Nae rules and regulations

I don’t think you’d volunteer

If you saw it as unpaid work

There’s nae rules

Or regulations that say

You have to be busy

All the time

Slowly people get to know

Your name

What you take in your tea

Who you are, and

What you do.

I feel,

In wee tiny ways,

You become part of your community 

By just simply being there.


This example of narrative poetry was created from direct conversations from participants in my study... Their quotes and phrases were restructured into poetic form - as a means of expressing their views on their 'voluntary' experiences.