Saturday, 16 February 2013

The Flyting o' Life and Daith by Hamish Henderson

Quo life, the warld is mine.
The floo'ers and trees, they're a' my ain.
I am the day, and the sunshine.
Quo life, the warld is mine.

Quo daith, the warld is mine.
Your lugs are deef, your een are blin.
Your floo'ers maun dwine in my bitter win'.
Quo daith, the warld is mine.

Quo life, the warld is mine.
I hae saft win's, an' healin' rain.
Aipples I hae, an' breid an' wine.
Quo life, the warld is mine.

Quo daith, the warld is mine.
Whit sterts in dreid, gangs doon in pain.
Bairns wantin' breid are makin' mane.
Quo daith, the warld is mine.

Quo life, the warld is mine.
Your deadly wark, I ken it fine.
There's maet on earth for ilka wean.
Quo life, the warld is mine.

Quo daith, the warld is mine.
Your silly sheaves crine in my fire.
My worm keeks in your barn and byre.
Quo daith, the warld is mine.

Quo life, the warld is mine.
Dule on your een! Ae galliard hert
Can ban tae hell your blackest airt.
Quo life, the warld is mine.

Quo daith, the warld is mine.
Your rantin' hert, in duddies braw,
He winna lowp my preeson wa'.
Quo daith, the warld is mine.

Quo life, the warld is mine.
Thou ye bigg preesons o' marble stane
Hert's luve ye cannae preeson in.
Quo life, the warld is mine.

Quo daith, the warld is mine.
I hae dug a grave, I hae dug it deep,
For war an' the pest will gar ye sleep.
Quo death, the warld is mine.

Quo life, the warld is mine.
An open grave is a furrow syne.
Ye'll no keep my seed frae fa'in in.
Quo life, the warld is mine.

http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poetry/poets/hamish-henderson