The Beatcroft Tom Morton

The scones he made

Just off the Esplanade

Were baked freshly every single day

Now James has left

And we are bereft

He's gone from the Peerie Shop Café

I cannot think

Without his Cullen Skink

And his shortcrust quiche lorraine

What can I say

About his mackerel paté?

We will never taste the likes again

He was occasionally grumpy, I'm not lying

He supported some Embra team, there's no denying

He put up with rude newspaper reporters

But he was even kind to animals, and Rangers supporters (sometimes)

I have cheese and fruit

And a plain scone to boot

Saved in the freezer for future generations

I have the recipé

But made by me

They just cause dental devastation

To the Olive Tree

Temporarily

Where the coffee and the food are splendid

But Old Lerwick's grief

Is beyond belief

We've lost the scones on which we all depended.

Copyright Tom Morton, 2023 

As published in the October 2020 edition of Discover Scotland Magazine.

A man alights from the train at Culrain on the Far North Line, in the shadow of Carbisdale Castle, known locally as Castle Spite. Where is he going? What is in his rucksack? And who is the strange figure pursuing him across the hills as he heads west?

Full text at Discover Scotland Magazine or on Tom's blog - thebeatcroft.com 

As featured in the September 2020 edition of Discover Scotland Magazine (formerly Scotland Correspondent.

Listen here or read it at www.scotlandcorrespondent.com

As featured in the August 2020 edition of Scotland Correspondent Magazine. Thomas MacCalman Morton dives into the terrifying world of Shetlandic sea monsters. Read the story in the magazine or listen online here.

Another strange tale from one of Scotland's thin places, by Tom Morton, as published at scotlandcorrespondent.com

A Strange Tale  from one of Scotland's Thin Places. Written and read by Thomas MacCalman Morton. for the full text and illustrations, got to scotlandcorrespondent.com. It appears in the June 2020 edition.