This engraving is inspired by the long poem of the same name by Hugh MacDiarmid, written in Scots and published in 1926. The poem describes a stream of consciousness about everything from the state of the nation to the mysteries of the universe to the wondrous joy that is whisky. The thistle, a key part of the subject here, is the national flower of Scotland.

June Crisfield-Chapman, 1934-2017

June Crisfield-Chapman was born in Kent but later educated in Scotland. She graduated at the Glasgow School of Art, specialising in wood engraving, having discovered an interest in theater. Her portrait paintings and plant-based wood engravings are her most well-known works, reflecting her dual interests. The engravings cover different subject categories: botanical and natural history subjects, folklore and myth, and theatrical scenes and characters. These factors influenced her awareness of the dramatic possibilities of black and white, as well as the form that can be achieved by clear, clean lines, which is the essential nature of engraving.