SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 921 Title : Ane Auld Sang Author(s): David Purves Copyright holder(s): David Purves Text ANE AULD SANG Renderings in Literary Scots from fifty ancient Chinese poems by David Purves NOTE The poems in this collection have been recreated in Scots from versions in English of ancient Chinese poems recorded as far back as the seventh century BC, covering a period of well over two millennia. The English versions used as sources were largely those of Arthur Waley, Arthur Cooper, L. Cranmer-Byng, Kenneth Rexroth and David Cobb. The English neo-classical poetic tradition was long preoccupied with abstractions, rather than with the perennial concerns of living people. Thus, when versions in English of wonderful ancient Chinese poems were first published early last century, they were actually regarded with disapproval in England, because they did not fit into this entrenched, sophisticated tradition. English has now developed into an international scientific and technological language employed by hundreds of millions of people with many different cultural backgrounds, living in different parts of the planet. It is sometimes argued that, because it is not longer the language of any specific community, and has lost contact with its original social roots, English is no longer a suitable language for poetry, which is properly concerned with the life (and plight) of Man as a social being. Although the Scots language is certainly closely related to English, this argument cannot be applied to Scots. Scots is an intimate social language which is much less concerned with abstractions than English. It is specific to an identifiable community and it has a very different emotional flavor from English. I believe that these versions of Chinese poems in Scots have a vigor and emotional quality in Scots which was not always evident in the English verions from which they were derived. The Scots language can be powerful, tender, earthy or humorous, and the best poetry reflects the sentiment expressed by Burns that "the hert’s aye", "the pairt aye", "that maks us richt or wrang". The compatibility of the Scots language with ancient Chinese poetry is no doubt due to the fact that this is usually straight from the heart. Scots has its limitations, but it does not lend itself to pomposity or affectation, and may therefore be a more suitable medium than contemporary English for rendering these poems. Whether these recreations do justice to the original poems in Chinese is a question for the judgment of the select band of Chinese scholars who are also familiar with literary Scots. David Purves, Edinburgh, August 2004 ANE AULD SANG CONTENTS 1. Coronach: Kennawha (7th Century BC): LALLANS 45, 1995 2. The Mukkil Chairiot: do.: LALLANS 43, 1993 3. Weidae’s Yammer: do.: ZED2O, 6, 1993 4. Fechtin ootby the Keep: do. (2nd Century BC): NORTHWORDS 9, 1996 5. The Sair Weird: Hsi-chün (2nd Century BC): ZED2O, 6, 1993 6. Tint Luiv: Wu-ti (157-87 BC): LALLANS, 37, 1991 7. Tuim Bed: Kennawha (1st Century BC): ZED2O, 6, 1993 8. Hame: do. (200 BC – 200 AD): ULLANS, Wintrer 1999 9. Sang o the Snaw-Whyte Heids: Cho Wen chun (1st Century AD): NORTHWORDS, 1, 1991 10. On the Daith o his Faither: Wei Wen-ti (188-227): LALLANS 44, 1995 11. Eftirstang: Yüan Chi (210-263): LALLANS 42, 1994 12. A Douce Wund: Fu Hsuan (3rd Century): NORTHWORDS 12, 1997 13. Ma Pairtie: Ch’eng–kung Sui (3rd Century): LALLANS 47, 1996 14. The Wund in the Glen: Lu Yun (4th Century): LALLANS 56, 2000 15. Back End: T’ao Ch’ien (372-427): LALLANS 39, 1992 16. Spring Breird: do.: NORTHWORDS 2, 1993 17. The Scholar Sojer: Pao Chao (died 460): NORTHWORDS 9, 1996 18. Fowk Derns thair Luiv: Wu-ti (404-549): Eildon Tree 1, 1999 19. Auld Kimmer’s Sang: Tsang Chih (6th Century): ZED2O, 6, 1993 20. Tears: Wang Seng-ju (6th Century): NORTHWORDS 3, 1993 21. Tell me nou: Wang Chi (584-644): LALLANS 41, 1993 22. Autumn Days: Kao-shih (ca. 700): NORTHWORDS 5, 1994 23. In the Hieland Forest: Wang Wei (701-761): Reforesting Scotland 22, 1999 24. A Waesum Wumman: Li Po (701-762): EILDON TREE 1, 1999 25. Clearin at Dawin: do.: LALLANS 36, 1991 26. Greinin: do.: NORTHWORDS 3, 1993 27. Dishauntit Sell: do.: Poetry Wales 7, 2, 1991 28. Ma Frein: do. 29. Saucht: do. 30. Simmer Day: do. 31. Kintrie Cothouss: Tu Fu (712-770) 32. The Spring Aince Mair: do. 33. Spring Rain: do. 34. Traivlin Norlins: do. 35. Veisitors: do. 36. Waukrif Nicht in Camp: do. 37. Anither Day: Po Chü-i (772-846) 38. Auld Age: do. 39. Lao Tzu: do. 40. Lossin a Slave-Quyne: do. 41. The Reid Cockatoo: Po Chü-i (772-846) 42. Up Abuin the Toun: do. 43. Wunter Nicht: do. 44. Lest Poem: do. 45. Plaint agin Generals: Ts’ao Sung (830-910) 46. Boundless Pyne: Li Hou-chu (10th Century) 47. Hogmanay: Su Tung p’o (1036-1101) 48. On the Birth o his Son: Su Tung p’o (1036-1101) 49. Thocht bi the Lochan: Chu Hsi (1130-1200) 50. Luiv Poem: Feng Meng-lung (ca. 1590-1646) *** From the Chinese Kennawha (7th Century BC) CORONACH Ai, whit haes becum o us? Yon mukkil ashets o veivers! It wes, ‘Fill an fesh mair!’ The-day, evin whan we hae meat, the’r naething ti spare. Ochone an ochone! We haena growne as we breirdit. Ai, whit haes befawn us? Fower plates at ilka dounsittin; whyles as monie helpins. The-day, evin whan we hae meat, the’r never aneuch. Ochone, ochanee! We haena growne as we breirdit. *** From the Chinese Kennawha (7th Century BC) THE MUKKIL CHAIRIOT Dinna forder the mukkil chairiot! Ye wul onlie mak yeirsell stourie. Dinna think on the dule o the warld! Ye wul onlie mak yeirsell waesum. Dinna forder the mukkil chairiot! Ye’l never can see for the stour. Dinna think on the dule o the warld, or ye’l never wun free frae wanhowp! Dinna forder the mukkil chairiot! Ye’l onlie be smoored wi the stour. Dinna think on the dule o the warld! Ye wul onlie be trauchilt wi care. *** From the Chinese Kennawha (7th Century BC) WEIDAE’S YAMMER Simmer days, wunter nichts--- year eftir year o thaim maun pass or Ah gang til him whaur he bydes. Wunter nichts, simmer days— Year eftir year o thaim maun gae in or Ah gang til his hame. *** From the Chinese Kennawha (Second Century BC) FECHTIN OOTBY THE KEEP Thay focht south o the breistwark Thay dee’d north o the waws. Thay fell on the muir athout beirial. Thair flesh becam meat for the craws. In the lochan the rashes war mirklyke, as the rydars focht an war slauchtert. Nou thair horses reinge aboot nickerin. Bi the brig the war shuirlie a houss? Whaur wes’t? Wes it north, wes it south? The hairst it wes never ingethert. Ah think o ye, leal sojers. Ye serred yeir Prince in vain. The-mornin ye gaed oot ti battle an at nicht, ye never cam hame. *** From the Chinese of Hsi-chun (2nd Century BC) THE SAIR WEIRD Ma fowk haes mairrit me on a caird at the warld’s end; sent me awa til a ferr kintrie, til the dottilt keing o the Wu-sun. A tent nou serrs me for ma houss wi mattit felt for sillie waws. Raw flesh is aw ma meat an cuddie’s milk ma drink. Aye greinin for ma ain kintrie, wi a waesum hert inby--- Ai, Ah wush Ah wes a yallae stork for ti flie the haill road hame! *** From the Chinese of Wu-ti (157-87 BC) Sixth Emperor of the Han Dynasty TINT LUIV The soun o hir silk skirt haes gaen. On the merbil plainstanes the stour doungethers. Hir tuim chaumer is cauld an lown. The fawn leafs is haepit agin the doors. Greinin for that lousum leddie, hou can Ah bring ma sair hert ti rest? *** From the Chinese Kennawha (First Century BC ?) THE TUIM BED Green, green, the wattirsyde gress! Thick, thick, the sauchs i the gairden! Waesum, waesum, the leddie i the touer! Whyte, whyte, sittin bi the winnok! Bonnie, bonnie, hir reid-pouthert face! Smaw, smaw, hir dentie haund! Aince she wes a daunce-houss quyne, but nou she is a gangril’s wyfe. The gangril gaed an never cam back, an nou the leddie’s aw hir lane. Ai, a tuim bed is ill ti thole! *** From the Chinese Kennawha (200 BC – 200 AD) HAME At fifteen Ah jyned the airmie. At twantie-five Ah cam hame at lest. As Ah gaed inti the clachan, Ah met an auld caird an speired: “Wha bydes in oor houss nou?” Says he: “Look you doun the street! Thare yeir auld hame doun thare!” Pynes an cypresses growe lyke weeds. Mappies leeve in the dug’s kennel. Dous nest in the brukken ruif. Wyld gress cuivers the courtyaird. Daunerin creepers hap the wal. Ah gether millet an mak a pudden an pick sum maws ti mak soup, but the’r naebodie for ti share thaim. Whan Ah’m feinisht wi ma soup an pudden, Ah staun ma lane bi the brukken yett an dicht the tears frae ma een. *** From the Chinese of Chu Wen-chun (First Century) SANG O THE SNAW-WHYTE HEIDS Oor luiv wes saikless as the snaw on the bens; whyte as a muin atwein the clouds--- Nou Ah hear tell yeir thochts is doubil; that’s hou Ah hae cum, ti brek it aff. The-day we’l drink a tass o wyne. The-morn we’l twyne asyde the Canal: dauner aboot asyde the Canal, whaur the brainches sinder East an Wast. Ochone an ochone, syne again, ochone! Sae maun a lass greit whan she’s wad, gin she finndsna a man o singil hert that winna leave hir or hir hair is whyte. *** From the Chinese of Wei Wen-ti (188-227) ON THE DAITH O HIS FAITHER Ah glence up at his drapes an bed: Ah look doun at his table heid an mat. Thir things is thare juist lyke afore, but the man they belanged til isnae thare. His speirit haes taen flicht bedein an left me ferr awa ahint, masell. Wha sal Ah look til – on wha depend? Ma tears rins doun athouten end. Ah’m aw ma lane an desolate, dreidin the days o oor lang twynin. Ma sair hert’s ayebydin stound nae ither sowl can ever ken. The’r a thing ye aften hear fowk say: “It’s the dule that shuirlie maks us auld.” Ochone, ochone, for ma whyte hairs! Thay hae cum ti me ower suin. *** From the Chinese of Yüan Chi (210-263) EFTIRSTANG Whan Ah wes a hauflin A fairlie lairnt ti fence--- Ah wes better at it nor Camsheuch Castel.* Ma speirit rade heich as the rowin clouds, an ma nameliheid wes kent aw ower. Ah taen ma sword til the desert sands an wattirt ma naig at the Ferr Bens. Ma flags an culors flauchtert abuin an nocht wes heard but the dirl o ma drums. * * * * But war an its traivels haes made me waesum an a fell feim nou bleizes inby me: it’s thinkin o hou Ah hae gaen throu ma days at gars this unco rue ryve at ma hert. *A famous general *** From the Chinese of Fu Hsuan (3rd Century) A DOUCE WUND A douce wund fans the lown nicht: A bricht muin leims on the hie touer. Ah hear a whusper, but naeb’die aunsirs whan A caw. Syne the kitchen loun brings ben a bowle o lentils: The’r wyne anaw, but Ah dinna fill ma gless. Content wi puirtith is Fortuin’s first blissin; Walth an Honor is the byde-ins o Mishanter. Tho gowd an jowels is socht bi aw the warld, ti me thay kyth nae mair nor weeds or caff. *** From the Chinese of Ch’eng-kung Sui (3rd Century) MA PAIRTIE Ah sent oot invytes for a hantil guests. Ah brocht thegither aw ma cronies. Loud yammerins, fill an fesh mair, wi rowth o meat! A byordnar splore; hekkin in even on, wi wyne galore. Craks on philosophie an airtilik haivers; aw tungs lowsent, in clishmaclaivers; skellochin lauchin amang freins forgethert; herts made lichtsum for a wee, winnin free. *** From the Chinese of Lu Yun (4th Century) THE WUND IN THE GLEN Leevin in retirement ayont the Warld, quaetlie enjoyin aesumness, Ah pul the raip o ma door the tichter, an binnd steivelie this crackit jaur that serrs me as a winnok bole. Ma speirit is in kilter wi the Spring an at the Faw the’r Autumn in ma hert. This gait, in follaein cosmic chynge, ma cot-houss haes becum ma Universe. *** From the Chinese of T’ao Ch’ien (372-427) BACK END Snell an coorse the year draws til its end. In ma cotton goun Ah luik for sunlicht on the porch. In the south pleasance aw the leafs is gaen. In the norlin gairden foustit bous liggs haepit. Ah tak ma tass an drink it, doun til the dregs. Ah luik til the kitchen, but nae reik ryses. Poems an buiks is stekk’t asyde ma chair: but the licht is gaun an Ah’l no hae tyme ti read thaim. *** Frae the Chinese of T’ao Ch’ien (372-427) SPRING BREIRD Swippert the years, ayont myndin. Solemn the lown o this braw mornin. Ah wul cleid masell in Spring claes an veisit the braes o the Eastern ben. Bi the hill burn a haar hings, swithers a wee, syne skails awa. Cums a wund blawin frae the South, at skiffs the riggs o the new corn. *** From the Chinese of Pao Chao (5th Century) THE SCHOLAR SOJER Nou late on i the day Ah list wi the lave for the War. We mairch aw day for fullie twae month. Sklimmin the breistwark, Ah fecht wi outlin clans Ah never kent war thare afore. Thrawin aff ma sash, Ah cleid masell in an unco teuch rhinoceros coat: rowin up ma kilt, Ah shouther a steive blek bou. The cheil on ma richt skraichs oot an founders, a fell flain in his wame, an pitmirk haps his een. Even at the verra stert, ma smeddum fails. “Mither! Whit wul becum o me afore it’s ower?” *** From the Chinese of Wu-ti (464-549) FOWK DERNS THAIR LUIV Wha says this is whit Ah want, ti be sindert aye sae ferr frae ye? Ma goun hauds yit the whuff o lavender ye sent. Aboot ma waist Ah weir a doubil sash: Ah dream it binnds us baith wi ae hert-knot. Did ye no ken that fowk can dern thair luiv: a flouer that kyths ower praiciuss for ti pou? *** From the Chinese of Tsang Chih (6th Century) AULD KIMMER’S SANG Ah wes brocht up anaith the Stane Castel: ma winnok opent forenent the mukkil touer. Inby war aw the braw yung callants waved aye ti me as thay gaed oot an in. *** From the Chinese of Wang Seng-ju (6th Century) TEARS Heich ower the ben the muin skowe steers; the lentern lichts depairts. Deid springs is steirin in ma hert, an nou the’r tears … The stound that maks ma dule mair deep is that ye kenna whan Ah greit. *** From the Chinese of Wang Chi (ca. 700) TELL ME NOU! ‘Tell me nou, whit mair micht a man want nor ti sit his lane, bebbin his tass o wyne?’ Ah soud lyke ti hae veisitors for ti crak on philosophie, an no hae the tax-man cum getherin siller; ma thrie sons mairrit inti guid faimlies; ma five dochters mairrit on wycelyke men. Syne Ah coud jundie throu a blyth hunder year, an at the hinner end, want nae Heivin. *** From the Chinese of Kao-shih (ca.700) AUTUMN DAYS The mantil o Autumn liggs lourd ower wuid an ben an cleuch. It’s the Faw, the tyme o decay, an the deid leafs howderin flicht; an the mantil o Autumn haps wae on the gangril’s saul the-nicht. *** From the Chinese of Wang Wei (701-761) IN THE HIELAND FOREST Deep ben amang the bens whaur naebodie ever cums, onlie aince in a lang whyle ye hear the soun o a ferr vyce. The laich leims o the sun jouk throu the mirk forest an glent aince mair on the shaidaed moss. *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) A WAESUM WUMMAN Up the merbil steps she walks on dew an daidils thare, as nicht cums on, or hir stockin-soles ir droukit. She waits in vain, gaes in at lest, syne pairts the kirstal-beadit curtain an goaves at the glisterin muin. *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) CLEARIN AT DAWIN The riggs is cauld, the smirr haes liftit; the culors o Spring splairge in ilka airt; wi lowpin fish the blue puil is rowth; wi liltin maivises the green bous stint. The flouers o the field haes daibilt thair pouthert chowks; the gress on the bens is bent sklef at mids; bi the bamboo wattir the lest nirl o cloud is blawn bi the wund an slaelie skails awa. *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) GREININ Sae bricht a leim at ma bed-fuit--- Coud the hae been a freist areddies? Hystin masell ti luik, Ah see that it is nou muinlicht. Bouin ma heid, Ah dream that Ah im hame. *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) DISHAUNTIT SELL Ah sat bebbin an never taen tent o the gloamin. Ah sat tipplin an A never kent ‘twes the forenicht, or the fawin petals filled the faulds o ma goun. Drukken Ah rase an made for the muinlicht wattir: the burds war gaen --- no monie fowk aboot! *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) MA FREIN Ma frein is ludgin up in the Aistern hills; fair browdent on the bewtie o the straths an bens. In the green Spring days, he liggs i the tuim wuids; doverin aye whan the sun sheins hie abuin. A pine-tree wund kisses his sleeves an coat. A chuck-stane burn synds his ears an hert. Ah fairlie envy ye, that ferr frae sturt an clash, ir stelled heich on a bouster o whyte cloud. *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) SAUCHT An ye war ti speir at me, lyke, whitfor Ah byde amang the green bens, Ah sal lauch quaetlyke ti masell. Ma saul is lown. The peach-blossom follaes the rinnin wattir aye, an the’r anither heivin an yird sumwhaur ayont the warld o men. *** From the Chinese of Li Po (701-762) SIMMER DAY Up here ma lane amang the bens, doucelie Ah steir a whyte feather fan. Wi an open serk, Ah sit in a green wuid. Ah lowse ma bonnet an hank it on a ledgin stane; a souch frae the pine-tree strinkils ma bare heid. *** From the Chinese of Tu Fu (712-770) KINTRIE COTHOUSS A cottar’s houss asyde the clear wattir; the rustic yett gies on til a forleiten road. The weeds growes ower the pant wal. Ah slounge in ma auld claes. The sauch’s brainches swey. Flouerin trees parfume the air. The sun gaes doun aince mair ahint a clekkin droukit cormorants, dryin thair blek weings alang the pier. *** From the Chinese of Tu Fu (712-770) THE SPRING AINCE MAIR Brukken the muin o Mairch, April lamps on. Hou monie ither Springs im Ah ti walcum? Wul Ah see monie mair Springs turn til Simmer? But nou Ah’l no forgae wyne douce as hinnie. Nae guid ti think on things Ah canna reckon: afore lyfe’s dregs ir drained aye the’r sum glesses. *** From the Chinese of Tu Fu (712-770) SPRING RAIN A guidlyke rain kens its saison. It kyths at the oncum o Spring. It snuves throu the nicht on the breeze, seilentlie waitin on awthing; a mirk nicht, the clouds blek as the causie, juist ae licht on a boat leimin. In the mornin, fair droukit wi wattir, the flouers hing thair lourd heids. *** From the Chinese of Tu Fu (712-770) TRAIVLIN NORLINS The houlets skraich in the yallaein mulberrie busses. Field myce skelters, reddin thair holes for the wunter. At midnicht, we cross an auld battilgrund. The muinlicht leims cauld on whyte banes. *** From the Chinese of Tu Fu (712-770) VEISITORS Ah’ve suffered frae asthma for a guid whyle back. Ah finnd easement here in this biggin bi the wattirsyde. It is lown in here. Nae crouds fash me. Ah’m brichter in masell. an mair restit lyke. Am im blyth here. Whan a bodie caws in at ma theikit hut, ma son brings ben ma strae hat an oot Ah gae an gether me a gowpenfu fresh vegetables. Ah ken it’s no mukkil ti offer, but it is gien in freinship. *** From the Chinese of Tu Fu (712-779) WAUKRIF NICHT IN CAMP In the drakkin damp, Ah mak ti sleep ablo the bamboo canes, anaith the fekfu cauld muinlicht in the wilderness. The smirr dwynes til a fyne flim. Yin bi yin the sterns skinkil oot, or anelie the fyreflies is left. Burds wheipil ower the wattir. The war rages til its fell ootcum. It’s uissless for ti vex masell, waukrif the lang nicht throu. *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) ANITHER DAY Ma man waukens me: “Maister, the day’s weill on! Up oot yeir bed! Here bowle an kaim! Wunter cums an the air is yit snell. Yeir Guidsell durstna gang ootby the-day!” Whan Ah byde at hame, naebodie veisits me. Whit wul Ah dae wi the lang slouth oors? Settlin ma chair naith a waek sun’s leims, Ah hae mulled up wyne an taen up ma poems. *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) AULD AGE We ir growin auld thegither, you an me; we maun ask oorsells, ‘Whitlyke is eild?’ The bleirie ee is steik’t or nicht faws, the fekless heid is aye unkaimed at nuin. Stelled bi a stick, whyles a wee turn ootby; or aw day sittin inby wi steikit doors. Ah daurna glisk i the keikin gless; Ah canna read smaw-prentit buiks. Deeper an deeper Ah loue the auld freins; thir days Ah’ve littil troke wi yungir men. But ae thing juist: the pleisir o idle blether is gleg as evir, whan you an Ah forgether. *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) LAO TZU ‘Thaim that speaks kens naething. Thaim that kens bydes lown’. Thir wurds, Ah hear tell, war spoken bi Lao-tzu. Gin we ir ti credit that Lao-tzu wes himsell ane that kent, hou cums it he wrate a buik o five thousan wurds? *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) LOSSIN A SLAVE-QUYNE Aroun ma howf the littil waw is laich. At the vennel yett hir loss wes leitit late. Ah think shame ti mynd at whyles we warna kynd; Ah’m vext anent yeir tyauvin that wul nevir be repeyed. The cagit burd is no behauden. The wund-blawn flouers