For our Thirtyeight Wedding Anniversary 
This is a poem written by my great-grandmother, Jane (Jeannie) Gow Drever, to her husband, Thomas Drever on March 25th, 1939. Both from Scotland they ...

The Ghosts of Glencoe 

The Ghosts of Glencoe

The bard arrived within the house
The seer sat down with them

A dram to warm his heart was given
A meal for ...

James Graham - Marquis of Montrose 
James Graham - Marquis of Montrose

From Scotland’s shores so rich and green from out of histories page,
A cry of Freedom echoes down through glens ...

My Solway Joys 
It sparkles in the morning sun
Lights twinkle when the day is done.
A Magnox giant sleeps in the bay
Its roar, now safely locked away.

It guides ...

The Fisherman from Neuk 

The Fisherman from Neuk

I sat upon an old wood stool in a tavern near the docks
?Twas in the year of 1889 in Neuk, the shores of Fife

While sipping ...

The Wind. 
THE WIND

Outrageous ! Anarchic ! Courageous ! Gentle.
You elemental force of nature.
How many faces do you show ?
Invisible, desirable, derisible,...

The Wild Minch 
The Wild Minch

Feel the wind that blew that day, tugging at my hair
Salty smell, ah fresh sea air, I filled my lungs anew
Old Barny puffed upon his ...

Yon Lassie Sweet 
Yon lassie sweet, yon lassie fair
Wae bonnie tresses in yer hair
Such beauty, sae beyond compare
Come bide wae me a while

Yon lassie sweet, maist ...

Butterfly Butterfly 
Butterfly butterfly, greeting the morn
As the sun, it is melting the dew
Her beauty divine
And forever to shine
Like her colour, of crimson and blue
...

If Iver They 
If iver they should meet wance mair
Be it far awa ur near
Whit deepest thoughts micht manifest
Wid they shed a happy tear

Wid they look intae each ...

Quiet Like in North Queensferry © 
Wheest! On th’ wend at North Queensferry,
where I chose to pause.
Quiet like in North Queensferry,
surveying surroundings because.
I’m drawn by a self-...

Glascae's ma Hame 
1948 t'was the year I was born
beside govans shipbuilders noisy big horn.
At The Southern General hospital I first saw the light
carried home to the ...

Iver The Hill 
Iver the hill an far awa
Yer luv wull be wae me
Wherever a may wander
Iver land, ur iver sea

It wull be ma brightest beacon
It wull be ma guidin ...

When Awe  
When awe is said, when awe is done
When awe is lain tae rest
Ma love for you, it wull remain
Forever in ma breast

When days ur lang, when days ur ...

An Exile's Lament 


AN EXILE'S LAMENT

Oh! My bonny bonny Scotland
Seems so far awa' frae me,
And it makes me feel so lonely
Wish I could come hame fer tea!

As ...

Lament For A Lost Dinner Ticket 
See ma mammy
See ma dinner ticket
A pitituma
Pokit an she pititiny
Washnmachine

See thou burnty
Up wherra firewiz

Ma mammy says Am no tellnyagain
...

Had I 
Had I a wish, a precious wish
That would make my life so fine
With no debate, to contemplate
I’d wish that she was mine

Had I a dream, a special ...

A Painting by Jack Vettriano © 
I wish for many an obvious thing
Wealth and my health and muse what the future may bring
Thankful for all that I have but I wish I could sing

I wish ...

If The Answer is Walking Tomorrow © 
I'd walk a mile today,
if children could safely play.
I'd walk two miles tomorrow,
for September the eleventh and sorrow.
I'd walk from May to December,...

Ma Dearest Love 
Ma dearest love, ma wan true love
How a miss thee still a caw
Fur miny a weary mile an year
Frae me, yiv been awa
The distance thit?s between us baith
...

A Love Ye Mair 
For awe av been
For awe a am
An for awe thit a may be
A’ll never love anither lass
The way thit a love ye

A remember weel
Yon day we met
As yer ...

Lucky Tatties 
A remember a braw wee sweetie
frae back in ma childhood day
bit...a couldnae remembur the name o' it
much tae ma dismay.

Always, oin a Friday night
...

Sweet Eden 
Flow well tonight sweet Eden
Through this land you love so well
Grace me with your splendour
As you wind on through yon dell
Let me sit awhile, and ...

