Pandora's Box (24 Poems In Scots)

1.The Moo Bar, Buccleuch Street, Edinburgh Fin wud bands roar oot reggae, hip-hop, techno A bull fair suits this barry Embro boozer Nae china-shop tip-taein ower the fleer This Moo Bar's nae a howf fur auld-fart fogies Wi mair froth roon their chooks than ower their beer. Mithras Rules, Ok? Here, Caesar's Legions In this Mithraeum micht cowp copious doon Wi ither ghaists, fine wine.. Fa micht be suppin Alangside custom frae the toun an goun? Braw Brodie, in his satin flooery sark, Fa bauldly stated at his public hingin That daith wis 'jist a sma lowp in the dark' Takk tent ye Embro worthies, foo the feet Are dinged fae aa, sae makk yer boozin sweet An dauchle bi the Meadows fur a jar Ambrosia's on tap, in the Moo Bar. 2.Scunnered Dug Aathin in Crivie's fishy. The scunnered dug, Face like a skelped erse, tail like rats' sookins Is weirin thon ettin an spewed luik. Even the washin wallops like the waves Dulse guffs in puils like broth that's ten days auld On ilkie secunt waa's a grinnin cat. 3.Fitty Madonna Weirin a skurrie hat, Flanked bi twa fishgutters, (Nae a smile atween them, a gurly trinity) The Fitty Madonna an friens glower at the dour Nor Sea. Her triangular dugs hing doon They've bin throwe the wringer, same's hersel Like berry bags they are, near tae her knees Milk lang dry, sooked teem o exultation. Blytheness squeezed tae the lees bi the coorse Sizzens The tcyauve o warsslin fishes frae the myavs, Fitty Madonna niver cracks a smile. 4.Scottish Beach Pirn taes splash an cauld queats striddle Puils far minky littlins piddle Skinnie-malinkie-lang-legs stride Far the contermaschious tide Coories roon goose-pimply fowk Syne ebbs, tae leave a dreepin dowp Here ae meenit, gaen the neist The restless sea that canna reist. 5.Sang o a Blue Siren Wheesht siren, stop yon sabbin maen That sailor's ken on nichts o haar Fan the great cauldron o the Deep Sens storm tae blinn each skinklin star Nae flooer briers on yer showdin rigs Anely the ice far oceans sweel The cauldrife spray far skurries skirl That seamen brave, tae catch a meal Nae perfume rises frae yer foun Anely the stank o rotten banes Nae tree sweys sweetly in yer thrall Bit coral reefs an schmoodery stanes Wheesht siren, sic a sooch as thon On sic a nicht, will widdas makk Fin ower doomed mastheids rowes the wecht Wersh, wersh, o fathoms o hertbrakk 6.This Fine Spring Day This fine Spring Day A blackie weirin his Mey feathers Hops alang a neukit, nerra pathie Shrubby an reefed wi petals He is watchin a mither an littlin Feedin fower dyeuks in a puil He is wytin fur skirps o breid Tae float his wye On the cusp o the warld I watch him watchin I am wytin fur this an thon Tae catch ma fancy... The blackie powkin the breid like a kebbab A bumbee ringin a bluebell wi his feet 7.April, Abyne-Braemar Fite swans like ice floes ower the loch Waucht ower a tarn as clear as glaiss The muir is sere, she's yet tae weir Her Mey-day braas, her Springtime dress. The prods o Lochnagar staun pure's A ptarmigan in winter plumes His pinions skinkle ben the lift His briest's far the cauld snawflake blooms Broon turrets o the mowdie's tower (thon sable king in velveteen) Rise up abeen the wyvin girse Far steps the stag in horned sheen. Reid Heilan kye like ricks o hey Staun rikkin far cauld breezes blaa Atween the birks, crined drappit leaves Like iron arras, roost awa By knottit aik an scraggy whin The ram-stam watters o the Dee Rin brack-neck ower the reamin linn Swalled wi the thawin Winter's bree. Saft rubbits rin like flocks o lambs Ower Heilan knowes far erne's flee Fite-taiglit yowes reenge heather howes They bleat far burns blink bonnily Spring flings her saft plaid ower the lan An warms it wi her