Haverins

The Blake Barra Bayte

after a Gaelic waulking song

I wais on the mist-coverit moontain
    Chessin the sheep an hodden a few
Quhen ewer ship’s mast brak thro the lea
    Clan MacNeil’s oot campaynin
The blake bayte plewed the watter
    Leavin ahint the laan o MacLean
Rowin tae Kisimul Castle
    Fer feastin an debosheries
Dreinkin wine fra nicht tae dawin
    The raucle soun o men in the haw
    The harp an the pipe an the sma
Lassies o Mull snarin ther preyes

Quhen I wais a lass in mi lang, nable silk
    I’d nae stretch mysel by sic a man
    That gangs abrad in the blake Barra bayte
...