The Lewis-born poet and writer and a member of The Lochies folk group, reflects on his upbringing in the Gaelic-speaking crofting village of Lemreway. His account is structured through the prisms of the four elements – earth, air, fire and water – to evoke a sense of place, home and belonging.
Drawing on lived experience, Macmillan presents a series of elegiac, poetic narratives rooted in the landscape and community of Lewis. These are then considered alongside psychological and philosophical perspectives, offering a broader reflection on how individuals and communities understand their past.
The work also considers nostalgia, and what can and cannot be returned to in the context of social change and the passage of time.