This Lonely Night 
As he sits alone this lonely night
His thoughts are far away
Of when he held his true love tight
In a long gone yesterday

Her smile and sparkling ...

For All 
For all he’s seen
For all he sees
And for all that he will view
One colour will remain with him
Her eyes of sparkling blue

For all he’s held
For ...

Beneath The Rowan Tree 
Come sit awhile beside me love
For to keep me company
To be as one and lose ourselves
Beneath the rowan tree

Gazing at the clouds my love
And the ...

The Battle of Stirling Bridge 
Battle of Dunbar 's agley
Sasannach invasion blew us away like a sgal
In the shaw, loch and brae we fought
Coor our land from the fierce reiver
As ...

To Sleep Perchance to Dream 
Where hills in hues of luscious greens
roll down to winding streams
Where heather sways upon a breeze
to sleep perchance to dream.

Of moors held ...

What Would He Give 
What would he give, to spend time with
His one true love on high
To once again, stroll through the glen
Where they kissed a fond goodbye
What thoughts ...

Wan Sunny Morn In May 
Twa laddys went a walkin
Oan the road tae Ayrshire toon
Wan oh them wiz Tam Forsyth
An the ither, Wullie Broon
Wae aftershave an best claiths oan
...

For So Long Now 
For so long now, and many years
We have spent this time apart
Yet still you live, yet still you grow
So deep within my heart
I feel you are a part ...

Return We Will 
There’s miny a Scot wha’s wandered far
Across yon briny sea
Some seek their fame an fortune
While some ithers travel free
But there’s wan thing that ...

You Keep On Singing Scotland 
A poem for
Homecoming Scotland 2009


Temperature plummeted last night
Aye, it was cold this morning
Out door had a bit of a bite
The sun though ...

An Ode To A Thistle 
On every hill, on every glen
There stands a flower fair
She’s regal and majestical
With a beauty that is rare
Admired much by one and all
Come skies ...

Bonnie Venachar 
By the banks of bonnie Venachar
Where still the waters run
And all the flowers sway in time
Till every day is done
Where peace and such tranquillity
...

Maid O' The Loch 
There wiz a maiden fair o' face
wae bonnie auburn hair
she wiz a beauty in hur time
sae full o' charm an' grace.

Many suiters hid come chappin'
upon ...

Homeward Bound 
Homeward bound at last is he
From a land so far and wide
He will board a ship, then sail the sea
And brave the raging tide

With such a love that ...

Bonnie Jean 
There's a lady who lives, in a quaint little town
She's a lady so lovely, and held in renown
Respected and loved, and admired by all
Her persona so ...

A Typical Burns' Supper (no matter where you live!) 
The haggis is a scottish dish
served up oin Burns' night
wae bagpipes blowin' tae pipe it in
it is indeed a splendid sight.

With wonderous pomp and ...

Two Parties and a Hangover 
Ma heid's pure nippin' an am feelin sick
it's been a big twae days fur me
furst there wiz Burns' night
then came Australia Day.

Why couldnae Rabbie ...

That Maid Of The Mountain 
I saw her that morning, oh how I remember
As she walked through the heather, o’er meadow of green
The flowers did bow, and the birds were all singing
...

This Land 
Where rivers run and lochs stand still
Where winds they blow with bitter chill
My soul is in the sky and sea
This land is mine and part of me

Where ...

Language Barrier!  
Ma cuzin came tae visit me
frae Ozzieland, in the bush
he'd never been tae Glesga afore
so we went oot oin the juice.

The boozer's wiz fer jumpin'...

Willie Wastle by Robert Burns 
Willie Waslte dwalt on Tweed,
The spot they ca'ad it Linkumdoddie.
Willie was a wabster guid
Could stown a clue wi onie body.
He had a wife was dour ...

Short Changed 
Jock was travelling by train to London
He’d leave Glasgow at 10 o’ clock
He handed his money to the ticket man
“A single tae London” said Jock

The ...

The Rumour 
Hi...I am requesting the words of the poem, 'The Rumour', written by the late David Duffus, a well-known Scottish entertainer and actor, who died in 1992....

Granny 
A bright fire glowing in the grate,
Scones and cakes piled on a plate,
A cheery smile, a warm embrace,
Oh how I loved her lovely face.

She was there,...

Dizzy Mitchell 
This story's aboot Dizzy Mitchell's dug
Wan leg missing and half a lug
The poor wee dugs nae got a name
But Dizzy she's got dreams o fame

Noo her ...

The Lass Frae Auchtermuchty 
Jist roon the hill at Auchtermuchty
Bides a lass sae fair
She wears a dress oh Persian silk
Wae ribbons in her hair

She works the mill an spins her ...

A Forbidden Love 
By yonder hill where bluebells grow
A Campbell lass lived long ago
She fell in love with a brave young man
And his name was highland Harry

A common ...

Auchtermuchty Fields © 
He came from Auchtermuchty where seven bridges stand,
Seven churches surrounded him his folk did work the land.
In seven public houses shrewd in spending ...

Glaswegian Survival Guide 
Mah furst baginnin
wen ah wis ainly eight
wis tae lern tae be a teddy boy

they hud th fancy claithes
wi big laing jaikets
n chains n brogues
they ...

Saying Goodbye To Fife ©  
Saying goodbye to Fife
Is uncanny it really is,
I perceive the sign a side of the road
As I approach the Forth Road Bridge.
Another wee visit has now ...

The Bairn 
You are a lucky bairn sitting in your pram
Dressed up sae bonny by your loving mam
A cheeky smile is on your face
So… welcome to the human race.

Your ...

The Mistress of the Dance 
She sits in lonely silence a scowl upon her face
As if she no longer associates with our human race
Then magic words are uttered, “May I have the pleasure ...

Cloudy in Collessie © 
Strawmoor Lane a thistle grows
I drift to somewhere far away
Is it cloudy in Collessie this fine day

Cloudy in Collessie
Clear sky o’er Kirkcaldy
...

Red Castle Lunan Bay. 


Crippled, dying, red sandstone husk.
Mortally wounded through fire and age,
Once proud hunting lodge of William the Lion
Oh! What merriment ...

Dunderheid. 


“Dunderheid, dinae kick open that door
Ye’ve skelt a the schuil books,
A ower the floor.”

“Nou pick them up neatly, an nae mair o that,
Go ...

The girl on the Black Sands of Aberdour. 

Who is that girl, running on the black sands?
Loose limbed, alone, and free.
Barefooted, leaving youthful prints,
Long washed away by the sea.

Who ...

The Lost Friend 
The Long Forgotten Friendship
It seems like years
since last time I saw you
But yet I can't forget your charming face,
which as I remembered held ...

The Bluebell 
As I climbed the hill and walked the dale
As I ambled through the glen
In the early hours of misty morn
This tale I once did pen
I saw a sight so wondrous
...

The Old Man From Sheriffmuir 
By the bonnie hills of Sheriffmuir
Where clear the waters run
There bides a little cottage
Standing quietly in the sun
Inside, there lives a lonely ...

The Tattie-Bogles. 
The Tattie-Bogles

When tattie-bogles wings they sproot,
and fae the fields, they a flee richt oot.
Tae terrorise, the local sheep,
wi heids o grinning ...

COWANS HIGHLAND TOFFEE(the ain wi the coo) 

Cowans highland toffee oor ither national treasure,...

A Chuckie in yer shoe. 


Theirs nithing mair annoying, a fact, I ken is true,
That when yer in a hurry, ye get a chuckie in yer shoe....

From This Window Fife I See © 
This wee proud piece of Bonnie Scotland,
The copious coast I’ve walked along.
This wee proud piece of Bonnie Scotland,
A feeling for the Kingdom grows ...

From All Horizons  
From All Horizons
(Sung to the tune 'Flower of Scotland' by Roy Williamson)

Oh Bonnie Scotland
It is to thee
Again, again,
My heart flies homeward
...

St Andrews I’m On My Way © 
Sleepy eyed and satisfied
East Neuk is fine this early morn,
As an April day is born.

St Andrews I’m on my way,
I shall be with you later today.
This ...

I Love The Lomonds © 
I wish I could see the Lomonds
Each morning when I rise,
I love the Lomonds
An impressive sight they are to my eyes.
The Lovely Lomonds
Their stature ...

