Long Tae Poems

The Spirits of Culloden. 
This is like a pilgrimage, a try tae come every year,
Gather at the cairn, meet old friends, wipe away a tear.
Standin on that moor, that once with blood was sodden,
Paying respects...

Read More

Half a dozen plus years ago the following became a near reality

Countdown to homelessness – 
mars this earthlinked sole Harris - son
panhandler would would register 
pyrrhic victory won.

10…9…8…3..2..1… 
Found me linkedin at the end of...

Read More

There is a large cattle property in the Northern Territory of Australia
   where the bores are named after Famous cricketers and that prompted 
    this piece.

    ...

Read More

THE NIGHT THAT RABBIE VISITED ME
One night in spring  I couldn't sleep      I heard knocking on  the door
I got out of bed, walked to the window to have...

Read More

Thar was nae richt ae laddie sair
wha heft a cave 'side Galloway,
wi' nae jaiken he griftit dare
as he was nae tae lippen tae.

Ill-naitur'd  fishwife he haud in wi',
the twa 'greed tae gang the'gither.
She haud...

Read More

Devonshire tea with Peter an' Beryl, beware,
it's no the fact that Peter disnae care.
But 88 years doon the track o' life,
an' 84 years fur Beryl, Peter's carefree wife.

Ma Bonny wife Gillian an' this Auld Yin,
oot...

Read More

Ah had a aulder bruther whin ah wis wee,
ah wis five then an' he -wis nine yea see.
A tendid tae follow him aboot,
bit bein' aulder he widnae care a hoot.

Aw jings a remember wan day...

Read More

Sound of a song softly sung rose in the air and through windows
Barred to let air and light in and little else.
A lament sung in Gaelic tongue foreign to ears used to French,
But its meaning...

Read More

Canny remember this Lass's name,
but fur the poem's sake let's assume she's Jane.
'Jane ' this per wee soul had fingers lighter than a blidy feather,
aw things within her sicht yea had tae tether.

Wartime is no...

Read More

Hello yea bonny wee pawky thing,
sittin' there tuggin' at ma hert strings.
Aye yer wee ,an' oan yer oan yer hard tae see,
niver mind wee thing jist let it be.

Withoot you, we wid hae a scunnered...

Read More

'Imagine'. Life's wurth without, 'imagination',
could we iver contemplate creation?
A gif' to have in oor ain mind's een,
without it, nuthin' wundrous wid be iver seen.

Rabbie."O wad some Power the giftie gie us to see oursels as...

Read More

GTF

Wizened skin like burnished leather
Thin, grey and long, disheveled hair
Clear, sharp blue eyes that seem to stare
Through sun scorched face, alert, aware

A ‘lived-In’ face that’s so expressive
Tales he tells read like a missive
His arms and...

Read More

Gang awa frae tha Glen
Tae a fearsome place;
Where tha darkened souls
Hae na gleemps o’grace.
Where tha work must fit
A new tongue and race.
Gang awa frae tha Glen for a wheel.

“Tis for certs He has ca’d
Ye, and...

Read More

My Mother
Mary Ann Dow Gardiner

Mary Ann Dow Stuart wis her maiden name,
Noo, she wisnae a Scoatish Lass o' fame.
Born in nineteen hunner an' five on the fifth o' May.
gorgeous she wis' at oany time o'...

Read More

I need a fix or ahm gonnae die
eyes drift open
and
already its
there that
horrible sick feel
crawling its way
up to my throat
the restlessness kicking
out from my knee
letting me know,
as this bully
holds me down,
but forces
me into
acknowledging
how subtly and masterfully...

Read More

Now, gather ye roond an ye listen well.
 I have me a story, I have a tale tae tell,
 Of a young man born near these hills of green
 Who wandered these dales and was...

Read More

Note

(Try to put your best Scottish accent on when reading this one)



Disguarded fae the workplace, rusted red distorted frame.
Mangled handles reachin' oot like a wee disguarded bairn.
Were ye pushed aroon' a factory,heavin' loads or liftin'...

Read More

A luv ma life sae full o' joy,
I keep ma interests at full employ.
Each day fur me is sic' delight,
every day, aw' day an' ivery night.

I go tae bed an' lay doon ma heid,
aye richt...

Read More

Wee, wee rid rid coated thing
tae ma hert sic joy yea bring.
Wae elegance an' tender charm,
ma racin' hert yea sae disarm.

Yea hang there among yer kind,
Bright an' braw but sae refined.
Ma wee rid rid coated...

Read More

    Tae A Mouse   
      (Whit wid Robert Burns say!)

Ha’ where ye gon ye cowrin feartie
Your impudence protects you sairly
I canna say but ye strut...

Read More

A Top A Highland Hill

A top a windswept highland hill above Locheil land
Clansmen gathered roun and shook the princes haun
They raised the standard high cheered till they were hoarse
Followed the flying heron across the highland...

Read More

NOTE-Right now Scotland is suffering it's worsed winter since 1963.The severe 
weather has put the whole country at a stand-still..... 



Polar bears in kilts, it's now minus fifteen.
Ice cube cars and wellies and our frozen...

Read More

Though Life can be extremely difficult
and experiences can deeply traumatize us,
we can learn to control how we respond -
as demonstrated by our Lord, Christ Jesus.

For He alone is the hope of our glory;
when we show...

Read More

Far tae the North hidden alang Moray coast,
Therr bides a little toon o which yin can boast. 
Wi a rid phone boax in pride o place mak a call tae freends an aa. 
Nae thing...

Read More

Written in Scottish dialect.

Jack, Bernard and John, the Bandit Kings,
Hae handicaps wae too high.
Each o’ them score four points a hole,
Ah canna tell ye a lie!

Me, ah’m Rabbie, the bard o’ the course;
Ah’m lucky tae...

Read More