clauchtsna the tree. * * * * Whaur the-nicht she liggs the’r nane can gie us wurd; naebodie kens, but thon bricht ower-watchin muin. *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) THE REID COCKATOO Sent as a present frae Annam--- a reid cockatoo; hued lik the peach-tree blossom, yammerin awa the words o men, an thay did til it whit aye is duin til the wyce an glib-gabbit. Thay taen a cage wi mukkil bars an shut it up inby. *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) UP ABUIN THE TOUN Sklimmin up heich, Ah begin ti see the smawness o Man’s Kinrik. Glowerin hyne awa, Ah begin ti see the vainitie o the fleshlie warld. Ah turn ma heid an breishil hame --- back til the Court an Mercat, a singil rice aiker fawin --- intil the Mukkil Bern. *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-I (772-846) WUNTER NICHT Ma houss is puir an thaim Ah loue haes left me. Ma corp is seik --- Ah canna jyne the feast. The’r no a leevin sowl forenent ma een as Ah ligg ma lane lock’t in ma cot-houss chaumer. Ma brukken cruisie burns wi a dwaiblie lowe. Ma tattert drapes hings squint an dinna meet. ‘Puff’ on the front dure-step an wundae sill, aye an again Ah hear the new snaw faw. Day in, day oot, the aulder Ah growe Ah sleep the less. Ah wauken the midnicht oor an sit up strecht in bed. Gin Ah haedna lairnt the airt o meditation, hou coud Ah beir this yondmaist lanesumness? Steive an sterk ma bodie hauds the yird; unhinnert nou ma sowl devauls til entropie. Sae haes it been for fower dreich year: a thousan an thrie hunder nicht! *** From the Chinese of Po Chü-i (772-846) LEST POEM Thay hae putten ma bed asyde the unpentit screen. Thay hae steired ma stove forenent the blue curtain. Ah listen til ma grandbairns haetin up ma pikkil kail. Wi a gleg pincil Ah aunser the poems o ma freins, Ah graip in ma poutches for siller for medicine, an whan Ah’m duin wi aw this lik fouterin, Ah ligg back on ma cod an dover aff, wi ma gizz turnt til the South. *** From the Chinese of Ts’ao Sung (ca. 830-910) PLAINT AGIN GENERALS The hills an wattirs o the Lawland kintrie ye hae made yeir battil grund. Hou dae ye think the fowk that bydes thare wul gether hey an kinnlin? Dinna you lat me hear ye haiverin thegither anent teitils an honors, for a singil general’s nameliheid is biggit on ten thousan corps. *** From the Chinese of Li Hou-chu, Emperor of Southern Tang Dynasty (deposed in 975) BOUNDLESS PYNE Ma dreamin saul lest nicht wes keing aince mair. As in days bygaen, Ah daunert throu the Pailace o Delicht, an in ma dreams, doun gressie gairden gaits ma chairiot snuived, smoother nor a simmer stream. The war muinlicht, the trees war breirdin blossom an a lown wund saftent the nicht air, for it wes Spring. *** From the Chinese of Su Tung-p’o (1036-1101) HOGMANAY The year slips in til anither end lyke a serpent crawlin in a field. Ye hae nae suiner sichtit it or it haes santit awa foraye. It haes gaen an its fash is gaen wi it. Ye haed better no grup it bi the tail! Whitfor soud ye try, whan it wad dae ye nae guid. The bairns ir waukrif; thay canna sleep. Thay sit up aw nicht lauchin an yatterin. The cocks dinna craw ti hansil the dawin. The watch dinna dird thair drums the-nicht. Awbodie bydes up whyle the lamps burn doun, an gaes oot ti watch the sterns dwyne awa. Ah div howp neist year wul be better nor lest. But Ah daursay it wul juist be the same auld mistaks an mishanters. Mebbe Ah wul be better fordilt bi Hogmanay neist year. Ah soud! Here Ah im, yung an yauld— lichtsum, an fou o smeddum. *** From the Chinese of Su Tung-p’o (1036-1101) ON THE BIRTH O HIS SON Whan a bairn is born the faimlie forordnar wad lyke it ti be smertlyke an clivver. But wi be-in owre smert, Ah hae connacht ma haill lyfe. Sae Ah div howp this wean wul growe up ti be donnert an stuipit. An syne Ah daursay he wul shuirlie croun a blythsum career as a Caibinet Meinister. *** From the Chinese of Chu Hsi (1130-1200) THOCHT BI THE LOCHAN The gless o the lochan leims an skimmers cannilie in the saur. The splendor o the lift abuin an the whyteness o the clouds happin the taps o the bens ir reflekkit back on thairsells. Ah speir at the lochan: “Whaur can Ah finnd oniething ither as clear an pure?” “Anelie at the springheid o the wattir o lyfe.” *** From the Chinese of Feng Meng-lung (ca.1590-1646) LUIV POEM Nou dinna you set sail the-day! The wund is getherin an the wather isna guid. Ferr better cum back ti ma houss wi me. Gin the’r oniething ye wad lyke, juist tell me! Gin ye’r cauld, ma bodie is warm. Lat us be blyth thegither this ae nicht. The-morn, Ah daursay, the wund wul hae lowdent, syne ye can gae, an A’l no fash aboot ye. *** GLOSSARY The Scots spellings used are in accordance with guidelines published by the Scots Language Society in 1985 for Scots orthography. In general, these spellings avoid many of the anomalies associated with English orthography and give useful guidance to the pronunciation of Scots words. The equivalent meaning given in English represents the appropriate meaning in the text. Many of the Scots words have several other meanings, and these may be found in the Concise Scots Dictionary (Aberdeen