The Longships in Harbour

The Longships in Harbour was first published in 1970. It is a collection of poetry by William McIlvanney, a Scottish writer better known for his novels, and particularly crime fiction.

The poems in this collection deal largely with the poet's experiences of growing up in a working class area of Scotland; particularly his family life. The most famous, and striking, poem in the collection is "Initiation", a raw, intense poem in memory of his father.

Other themes dealt with throughout are poverty, famine, war, youth and innocence and the passage of time.

References