature only effective if it is relevant to human life?
• How does a poem’s formatting affect our understanding and enjoyment?