University Press, 1985) or in the Scottish National Dictionary. ablo, prep, below aboot, prep, about abuin, prep, above ae, a, one aesumness, n, isolation aff, adv, off affpit, n, delay afore, prep, before aften, adv, often agin, prep, against Ah, pron, I aheid, adv, ahead ahint, prep, behind Ai, interj. Oh aigil, n, eagle aiker, n, grain ain, a, own aince, adv, once airmie, n, army airn, n, iron airt, n, direction airtilik, a, arty amang, prep, among an, c, and, if anaith, prep, beneath anaw, adv, also ane, a, an anelie, a, only anent, prep, about aneuch, a, enough anither, a, another apairt, adv, apart areddies, adv, already ashet n, plate asyde, prep, beside athout(en), prep, without atwein, prep, between auld, a, old aw, a, all awa, adv, away awauken, v, awaken awbodie, n, everybody awthing, n, everything aye, adv, always ayebydinlie, adv, eternally ayelestin, a, everlasting ayont, prep, beyond bairns, n, children baith, a, both bane, n, bone battil, n, battle baurlie, n, truce bebbin, v, drinkin becam, v, became bedein, adv, suddenly befawn, v, befallen beglaumert, v, enchanted begowk, v, deceive behauden, a, beholden beir, v, bear beirial, n, burial beiss, n, animals belanged, v, belonged ben, prep, in benmaist, prep, in bens, n, mountains bern, n, barn bewtie, n, beauty bi, prep, by biggin, n, cottage biggit, v, built binna, prep, except birn, n, burden birze, v, press blaw, v, blow bleirie, a, blurred bleize, v, blaze blether, v, chatter blissin, n, blessing blyth, a, happy blythsum, a, happy boddom, n, bottom bole, n, opening bonnie, a, beautiful bou, n, v, bow bouk, n, bulk bounless, a, unlimited bouster, n, bolster bowder, n, boulder bowle, n, bowl braes, n, slopes braid, a, broad brainches, n, branches brattlin, v, hurrying braw, a, fine breinge, v,, charge breirdin, v, sprouting breishil, v, hurry breistwark, n, ramparts brek, v, break bricht, a, bright brig, n, bridge brocht, v, brought brou, n, brow browdent, a, captivated brukken, v, broken buiks, n, books burd, n, bird burn, n, stream buss, n, bush byde, v, stay byde-ins, n, companions bygaen, a, bygone byordnar, a, unusual caff, n, chaff cagit, v, caged caird, n, old man callants, n, youths cam, v, came camsheuch, a, crooked canna, v, cannot cannilie, adv, gently castel, n, castle cauld, a, cold causie, n, road caw, v, call, drive ceitie, n, city chairiot, n, chariot chaumer, n, chamber chiel, n, fellow chirker, n, cricket chowks, n, cheeks chuck-stane, n, pebble chynge, v, change clachan, n, village claes, n, clothes clash, n, blow claucht, v, clutch cleid, v, clothe clekkin, n, group cleuch, n, glen clishmaclaivers, n, gossip cod, n. pillow connach, v, spoil coorse, a, spoil coronach, n, lament corp, n, body cot-houss, n, cottage coud, v, could crackit, v, cracked craks, n, chats craw, n, v, crow credit, v, believe cronie, n, friend croud, n, crowd croun, v, crown cruisie, n, oil-lamp cuddie, n, donkey cuiver, n, cover cum, v, come dae, v, do daibelt, v, dabbled daidil, v, linger daunce-houss, n, dance-house dauner, n, wander daur, v, dare daursay, v, imagine dawin, n, dawn dee, v, die deid, a, dead delicht, n, delight dentie, a, dainty depairt, v, depart derkness, n, darkness dern, v, hide descrive, v, describe devauls, v, yields dicht, v, wipe dinna, v, do not dird, v, beat dirl, v, vibrate dishaunt, v, forsake disna, v, do not dochter, n, daughter donnert, a, stupid dottilt, a, senile dou, n, dove doubil, a, double douce, a, soft doun, prep, down doungether, v, accumulate dounsittin, n, sitting doverin, v, snoozing dowf, a, sad drak, v, soak up drave, v, drove dreich, a, dreary drog, n, drug droukit, a, soaked droun, v, drown drukken, a, drunken dryve, v, drive dubs, n, mud dug, n, dog duin, v, done dule, n, sorrow dumfounert, a, astonished dure, n, door durstna, v, dare not dwaiblie, a, feeble dwyne, v, dwindle een, n, eyes eftir, prep, after eftirstang, n, remorse eftir-tyme, n, later time eild, n, old age eithlie, adv, easily esp, n, asp ettil, v, intend evin, adv, even faimlie, n, family fain, v, like to fairlie, a, really faither, n, father fankil, v, entangle fash, v, worry fawn, v, fallen fecht, v, fight feim, n, rage feinish, v, finish fekfu, a, powerful fekless, a, weak fell, a, great ferr, adv, far fesh, v, fetch finnd, v, find finndsna, v, finds not flain, n, arrow flauchtert, v, fluttered flicht, n, flight flie, v, fly flim, n, mist flouer, n, flower focht, v, fought follae, v, follow foraye, adv, forever forder, v, advance fordil, v, prepare forenent, prep, opposite forenicht, n, evening forgae, v, forgo forgether, v, assemble forleit, a, deserted forordnar, adv, usually fortuin, n, fortune founder, v, collapse foust, v, decay fouter, v, fuss fower, n, four fowk, n, folk frae, prep, from freins, n, friends freinship, n, friendship freist, n, frost fuil, n, fool fuit, n, foot ful, a, full gae, v, go gaed, v, went gaen, v, gone gairden, n, garden gait, n, way galore, n, plenty gang, v, go gangril, n, vagrant gar, v, compel gaun, v, going gether, n, collect gie, v, give gin, c, if git, v, get gizz, n, face gleg, a, sharp glen, n, ravine glence, n, glance glent, n, glint gless, n, glass