Crossing The Bridge (Scots Poems) Poem by Sheena Blackhall

At Coull Kirkyaird
Ye've jinked the mools an ye've skipped awa
Stepped oot o yer mortal claes
Aroon lie anely the aisse an stoor
Dry banes o fowks' warldly days

An unkent journey we aa maun makk
Wyte lad, fur I'm close ahin ye
I see ye yet, tho yer bit a shade
Tho marred bi the tears that blin me

An whether ye gyang tae Angus Og *
Or tae Paradise in the lift
May the time be short afore I see
The Bean Nighe** rinse her shift


A Scots Owerset o the poem Requiescat bi Oscar Wilde
Wauk lichtly, neth the snaa she's lyin near
Spikk doucely, she can hear the gowans brier

Aa her bricht gowden hair, wi roost turned soor
She fa wis young an braa, drapt tae the stoor

Like a swack lily as fite as the snaa
She cheenged tae a wumman
Grew doucely an braa

Kist-boord an wechty stane lie on her briest
Lanesome, ma hair is sair noo she's at rest

Peace, peace she canna hear lyre or sonnet
Aa ma life's beeriet here. Hap yird upon it

Along the River During the Qingming Festival Scots Owerset from Vietnamese


Scots Owerset of a Vietnamese Poem
Faist swallas an spring days wir skytin by;
O ninety sheenin anes saxty hid fled.
Young girse spread aa its green tae heiven's tap;
Some blossoms merked pear branches wi fite dots.
Noo cam the Feast o Licht in the third month
Wi graveyaird rites an deinties on the green.
As blythesome pilgrims flocked frae near an far,
The sisters an their brither gaed fur a daunder.



A Sequence of Poems commissioned for an installation project about Bennachie by the Forestery Commission, Scotland


Reid Squirrel
Reid squirrels hae lugs wi tufty hair
They skyte up a tree like a michty stair
Gin they hear ye…wheech, they're gaen
A glisk ben the wids like a straik o flame

Bennachie (1)
Hame's far the hairt is, the landscape o langin
Aybydan Mither, the Ben o belangin

Bennachie (2)
Braith o the Ben is girse an whin
Heather afore an trees ahin
Meenlicht on Bennachie, starnies sae sherp
Hoolets wings flichterin, saft throwe the derk

Maiden Stane
Stranger-Danger! Watch yersel!
The Deil takks maidens for himsel!
Romans, Picts wi hairy knees
Are they watchin throwe the trees?


Bennachie (3)
Rowan tree, bracken, scree
Peesies pipin, dockens doverin
Yeities cheepin, saughs greetin
Yowes hirplin, glegs sookin
Shaddas raxxin, rabbits lowpin
Kye, chawin, sun swytin
Futterats rinnin, snailies slidderin
Beech reeshlin, bummers bizzin
Dubs dryin eftir storm

The Colonies

fowk biggin wechty waas strang stoot granite stanes
bield fort hame ferm Buchan billies sturdy banes
people building heavy Walls strong stout granite stones
shelter fort home farm Buchan men sturdy bones


Cheengin Sizzens
Reid deer, roe deer
Ower Oxen Craig they're reengin
Bennachie throwoot the year
Colours, Sizzens cheengin

The Hub
At the hub o the Ben sikk oot a trail
Rabbits' roadie, hawks' flicht path
Siller cercles o snailie

Tick-Tock
Bennachie stauns stinch throwe aeons
Dragonflee's gaen in a glisk

Teetie-Bo!
Widpecker chaps on timmer
Win soughs in the larick
Pine trees reeshle thegither
Simmer air, sun glimmer

Gilree Burn
Tinklin ower foggy stanes
Peaty burn, trinklin doon
Shamrocks skirp the girssy bank
Sappy wavelets, furlin roon