witcherie 8.Round the Bend Ye'll catch a glisk o it, betimes, the wirm aneth the road Far larry, buggie, bus an van roar by wi stoorie load Auld bodach, mither, shopper, bairn that wauk the city street Step saftly roon thon lowly wirm, ower seen his fiers ye'll meet. 9.Rooster-Rap Tuck tuck tucky tucky tuck tuck tuck Cluck cluck clucky clucky cluck cluck cluck Scrit scrat flip flap peckin roon the yird I'm a wee reid rooster I'm a hip-hop bird Fermyaird Claik Foo's yer hens? Ay layin. Foo's yer dyeuk? Ay Quackin Foo's yer wife? Ay nyitterin Foo's yer bairns? Ay wintin Foo's yersel? Dinna speir End o tether? Dam't near! 10.Ritual It gies yer hairt a lift, like a kittly wirm gaun roon it, The bairn, takkin its name, the meenister's haun abune it. It pits a lump in the throat, the bride in her waddin goun, The groom in his plaid an kilt, kirk fu fae tap tae foun. It brings a greet tae the ee as ye staun wi the lave The stoor as it strukks the timmer. The auld wirds ower the grave. The rituals that fowk live bi, in temple, mosque or kirk Tend tae the rites o passage, sma lichts throw the pit mirk 11.Simmer's Carousel Brummil buss an gowden breem, skail ower knowes o elfin green Swippert swift wi forkit tail, soars far smuchterin shooeries sail Breistin mist-entaiglit knowes, fleein heich ower preen- prick yowes Clover hauds its lichen lair. Bens wauk up their Heivenly stair June, wi wattergaw an spell, birls in Simmer's Carousel 12.Lochan in the Widded Glen Lochan in the Widded glen, luggin in tae clishmaclavers Wheeplin wagtail's airy trysts, dimplin watter's weety havers Ye hae seen the lowes o dawn, licht the spindrift centuries Cauldrife Autumn teem the boughs, shakkin Simmer's certainties Yoam o breem ye bring tae me, showdin larick's rare perfume In this meenit whaur I staun tween the cradle an the tomb Can ye cowp the mountain ower? Ding doon thunner wi a door? Blaad sic blythness gin ye daur! Nochtie man's bit pish an stoor. 13.Pandora's Box Hae ye a braw Pandora's box? Takk tent an keep it snibbit Best leave't alane, some things by-gaen are nae fur the lang-nebbit Fur gin ye open't tae the warld, let lowse yer secret faats Tae the fower airts, tae win them back is waur nur herdin cats 14.Fragments o Sappho This foreneen, widdershins I wauked intae yestreen Inno a park o corn as heich's ma chin A littlin, fair bumbazed its gowden hair Its teenie moos war fusperin this an thon I wauked on in a dwaum Like a thocht gaun barfit doon tae unquaet sleep Oot far the blaik trees dovered like huddrie hoolets Fu o storm in the warld's merriematanzie The deep soun o its days. Grey bawd wis a lang-lugged quine Vanishin inno the dowp o her ain shadda At the tail eyn o the year Makk her darin lowp withoot a glent o fear I maun wauk alane Inno the teem airt Granminnie left ahin. Her daith brocht winter, pain Oh, like the meen, fu sair I lang fur seelence! Her wyceness cam fae the wyver fa vrocht her shroud Wi moosewabs happin her corp richt weel Granminnie...coracle, cradle Bield fae the chunnerin derk Nae dweeble like a bodach. Nae fooshionless as ague Ma bairntime hinney-store. A seannachie o pouer, her wirds cud thrall She wis a hollow skull o mony dwaums I masel thrum yet, wi her kent echoes Her sans rin ben ma teemin glaiss o oors reeshlin ben the rigs somelike Rapunzels 15.Villanelle: The Stemless Derk Jist fin the stemless derk dwines inno nicht Granmither's lowe wad flichter in the grate Sae comfortin a glent o frienly licht Auld furniture is biggit tae affricht The clock, turned ghaistly as the oors grew late Brocht bairn-like flegs I wis ower wee tae fecht She'd mummle prayers, her thoomb wad my tears dicht She'd lull me tae a dwaumy, cosie state Nae angel iver held a shield sae ticht. Aince doon a pitmerk knowe, a burnie, slicht 0 water did a crag illuminate Throwe hags of bog a threid of sheenin bricht Ae gloamin I wis socht, tae ma delicht Wi rowth o heich heid-yins tae congregate Ootlinned bi natur, I bedd ooto sicht, Ae chiel wis couthie. Kent aa wisnae richt. He smiled at me abeen the siller plate Jist fin the stemless derk dwines inno nicht Sae comfortin a glent o frienly licht! 16.St Machar's Kirkyaird on a New Year's Day Birds fae cloud an tree cam flichterin doon The winged parishioners o Machar's kirk The congregation o the nascent year Takk up their ordnar pews o beech an birk. Fae Seaton's wids the peacefu cooshie doo Curmurs, while reid-nebbed deevilick hoodie craas Merk oot a hirplin rubbit's low road hame Rochlin their hudderie feathers on grey waas Cistercian flakes o sna fae Heiven's fauld Doondrap abeen the raws o moulderin deid They hap an angel's lap wi skinklin cauld Raxxin its wings ootower baith coorse an gweed A sleekit spider bids doon fae its wab That staps the moo o Ceres teemin jug An naethin steers in this aul-farrant warld Far ghaists o Machar fusper in yer lug. I cast a shadda ower ma great-gransire His shadda casts a langer inbye me We baith are reeted tae this Norlan neuk Deid fermer-chiel an his dour progeny 17.The Crucifixion of the Coquette Atween the darnin an the cookin Love ran aff fin she wisnae luikin Thon's the cross she has tae bear She's bin had an he disnae care. 18.Fit the Pict Stane Said Here, beginneth the lesson o the Pictish stane: Ayont the corruption o flesh Ayont the lowes o Autumn Rockabye orchards dwaum In their sweet, fite chaumer Mute, in the aipple's core Aa mortal ferlies turn In the sizzen's crucible o frost The grun's weird alchemy Ooto the hail's jeel, ooto the win's wull Sucklin the breist o the brae Ferms an femlies growe fae runes an banes. By starnie, hoolet, bluid, By the grace o the woundit glaur, that keeps the corn By the kennin o quick an deid May signs an bumbazements Niver lose their wunner May wattergaw an thunner Foriver staun their cats' een throwe the dark Tho snaaflauchts gaither heich ower toun an lan 19.Gloamin Saft in the glysterie gloamin, the ghaists o tummelt trees Sough in the greenwid's crannies far hoolets tak their ease Laigh wi the furlin adder, wi moss their branches jyne Far the reests o merle an hoolet their cloudy memories tyne There, gollachs horned an scaley, swippert an swack an slee, Nest in the rotten timmers, the deid trees' tenantry. 20.Pluscarden fae Heldon Knowe Heich on Heldon knowe Bi the vaults o the leverick's Heiven A mavis poors its passion Inno the listenin lugs o muckle beech trees Reeshlin thegither in aisles o green an broon. Rich hey parks swey. By Netherbyre Twa pheasants brakk fae the girse 0 this Haly howe like papal prelates Vestments gowd an reid. Wast o the kirk streek oot the Abbey's deid Neth matchstick crosses. The size o chessmen, leevin brithers hyow Their kail an tatties, swallin peas an neeps Turn ower the yird like bannocks in the pan Tend thyme an parsley, rosemary an mint Like eident bees their hinney's hairsted here. Nets, like tents o moosewabs Hap young fruit. Geans brier on showdin trees Eirde yields her bounty up, fulls pod an pot. June haps the grun wi sun, coddles grey waas wi licht. Shaddas play tig far nestin corbies skreich Their twiggy lairs biggt inno dizzy crannies A poppies bleezes up in a stand o nettles. Dykes, wechtit wi ivy, smore in the stoory heat. Cars slip in an oot the speeritual equation Centuries mell like smush. Fowk pye fur plants Day-trippers cheek-bi-jowl wi ghaists o sancts. 