glib-gabbit, a, talkative glisk, n, glance glister, v, glisten gloamin, n, dusk glowerin, v, glaring goave, v, stare goun, n, gown gowd, n, gold gowk, n, fool gowpen, n, double handful graip, v, grope grandbairns, n, grandchildren greinin, n, longing greit, v, weep gress, n, grass growe, v, grow growne, v, grown grund, n, ground grup, v, grip guid, a, good guidsell, pron, goodself hae, v, have haar, n, mist haena, v, have not haep, n, heap haes, v, has haet, v, heat haill, n, whole hairst, n, harvest haiver, v, talk nonsense hame, n, home hank, v, hang hansil, v, welcome hantil, n, many hap, n, v, cover haud, v, hold hauf, n, half hauflin, n, youth haund, n, hand haw, n, hall heich, a, high heid, n, head heivin, n, heaven hek in, v, eat greedily hert, n, heart hey, n, hay hie, a, high himsell, pron, himself hings, v, hangs hinner, a, final hinnie, n, honey hir, pron, her hir lane, a, alone Hogmanay, n, New Year’s Eve hou, adv, how houss, n, house howderin, v, swarming howf, n, dwelling howp, v, n, hope hunder, a, hundred hyne-awa adv, far away hyst, v, raise i, prep, in ilka, a, every ilk, a, each ill, a, difficult im, v, am inby, prep, inside ingethert, v, brought in ingil, n, fire inouth, prep, inside inti, prep, into inti, prep, into intil, prep, into invytes, n, invitations ir, v, are isna, v, is not ither, a, other jag, n, v, stab jaur, n, jar jouk, v, dodge jowel, n, jewel juist, a, just jundie, v, rolic jyne, v, join kail, n, broth kaim, v, comb keik, v, look keing, n, king ken, v, know kenna, v, know not kep, v, catch kilter, n, harmony kimmer, n, female companion kinrik, n, kingdom kintrie, n, country kirstal, n, crystal kist, n, chest knowe, n, hillock kyth, v, appear laich, a, low lair, n, grave lairn, n, learn lamp, v, stride lanesumness, n, loneliness lang, a, long langsyne, adv, long ago lauch, n, v, laugh lave, n, remainder lawland, a, lowland leifs, n, leaves leal, a, loyal leddie, n, lady ledgin, n, protuding leeve, v, live leevin, v, living leigs, n, leagues leim, v, gleam leitit, v, listed lentern, n, lantern lest, a, last licht, n, light lichtsum, a, joyful lift, n, sky ligg, v, lie lik, a, like liltin, v, singing linn, n, waterfall lippen, v, trust list, v, enlist little, a, little loch(an), n, lake loss, v, lose loue, v, love loun, n, boy lourd, a, heavy lousum, a, lovable lowdent, v, calmed down lowe, n, flame lown, a, calm lowp, v, leap lowsen, v, loosen ludge, v, dwell luik, v, look luiv, n, v, love lyfe, n, life lyke, v, like ma, a, my maik, n, shape maikless, a, matchless maimorie, n, memorie mainners, n, manners mair, a, more mairch, v, march mairrit, v, married maister, n, master maitter, v, matter maivis, n, thrush mak, v, make makkar, n, creator ma lane, a, alone mantil, n, mantle mappie, n, rabbit masell, pron, myself mattit, v, matted maun, v, must maws, n, mallows meat, n, food meinister, n, minister merbil, n, marble mercat, n, market merk, n, mark micht, v, might michtie, a, mighty midnicht, n, midnight mids, n, middle mirklyke, a, dark mishanter, n, misfortune mistak, n, m, mistake mither, n, mother monie, a, many muin, n, moon muinlicht, n, moonlight muir, n, moor mukkil, a, big, much murner, n, mourner mynd, v, remember myndin, n, remembrance nae, a, no naebodie, n, nobody naething, n, nothing naig, n, horse naith, prep, beneath namelieheid, n, reputation nane, pron, none nearhaund, prep, nearby neist, a, next nevir, adv, never nevoy, n, nephew nicht, n, night nicker, v, neigh nirl, n, fragment no, adv, not nocht, n, nothing nor, c, than norlin, s, northerly nou, adv, now nuin, n, noon o, prep, of ochone, interj, of sorrow oncum, n, beginning oniething, n, anything onlie, a, only oor, n, hour oorsells, pron, ourselves oot, prep, out outlin, a, remote or, prep, until pad, n, path pailace, n, palace pairt, n, part pairtie, n, party pey, v, pay pikkil, n, small quantity pincil, n, pencil pitmirk, n, darkness plainstanes, n, paving stones plaint, n, complaint pleasance, n, pleasure park pleisirs, n, pleasures plou, n, plough poutches, n, pockets pouthert, a, powdered praiciuss, a, precious praisent, n, present presses, n, cupboard pudden, n, pudding puil, n, pool puir, a, poor puirtith, n, poverty pul, v, pull putten, v, put pyne, n, pain quaetlie, adv, quietly quut, v, quit quyne, n, lass rade, v, rode raip, n, rope raither, adv, rather rase, v, rose rashes, n, rushes raw, n, row rax, v, reach redd, v, tidy reid-pouthert a, red-powdered reik, n, smoke reinge, v, range reishil, v, rustle repeyed, v, repayed richt, a, right riggs, n, fields rin, v, run rowin, v, rolling rowth, n, abundance ruif, n, roof runkil, v, wrinkle rype, v, ripe ryses, v, rises ryve, v, tear sae, adv, so saften, v, soften saikless, a, innocent sair, a, sore sairvants, n, servants saison, n, season saitin, n, satin sal, v, shall sanct, n, saint sang, n, song sant, n, saint sauchs, n, willows saucht, n, peace saul, n, soul sax, a, six seik, a, sick sell, n, self serk, n, shirt serr, v, serve shaidae, n, shadow shank, n, stem sheins, v, shines shenachie, n, bard shipwrack n, shipwreck shour, n, shower shouther, n, shoulder shuirlie, adv, surely sib, a, related sic, a, such