Scottish Poetry Selection
- The Auld House
This poem by William Soutar (1898-1943) could refer to any one of the many derelict houses scattered around the Scottish countryside - no longer needed as the owners go off to build something newer and better.
The words of this poem are reproduced by kind permission of the copyright holder, the National Library of Scotland.
The Auld House
There's a puckle lairds in the auld house
wha haud the wa's thegither:
there's no muckle graith in the auld house
nor smeddum aither.It was aince a braw and bauld house
and guid for onie weather:
kings and lords throng'd in the auld house
or it gaed a'smither.There were kings and lords in the auld house
and birds o monie a feather:
there were sangs and swords in the auld house
that rattled ane anither.It was aince a braw and bauld house
and guid for onie weather:
but it's noo a scrunted and cauld house
whaur lairdies forgaither.Lat's caa in the folk to the auld house,
the puir folk a' thegither:
it's sunkit on rock is the auld house,
and the rock's their brither.It was aince a braw and bauld house
and guid for onie weather:
but the folk maun funder the auld house
and bigg up anither.Meaning of unusual words:
puckle=good few
lairds=lords
haud=hold
wa's=walls
thegither=together
muckle graith=large furniture
smeddum=force of character, good sense
bauld=bold
gaed a'smither=went to pieces
scrunted=stunted
maun funder=must uproot
bigg=build
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