CHEESEBOARD 
Cheeseboard


The small glass dome crowns a circular base
of pale beech hardwood with a silken face.
It can show four cheeses, but if large only three....

The Silver Trail to Crail © 
Silver shone o’er the Forth from under a blanket of grey,
This morn in March, the last time I was here it was May.

Early once more by the sensuous ...

This Public Bar in Ladybank © 
Old pictures of a local scene,
Where they may have passed by or may have been,
On this day, I’m pleased to say,
I walked into a bar in Ladybank.

Ladybank ...

A Friendly Fifer Said “Hello” © 
Mid-day in May in Burntisland,
Absorbing the warmth of the weather,
Fife and I were alone together.
The sun made it all worthwhile,
After a treacherous ...

They Walked All The Way From Glasgow © 
They knew they had to be there,
They had little time to prepare.
Some walked all the way from Glasgow,
With bonnets, scarves and flowers.
They walked ...

Aberdour Greets Me Kindly © 
In every forward step I feel I’m walking back,
Into the land of unknown past.
I sense some kind of welcome,
Has the Kingdom accepted this man at last?...

A Glimpse of Gold in Kirkcaldy © 
A wee glimpse of the gleaming of gold,
In Kirkcaldy the morn is about to unfold.
Awaking natural sense,
Light breaks the shield of nighttime defence....

Kingskettle Cemetery ...Oh Isabella © 
In Kingskettle Cemetery I stand
Looking at a stone on a peace of land
I read some names I thought I’d never see
In this place I thought I’d never be
...

The Bonnie Bonnie Sand of St Andrews Bay © 
As the sun shone over this glorious land,
I walked by the brine on the bonnie bonnie sand.
‘Twas the breeze that whispered…
‘Stand by here and gaze’...

Thomas Joseph Harris © 
You must have visualised the manufacturing construction,
Advancing young man beyond toiling day introduction.

How many summers had passed since your ...

The Tay Bridge Disaster 
Submitted by a fan!

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv'ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last ...

Sojourn In St Andrews © 
Walking along the historical streets of St Andrews,
I love to leisure timelessly.
I stroll on beyond the famous Old Course
And absorb the wash of the ...

When I Walked To Leven © 
I arrived at the Forth Bridge at the break of dawn,
On May 14th on an early morn.
By the 15th I’d walked into Leven,
On paths and beaches and trails ...

I Should Have Played For Ladybank Violet © 
Not ever in my sporting prime,
Whatever talent I had of mine,
And skill that I did unearth,
Did I take to the land of my fathers’ birth.

I should ...

THE OLD SCOTTISH STONE © 
What should I be thinking?
Or should I say,
As I stand on the coast
At St Andrews Bay.

The homeland of golf
The American voice,
They come to The ...

Collessie © 
Collessie, I walked your peaceful lanes in springtime,
Time stood still as I walked your lanes in springtime.
Flowers in their beds not long from birth,...

Lady Mary Ann 
Submitted by a Burns Fan

O Lady Mary Ann looks o'er the Castle wa',
She saw three bonnie boys playing at the ba',
The youngest he was the flower amang ...

The Village of Tayport and its Surroundings 
Submitted by Billy

All ye pleasure-seekers, where'er ye be,
I pray ye all be advised by me,
Go and visit Tayport on the banks o' the Tay,
And there ...

Loch Leven 
Submitted by Jess

Beautiful Loch Leven, near by Kinross
For a good day's fishing the angler is seldom at a loss,
For the Loch it abounds with pike ...

Gone 
Standing, trembling, but dying to fly
To soar like a bird through the cold winter sky
Ducking and diving and trying to be seen
And acquiring a fondness ...

Grace Before Dinner 
Submitted by Catriona

Rabbie Burns' famous Selkirk isn't the only Grace he wrote. I like these ones too.

Grace One

O thou, in whom we live ...

Holy Willie's Prayer 
Submitted by a lover of Burns Poetry.

Willie Fisher was known as Holy Willie and was an elder of Daddy Auld's Calvinist Kirk (Church) in Mauchline....

Will Ye No' Come Back Again? 
This song and tune was written by Lady Caroline Nairne (nee Oliphant)(1766-1845) to commemorate the raising of Prince Charles' banner at Glenfinnan on ...

