aboot thon kintra nane hae kent
growes a plantin o toons wi thur
gless biggit lands whaur siller gets
wrocht intae brass fur stervin pooches
an tenements staun, sauchen, whit keek
oot ower – atween haizert bens, redd
up hamely tae hicht-steppin hairt an
stoory-fit, by burns teem wi saumen
(fur awbody’s yuiss) – hooseprood pairks
droont ablow hinnie, gemm an corn

yon yird bides noo whaur sodgers set
tae plew, whaur shiftin watters mak
a brig wad kerry toom stravaigers,
whaur yer neeburs leid is aywis larnt
nae bother, whaur makars gie oot
aw the word, a spate o leal licht cried
truith, whiles thon bawbee coonters
cowp thur puggies tim aw ower braid
laws tae fother fat, weel-gethert grund
- aye right, aye right, an so they wull

yit nae bard kin forsay whit’s rowth -
oor warld greets, whin aw the craik
clags up yer craw wi soor dauds, an
gomeril howp-stappit lugs tak tent,
ablow it aw, a chynge, a wey oot fae
screivit scaddin wae tae straths whaur
warum braith blaws oan flooerin peace,
whaur yin sowl thraws, jinkin amang
the breer, whit’s tae be mair feart fae
atween thae hatchlin thochts an flicht

dùthaich nach robh riamh
translated into Scots by Janet Paisley