Tartan Longings, Edinburgh, Scotland

more than a little of my heart is here.
in the winding cobbled streets.
in the little tented German Christmas markets.
on the roof terraces of friends.
i lived here for two years and return often.
always holding onto the memories, binding them tight with more layers.
this is a memory as much as a photograph.
good friends.
good food.
three b.b.q's for no reason other than we can.
bottles and bottles of wine and cider,
and the sunset hugging around the music that made us laugh all night.



the ferris wheel looms large at Christmas time.
The Scott Monument holds fast behind.
a shadow of of a snowflake edge.
old and new.
layering.
the lights twinkle like an over sized ornament.
the cages scooping us up and over the city.
reminding us of how we came to call this magical city home.



nothing quite like the draw of the of a merry-go-round.
each person smiling.
remembering the time they fitted to the horse.
watching the spinning of the children.
catching their laughter in short bursts.
the lights that seems to spark and escape,
trail into the trees.
the blue blue sky heralding another frosty night.



Spiegeltent .
a magical classic German circus tent that appears once a year for the festival.
casting just a little light.
colour soft and layered with blues.
each performer takes their place on the stage.
takes the audience on their ride.
into the music.
into the moment.
into the summer night.



can you see that castle high on the hill?
hiding in the night.
just a blip on the horizon,
and yet it is the heart of the city.
the history and the constant.
below it all the action.
each light whispering to join in,
to come to the fair.

i leave my heart here every time.
more and more of it.
with each parting glance backwards.
i wonder how much more I can leave,
without giving away the whole of it.