siccar, a, sure siccarness, n, certainty sicht, n, sight sie-maw, n, sea-gull siller n, money silly, a, fragile simmer, n, summer sinder, v, divide singil, a, single skails, v, empties skelloch, v, whoop skelter, v, scurry skiffs, v, brushes skinklin, v, twinkling sklef, a, level sklim, v, climb skraich, v, screech slauchtert, v, slaughtered slawlie, adv, slowly slounge, v, loiter slouth, a, slothful smaw, a, small smaw-prentit, a, small-printed smeddum, n, courage smert, a, smart smird, n, smudge smirr, n, small rain smoored, v, smothered snaw, n, snow snell, a, cold snuive, v, glide socht, v, sought sojers, n, soldiers souch, v, sigh soun, n, sound sowl, n, soul spauls, n, limbs speirit, n, spirit spierins, n, questions splairge, v, spread splore, n, celebration springheid, n, source squint a, askew stane, n, stone staw, n, stall steik, v, shut stert, v, start stound, n, v, ache stour, n, dust stourie, a, dusty strae, n, straw straths, n, valleys stravaig, v, wander strecht, a, straight strinkil, v, sprinkle stuipit, a, stupid sturt, n, strife suin, adv, soon sum, a, some sumbodie, n, somebody sumwhaur, adv, somewhere sunlicht, n, sunlight swey, v, rinse swippert, a, swift swither, v, vacillate syde, n, side synd, v, rinse syne, adv, then taen, v, took, taken taigil, v, burden tak, v, take tap, n, top tass, n, cup teitils, n, titles tent, n, attention teuch, a, tough thai, pron, they thaim, pron, them thair, a, their thare, adv, there the-day, adv, today thegither, adv, together theik, v, thatch the-morn, adv, tomorrow the-mornin, adv, this morning the-nicht, adv, tonight the’r, v, there is the war, v, there was thir, a, these tho, c, though thocht, n, thought thole, v, endure thonder, adv, yonder thousan, a, thousand thraw, v, throw thrie, a, three throu, prep, through ti, prep, to ticht, a, tight til, prep, to timmer, n, timber tint, v, lost tither, a, other touer, n, tower toun, n, town tovin, v, soaring traivels, n, journeys traivlar, n, traveller trauchilt, v, oppressed troke, v, trade truibil, n, trouble tuim, a, empty tungs, n, tongues twae, a, two twal, a, twelve twyne, v, part twynin, n, parting tyauve, v, labor tyme, n, time uissless, a, useless unco, a, strange unhinnert, a, unhindered unkaimed, a, uncombed unpairttit, a, unparted vainitie, n, vanity veisit, v, visit veivers, n, food vennel, n, alley verra, a, very vext, a, sorry vyce, n, voice wad, v, would wae, n, woe waek, a, weak waesum, a, sad wal, n, well walcum, a, welcome walin, n, choice wanhowp, n, misfortune wame, n, belly wanner, v, wander wap, v, wrap war, v, were warld, n, world wather, n, weather wattir, n, water waucht, v, quaff wauken, a, waken waukrif, a, wakeful waw, n, wall wean, n, child weidae, n, widow weill, adv, well weing, n, wing weir, v, wear weird, n, fate wes, v, was whan, adv, when whas, pron, whose whatlyke, pron, what whaur, adv, where wheipil, v, whistle whuff, n, scent whurl, v, whirl whusper, v, whisper whyles, adv, sometimes whyte, a, white wi, pron, with win, v, enter winna, v, will not winnok, n, window wrang, a, wrong wrate, v, wrote wuids, n, woods wul, v, will wumman, n, woman wundae, n, window wunds, n, winds wund-thrawn, a, wind-blown wunter, n, winter wurd, n, tidings wush, v, wish wyce, a, wise wycelyke, a, respectable wyne, n, wine yaird, n, yard yallae, a, yellow yammer, v, lament, chatter yatter, v, chatter yauld, a, active ye, pron, you yeir, a, your yett, n, gate yill, n, ale yin, pron, one yird, n, earth yit, adv, yet yondmaist, a, farthest yung, a, young yungir, a, younger This work is protected by copyright. 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Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 100+ Text details Method of composition: Wordprocessed Year of composition: 2000 Title of original (if translation): Various Author of original (if translation): Various - see text for details Language of original (if translation): Chinese Word count: 7319 General description: Poetry collection Text medium Periodical/journal: Other: Some poems previously published in magazines Text publication details Published: Publisher: Various Part of larger text: Contained in: Some poems previously published in "Lallans", "Northwords", "Chapman" magazines Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 17 Forenames: David Surname: Purves Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1920 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Retired Biochemist Place of birth: Selkirk Region of birth: Selkirk Birthplace CSD dialect area: Slk Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Edinburgh Region of residence: Midlothian Residence CSD dialect area: midLoth Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Master Grocer Father's place of birth: Selkirk Father's region of birth: Selkirk Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Slk Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Housewife Mother's place of birth: Selkirk Mother's region of birth: Selkirk Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Slk Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: All circumstances Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: