Elga Graves
Sectarianism
There is a crime against
humanity on our doorstep.
It is time to name it
The Cafe
Those trams again
If you want to run away
and never be seen again,
don’t come here
Gerard Rochford
The July poem
Islay’s daily pic
Royal Mile, Edinburgh
John Cameron
Today ‘Islamic liberalism’ is almost an oxymoron but it was not always so and as the Ottoman empire collapsed a century ago there were great hopes of a renaissance.
The Young Ottomans were deeply religious pragmatists who were sure a Muslim version of western liberal democracy could be introduced into the Islamic Crescent. Ironically they were appalled by racist Europe’s virulent anti-sematism but believed this evil would be countered by the tolerance inherent in the original Quran.
Tragically, the last gasp of Western colonialism in the former Ottoman empire led to medieval hadiths (sayings attributed to the prophet) becoming revolutionary themes.
Most of what frightens us in modern Islam is a reaction to our past interference and our present predilection for ‘bombing Arabia into democracy’ is entirely counter-productive.
SR accepts no advertising or corporate backing. We depend entirely on the generosity of our individual supporters. Help SR to flourish by becoming a Friend. [click here]
Unlike many publications SR doesn’t have an online comment facility – we prefer a more considered approach. The Cafe is our readers’ forum. If you would like to contribute to it, please email islay@scottishreview.net
Today’s Banner
Calgary Bay, Mull,
earlier this month
Photograph by
Islay McLeod
Climbing the Malverns
Gerard Rochford’s poem for July
Reaching the top we would lean upon the wind,
my brother and I trusting its fathering power,
our coats spread out like wings.
And those invisible hands held us,
pushing on our backs and driving us forth,
or facing the past, the drowned-out voices
growing faint as osprey riding the thermals.
In the east we saw the sun
reflected from our father’s house,
to the west, the Black Mountains of Wales,
an unknown land.
The summit café was owned and served by a person
neither man nor woman – confusing for a child.
We took our pennies there for tea,
stole glances. I wonder what happened to them –
the man-woman and the boys we were.
© Gerard Rochford.
Gerard lives in Aberdeen. Publications include: ‘Figures of Stone’, 2009, Koo Press and ‘Failing Light’, 2010, Embers Handpress. He is the Scottish Review’s makar and contributes a poem each month
If you want to run away
and never be seen again,
don’t come here
Catherine Czerkawska
Catherine Czerkawska is a playwright and author
