The following are a small selection of poems from Fringe Fantastic. There are forty-five poems in the book, along with lots of exciting images taken during the Fringe Festival.

In August
Edinburgh turns
into the city
of New York

On every street
American accents
coffee and art
nothing sleeps

Except that
there are still no
yellow taxis
or Statue of Liberty

in a coffee shop
by St. Andrews Square
I sit in the window
frothy coffee in my hand

behind me the staff
shout out fast orders
to clear the line
of thirsty customers

people pass the window
and sometimes they look
at me, looking at them
like a silent movie

a moment to relax
from festival bustle
the street outside
like festival TV

A man in Rose Street
walks straight past me
head buried in book
finger planted in nose

I wonder, does he realise
the enormity
of his achievement

Four hundred Scots
bladders like footballs
sit cramped on seats
laugh at the comedian

Every single one
wishing they never had
that one last drink
before they came in

Edinburgh changes
when August comes

it fills with people
from foreign lands

blossoms with colour
like a fresh spring rose

All poems Copyright © 2005 Colin Galbraith