The Eccentric Pict

The Eccentric Pict Albert Thomson - former Police Officer, amateur historian and poet

07/06/2026

Last Souters Last. A poem describing the moment the Souter’s shop at Ballogie was opened fifty plus years after being closed and locked up in the 1940’s and the discovery of a remarkable time capsule of the shoemaking trade. The shop is currently being renovated and contents going through a process of restoration.

bane bone
dool sorrowful
fit-fangs Souters Stirrup
forhooie forsaken
melled mixed
scriffin covering
seefu happy
scriffin covering
souters last foot shaped stand
snab bench cobblers bench
sypin seeping
wark-leem work tools
whangs laces
yickie-yeckie Polishing stick made from bone







17/04/2026

Tomorrow Linda and I will be taking two Ukrainian friends, Svitlana and her son Davyd to the 280th commemoration of the battle of Culloden.

This poem is my commemoration to those who fought and died during and after the battle.







03/04/2026

I spent a bit of time of this one, trying something a little different: Symphony with a Musical Glossary below

Affabile - gentle; pleasing.

Allargando - slowing down

Allegretto - moderately fast

Aria - composition for solo voice/short instrumental piece of songlike character

Arpeggio - notes of a chord played one after another

Attune – adjust, bring into harmony

Cantabile - songlike and flowing in style

Consonance - combinations of pitches that are pleasing

Crescendo - increasing loudness

Dissonance - combinations of pitches that are displeasing

Elegy - piece of music with a mournful quality/a lament

Fanfare - short tune, a flourish, for trumpets etc

Fortissimo - very loud

Prelude - piece of music intended to be played as an introduction

Sinfonietta - small symphony, usually scored for a small orchestra

Sonorous – resonant/deep

Symphony - composition for symphony orchestra in the form of a sonata

Tempo - speed of a composition or section of a composition

Timpani – Kettledrums

Transition - passage that leads from one main section to another




29/01/2026

Poem about George Webster (1801-1883)
Sheriff Officer from Oldmeldrum.

Poem lists old Scots crimes =
Coo-stealin – cow stealing
Stouthreif - Robbery with violence
Hamesucken - premeditated assault upon a person in his own house
horsey-coupin(g) - horse-dealing





11/12/2025

This poem is written as a challenge.

It contains names of people forgotten or being forgotten by history. See names and spelling below.

My challenge is, select one name and using the hints in the poem. Find out more about that person. Their stories may just surprise you.

Names:

Alexander Cruden
Anarcha, Lucy & Betsy
Bamse (pronounced Bumpsa)
Bessie Coleman
Corporal Wojtek (pronounced Voytek)
Dr James Barry
Dr Martin Luther King
Elsie Inglis
Indian Peter
Irene Sendler
Isabella Bird
Janet Horne
John Henry Anderson
Major Wellesley Tudor Pole
Man of the Hole
Mary Garden
Mary Louisa Gould
Mary Seacole
Mary Helen Young
Patron (pronounced Pe’tron)
Reverend Chad Varah
Rifleman Khan
Rosa Parks
Stefan Banach




14/10/2025

This poem is dedicated to all displaced Ukrainians. The title is Svitlana and Davyd.




01/10/2025

Today we visited the Maryburgh Trident (North of Inverness) created by Ukrainian POW's who could not return after WW2 after fighting against the Russians.



11/09/2025

As Herald to the House of Drum I was lucky enough to visit Kingcausie House in the ancient County of Kincardineshire. It has been the home of the Irvine-Fortescue's since 1535. The Irvine-Fortescue armorial bearing, feature a cross in the shape of a letter X and there is also a massive 20 foot high wooden cross on the estate. Linda and I were delighted to be allowed to visit the Kingcausie Cross and it was such a peaceful and delightful spot I could not resist this poem.




31/08/2025

A short poem inspired by activity in the garden this week.......A Portrait of Butterflies.




21/08/2025

I have been engaged in an heraldic project and have not written any poetry for some time. However, with Ukraine's Independence Day on 24 August 2025 I decided to acknowledge that 33 years ago, Ukraine regained its independence. Ukrainians fight to protect that freedom and their independence. This free verse poem is dedicated to all our Ukrainian friends.



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