Get Your Premium Membership

William Soutar Short Poems

Famous Short William Soutar Poems. Short poetry by famous poet William Soutar. A collection of the all-time best William Soutar short poems


by William Soutar
All that the hand may touch;
All that the hand may own;
Crumbles beyond time’s clutch
Down to oblivion.

Fear not the boasts which wound:
Fear not the threats which bind:
Always on broken ground
The seeds fall from the mind.

Always in darkest loam
A birthday is begun;
And from its catacomb
A candle lights the sun.




by William Soutar
Lully, lully, my ain wee dearie:
Lully, lully, my ain wee doo:
Sae far awa and peerieweerie
Is the hurlie o' the world noo.

And a' the noddin pows are weary;
And a' the fitterin feet come in:
Lully, lully, my ain wee dearie,
The darg is owre and the day is düne.


by William Soutar
Cuddle-doun my bairnie
The dargie day is dune:
Yon’s a siller sternie
Ablow the siller mune.
Like a wabster body
Hingin on a threed
Far abune my laddie
In his wee creepie-bed. 

by William Soutar
Half doun the hill, whaur fa's the linn
Far frae the flaught o' fowk, 
I saw upon a lanely whin 
A lanely singin' gowk: 
Cuckoo, cuckoo; 
And at my back 
The howie hill stüde up and spak: 
Cuckoo, cuckoo. 

There was nae soun':  the loupin' linn
Was frostit in its fa': 
Nae bird was on the lanely whin 
Sae white wi’ fleurs o' snaw:
Cuckoo, cuckoo; 
I stüde stane still;
And saftly spak the howie hill: 
Cuckoo, cuckoo.


Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry