Scottish Poetry Selection
- The Trout
The Trout
Up, faur up, the fishers come
To a pool that's fearsome deep,
Whaur the swirl is sudden dumb,
Like a watter fa'en asleep.Whaur the bottom-bleckened firs
Deep oot owre a scaur o' whin,
Tak' a word o' warnin', sirs;
Lift your line, and try abune.Up, faur up, a fisher gaed
Ance a day, and camna hame.
Nor by ony kirk was laid
Till the Jidgment cries his name.But within the water mirk
Whaur the plummet fears to fa',
Lies a muckle trout alerk
Frichtin' a' the lave awa'.Owre him mony a haund has piled
Mennan, maggot, worm, and flee:
And it's owre the countryside
He's a trout that daurna dee.Ye may see him soom abune,
Liftin' wearifu' and wae,
Like some auncient, fishin-dune,
Speerin' whatna bait ye hae.Ye may see him fadin' dim,
Like a ghaist at mornin'-craw:
But the bed is bye wi' him
That can say he stood and saw.Sirs, row in; ye may as weel
Fish till a' the licht is lost,
Fish till day begins to speel -
Ye'll get naething but a hoast.Meaning of unusual words:
faur=far
scaur=steep, eroded hill
abune=above
gaed=went
mirk=murky, dark
plummet=lead weight
muckle=a lot
alerk=watchful
lave=all the rest
Mennan=minnow
daurna=dare not
wae=wretched, sorrowful
Speerin'=asking
mornin'-craw=cock's crow
hoast=cough
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
