91Èȱ¬

In Assisi, the speaker in MacCaig’s poem describes a visit to the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy. The Basilica is an important Christian landmark built in honour of St Francis of Assisi.

The subject of this poem is Norman MacCaig's Aunt Julia. She lived in a croft on a small island in the Outer Hebrides, speaking no English, only her native Gaelic language.

This poem compares the paths of the evolution of humans and basking sharks. The sharks lead lives relatively unchanged for millions of years, but humans, on the other hand, lead vastly changed lives.

In Visiting Hour, the speaker describes visiting someone who is dying. The speaker tries to maintain his composure in order to prevent transmitting his worry and fear to the person he is visiting.

In this poem, MacCaig portrays the imposing presence of a New York policeman. In doing so, MacCaig considers the fragile nature of society and the challenges that it can pose.

From his hotel room in New York during a trip in the mid-sixties, MacCaig considers the nature of society, and whether it has come as far as its technological advances would suggest.