Forenent Scrabo,
Stan
Tha Kempe Stanes.
A racherie o stanes
Yin o dizzens
Frae tha days o Bronze
An Gowld
Airmbans.
Mairkin heidyins
O airmit bans.
A cairn
Twal muckle stanes
Brocht tae tha wattèr side
Frae aa airts
Wattèrs
Whaur yin day
Yinst mair
Loast tribes maun gaither
Twal stanes
Stannin
Fur twal sins an faithers,
Skailed
In tha days o Ice
An Airn
Fitbans
Tae aa airts
An pairts,
Buttèrlumps
On a wheen o shores.
A heich stannin stane
Stuid its lane
Frae tha days o Stane
Leevin
Wrocht
Tae a fing’r
Wae tha stane-men.
A stannin stane
Pit up
On tha brae heid.
A fing’r tae tha lift,
Tae tha sin
Or tha Sin
Roadin
Oot o a nieve o leevin roak,
Abane.
Frae thon heicht
No jist yin in sicht
Anither on anither.
A stane raa
A line up
Frae tha shore
Frae tha risin sin
Frae tha Aist.
A rodden
Fair forrits
Roadin
Frae tha Dear knows whaur
Strecht
Tae tha cairn.
A stan
Wae thon lanesome stane
Leukin forrit
Tae tha bairns.
Tae tha risin sins
O themorra’s moarn.
Leukin bak
Tae tha cairns.
Tae mae een
Tae mae shired heid
A strecht line
Athoot en.
A stan
Wae tha mairker stane
No loast
But fun
In tha moarnin
Licht.
No loast,
Mairkin tha heich grun.
At dailigan,
Historie
At peep o day,
Destinie.
I've been enjoying exploring your Ulster-Scots sites, this one and the Steinbeck blog. I plan to spend a bit more time on them in the future....
ReplyDeleteWe were talking about the Celtic thesis and all that. Scots of course is Anglo-Saxon, but as far as Ulster Scots customs and folklore how would you categorize them? How conscious were they of the Celtic past in many of the lands they dwelt in? Would they resonate with Beowulf, Tain Bo Cuailnge, or neither?
Despite the fact that the culture was Borderer, and a Mixed Medley....would you throw some Celtic into the mix and to what extent?
Feel free to answer as long or short as you like. I realize that could be an extensive question. We mentioned a few books in the other exchange. What others would you recommend? What do you think of the Leyburn book? Is it considered a standard or must-read? It seems like it here, but considering the 'Scots-Irish' title I'm not sure it would automatically be respected in Ulster. I'll wait for you to answer before I comment on it.
I'm not a Celtophile or Saxophile, not looking for a specific answer...just fascinated by the questions. A goodly portion of my ancestry is Lowland and Ulster rooted. As I bonafide history fanatic, I'm thrilled to be communicating with someone who is very knowledgeable about this topic.