Alec Finlay
@alecfinlay.bsky.social
artist and poet; ecological remediation and human recuperation; landscape, tea, limit and creativity; lives by the sea in Edinburgh; mostly sharing a daily poem here.
Eilean Tioram
the dry or waterless isle
the-isle-of-the-land
the isle which I will translate
myself onto next time
12.XI.25
the dry or waterless isle
the-isle-of-the-land
the isle which I will translate
myself onto next time
12.XI.25
November 12, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Eilean Tioram
the dry or waterless isle
the-isle-of-the-land
the isle which I will translate
myself onto next time
12.XI.25
the dry or waterless isle
the-isle-of-the-land
the isle which I will translate
myself onto next time
12.XI.25
'you don't have to / own a hut // to feel happy / about huts'
November 10, 2025 at 7:39 AM
'you don't have to / own a hut // to feel happy / about huts'
word-mntn (Creag nan Carrachan, lovage crag, from the end of the road, Ratagan)
November 7, 2025 at 7:51 AM
word-mntn (Creag nan Carrachan, lovage crag, from the end of the road, Ratagan)
time for the sea-
birds is the X
of sunrise, the Y
of sunset, & Z
of the tide
birds is the X
of sunrise, the Y
of sunset, & Z
of the tide
November 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
time for the sea-
birds is the X
of sunrise, the Y
of sunset, & Z
of the tide
birds is the X
of sunrise, the Y
of sunset, & Z
of the tide
word-mntn (Beinn na Caillich, Hag's Ben, Knoydart).
November 5, 2025 at 7:35 AM
word-mntn (Beinn na Caillich, Hag's Ben, Knoydart).
Happening tomorrow, on creative disabled access.
November 4, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Happening tomorrow, on creative disabled access.
'just this once / the air is stiller / than the stones', a very still autumn evening at Temple Wood, Kilmartin
November 4, 2025 at 7:51 AM
'just this once / the air is stiller / than the stones', a very still autumn evening at Temple Wood, Kilmartin
As Boswell and Johnson progress through Glen Cluanie and Glen Shiel Boswell spots a mountain he says is shaped 'like a cone', and Johnson, being in a bad mood from the long ride, disagrees. But there it is, still visible to this day.
November 3, 2025 at 8:54 AM
As Boswell and Johnson progress through Glen Cluanie and Glen Shiel Boswell spots a mountain he says is shaped 'like a cone', and Johnson, being in a bad mood from the long ride, disagrees. But there it is, still visible to this day.
word-mntn (Sgurr an Airgid, Silver Pike)
November 2, 2025 at 11:45 AM
word-mntn (Sgurr an Airgid, Silver Pike)
two versions of Eigg
October 30, 2025 at 7:35 AM
two versions of Eigg
word-mntn (Druim Fada, the long ridge)
October 29, 2025 at 7:43 AM
word-mntn (Druim Fada, the long ridge)
A new poem on allyship in Poetry Scotland. Thanks to the editors.
October 28, 2025 at 8:33 AM
A new poem on allyship in Poetry Scotland. Thanks to the editors.
Achara Stone, near Duror, from the annals of a stone botherer
October 28, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Achara Stone, near Duror, from the annals of a stone botherer
six views of Beinn Sgritheall, a word-mntn for Loch Hourn; the the-ben-of-screes
October 27, 2025 at 7:43 AM
six views of Beinn Sgritheall, a word-mntn for Loch Hourn; the the-ben-of-screes
Crarae
my favourite thing
in the botanical garden
is how lovely she
thinks it all is
my favourite thing
in the botanical garden
is how lovely she
thinks it all is
October 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Crarae
my favourite thing
in the botanical garden
is how lovely she
thinks it all is
my favourite thing
in the botanical garden
is how lovely she
thinks it all is
'the latest one / to reach / the summit / was sunset'
October 13, 2025 at 6:22 AM
'the latest one / to reach / the summit / was sunset'
'I can dream walking / but not leaps / I long to float / in the mid- / air touching nothing– / free of pain (after Shiki, for Abby Ryder-Huth)
October 8, 2025 at 6:43 AM
'I can dream walking / but not leaps / I long to float / in the mid- / air touching nothing– / free of pain (after Shiki, for Abby Ryder-Huth)
word-mntn (Creag an Choin-Leth, the half-dog half-wolf crag, or lurcher's crag)
October 5, 2025 at 5:31 AM
word-mntn (Creag an Choin-Leth, the half-dog half-wolf crag, or lurcher's crag)
'our mis- / steps // widen / the path'
October 4, 2025 at 9:33 AM
'our mis- / steps // widen / the path'
word-mntn (Airgiod Meall, Silver Tump)
October 3, 2025 at 6:09 AM
word-mntn (Airgiod Meall, Silver Tump)
word-mntn (Creag a' Chalmain, rock dove crag). The Rock Dove is the wild ancestor of our domestic pigeon.
October 2, 2025 at 6:51 AM
word-mntn (Creag a' Chalmain, rock dove crag). The Rock Dove is the wild ancestor of our domestic pigeon.
A discussion of day of access
October 1, 2025 at 9:37 AM
A discussion of day of access