21.Wids The wids are hideyholes for tods, Squirrels an hoolets, hawks an bawds For beasts that creep an climm an flee The wids are Natur's sanctuary. Ooto the reenge o man an gun Broch snochers grumphy ben the grun Far fern showds an nettle stings An blackie flaps her sable wings In the derk leafy taps o trees The rainbow dovers wi the breeze. Here wabbit thunner seeks a reest Deep in the deepest widlan's breist Here gurly gale an raindrap bide An muckle stormclouds rin an hide This is their bolt-hole an their bield Here they creep in fae Ben an field Tae rest awhile till treetaps shakk Till boughs wi breengin breezes brakk An storms roar oot fae their green lair Tae skelp yer claes an lift yer hair! 22.Impermanence The broon-backed watter in the burn, Rins bibblin brakk-neck ower a stane, Like my wud thochts that ramstam breenge Ben the derk corries o my brain. I watch the burn in peaty puils, Its clashin tongue turned quate's the mools, An ane bi ane my racin thocht, Ferfochan, dwines an cams tae nocht, Like wechty draps o weety rain, That flash in passin, syne are gaen. 23.Mairtinmas in Buchan A beef-breet roars an anthem tae the God 0 Mairtinmas, that governs hairsts an Sizzens Its lowin wauchts ootower the misty ley Tae thon stinch hoose fas steeple prods the Heivens. Abune the sookin glaur that hauds my fit French hauf-breeds roar, late aff a cattle float Twa new-weaned calves, incomers fae the North Skirl mitherless an tint. Their fey French bluid Crossed wi a hummle-heidit douce Scots breed That dwaums an moos an keechs an chaws the cweed Timmer gates wi towe are wippit roon Tae keep the nowt inower their ferm toun Ben stoory, hauf-licht byre, blae doos curmur. Like rikkin kettles hotterin in a neuk The hairy nowt chaw strae, wheech tails an glower Their tongues raxx oot, some sappy hey tae sook. Each ee neth ilkie curly powe is framed Bi rowth o lashes. Sharny dowps an shanks Turn tail far Robin reests on shilpit shanks Sleet, late yestreen drapped bi the winter's meen Lies douce in bowls o glaur alang the park The road is ruttit puils o dubby bree The sycamore sits in its winter sark Chitterin aside the stibble-bristly park Nyaakit o aa bit timmer-runkled bark. Sma wechts o singin blossom, feathery neebors On swippert wings flee aff, a heeze o cheepers Hoodie craas, riggt oot in Sabbath blaiks Far wizzent breem showds cauldly in the sheugh Preen meenisterial braas wi Roman beaks Powk girsly dauds o carrion, dry an teuch. The steadin lum, teem noo o grey peat-rikk' s A reest far jackdaas news an raxx their wings. A riven trunk o elm that's claucht in twa's The alter-staa far couthie spurgie sings. Forcey wins hae herdit latchy leaves, Doon tae the lair they'll haud till resurrection. Phone-lines criss-cross abeen the girsy brae Like Pisky Bishops makkin benediction. Spears o frost shape-chynge tae pirls o dyew Thrissle's tint its croon. Its preeny orb Jogs bi a steely line o barbit wire. It wytes fur Spring's saft braith tae rise anew. Moss haps a rodden's side like velveteen Lichen creeps ben whorls an wrunkled snorls 0 branchin boughs, wi plaid o Lincoln green. The lang rigs raxx hyne aff tae ferms unseen Doon-drappit tattie shaas on cauld rigs streekit Lie far the lan wi hap o cloud is theekit Ower sheughs far frostit rubbit hunkers doon The skyrie pheasant trails his Sultan's goun Aneth a blearie, ither-warldy sun Auld Autumn's beens gyang hirplin ower the grun. 24.Chyned Yett I chyned the yett o a corn park A corn park far a corbie flew Tae bar the storm an the eildrich dark Fae liftin the sneck an wirmin throwe Noo, foriver the rabbit's fit Gaes dirdin ower the flooery braes Noo, foriver, the bumbees flit In the sunsheen yoam o simmer days I chyned the yett o a corn park Ringed bi wids an the yalla whin The bairn that tummles amang the stooks Will bide foraye in a littlin's skin