The Rights Of Woman 
Submitted by Katie

With all the political correctness today - it's hard to believe this was written in 1792

While Europe's eye is fix'd on mighty ...

Scots Wha Hae 
Another Burns piece - describing Robert Bruce's March To Bannockburn (not quite the way the film Braveheart described it)



Scots, wha hae wi'...

Scotch Drink 
Submitted by a fan of Burns

Gie him strong drink until he wink,
That's sinking in despair;
An' liquor guid to fire his bluid,
That's prest wi' grief ...

Tam o' Shanter. 
Sent in by Katie

When chapman billies leave the street,
And drouthy neebors, neebors meet;
As market-days are wearing late,
An folk begin to tak ...

The Star o' Rabbie Burns 
There is a star whose beaming ray
Is shed on every clime.
It shines by night, it shines by day,
And ne'er grows dim wi' time.
It rose upon the banks ...

Robert Burns 
Submitted by Cathy

I love Robert Burns Work - and this poem by McGonagall expresses a lot.

Immortal Robert Burns of Ayr,
There's but few poets ...

Ae Fond Kiss 
Submitted by Catherine, November 2007

This is one of Rabbie Burns most beautiful love songs. It is loved and sung throughout Scotland:

Ae fond kiss,...

Ballade of the Royal Game of Golf 
Submitted by Katie


There are laddies will drive ye a ba'
To the burn frae the farthermost tee,
But ye mauna think driving is a',
Ye may heel ...

A Man's A Man For A' That  
Another well known poem by Rabbie Burns, again this one is often quoted but hardly ever read in its complete form. Hope you enjoy the full version.

Is ...

To a Louse  
This poem is by Rabbie Burns and is one of my favourites by the Scottish bard.

Watch out in the last stanza for those well known words 'O wad some ...

Cuddle Doon 
by Alexander Anderson

The bairnies cuddle doon at nicht
Wi muckle faught and din.
"Oh try an' sleep, ye waukrife rogues,
Your faither's comin'...

THE KINGDOM OF FIFE © 
It's pleasing to be where you've been,
And to see what you've seen,
The fields of farmers corn,
The cottage in where you were born,
Those Lanes with ...

I am looking for a poem!  Not rated yet
I am looking for a poem which starts (I think) with:

"When I was a laddie lanng syne at the school,
The Maister aye ca'ed me a dunce and a fool..."

Does ...

Winterscape  Not rated yet
When Razorbills plunge in frothy seas, and hunched herons stare, out to eternity,
and muffled figures venture on beaches of stinging sands,with noses ...

Ya Tickled Ma Bum.  Not rated yet

Ya tickled ma bum, in the clothing store lift,
I stepped back from you, and gave you short shrift,

Ya tickled ma bum, at the supermarket checkout,...

Dance With Me Once Again ©  Not rated yet
Make me young
Let’s go dancing down memory lane
Take my hand
Dance with me once again

We may say how on earth have we got to where we are today?
You ...

A Wish Ye  Not rated yet
A wish ye hope an fortitude
Wae peace o mind abound
Tae live yer life lost in a love
A wish ye fertile ground

A wish ye health an happiness
Tae ...

Lament For A Lost Dinner Ticket  Not rated yet
See ma mammy
See ma dinner ticket
A pitituma
Pokit an she pititiny
Washnmachine

See thou burnty
Up wherra firewiz

Ma mammy says Am no tellnyagain
...

A' Suddent  Not rated yet
Yon breist was braw,
rawn,
yare,
a daffsum sperit,
a' the daes rinnin' tumbly,
yer wirds a-rummie
a' the years passin' kind
a' yer faice, nae lines,...

Looking for a Poem  Not rated yet
I everyone, this lady emailed me looking for a poem. I have never heard of it, but maybe one of the visitors to this site knows it and will kindly add ...

Th’ Shores o’ Fife ©  Not rated yet
Sparkle o’ th’ salty sea, artistically attracting me,
Pursuing life there on th’ shores o’ Fife.

Land for miles seems endlessly I walk and wander tirelessly,...

Sweet Lady From The Lowland Hill  Not rated yet
Sweet lady from the lowland hill
Where the western wind does blow
My thoughts meander to you still
When you set my heart aglow

How precious was our ...