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As hameward bound a
walked yae nicht
Alang the street ablow
the blue arc licht
Mah e’en beheld an
awesome sicht
Sae verra odd,
Upo’ a gairden wa’
there sat
A muckle tod.
As the wheels o’
commerce trundled bye
Mess Tod sat doucely
there oan high
Tae tirn an’ rin he
didnae try
Jist held his seat
Unmoved by aw the
traffic’s din
Made nae retreat.
Wi’ trepidation ah
stepped near
An’ thus addressed his
pricked-up ear
Come sirrah, whit
blethers brings ye here
Midst human kind
Faur frae the wids an’
thorny braes
Whaur birnies wind?
Wi’ dainty paw he
straked his mou’
E’ed me sidewa’s ‘neath
lowered brou
Quo’ he ‘Ach man ah’ll
tell ye true
The verra reason
Tis doon tae you an’ aw
yir kin
Mah waefu’ treason
Foul man’s didease has
thinned the coney ranks
Ferm birds are hoosed
in muckle tanks
The deil has spread his
wicked pranks
An’ cleared the trees
Whaur aince we dined
oan pheasant kind
Wi’ practised ease.
We’ll sing nae mair the
harvest min’
Nor ower the midnicht
hillside rin
Pursuin’ hares an’ aw
their kin,
Perchance a coot.
The treacherous haun o’
ghillie man
Has stairved us oot.
Licht brak ower me
aince wi’in a cave
Hoo mah cubs an’ vixen
ah micht save
The haunts o’ Man it’s
we maun brave,
Their dens an soons
Faur frae the yowts o’
huntin’ packs
An’ slaverin’ hoons.
An’ sae Bold Reynard’s
cam tae toon.
Ablow a rhodie’s
settled doon
Wi’ cubs an’ vixen
douce, a happy loon,
Wi’ aw his kin.
Weel fed each nicht oan
creashie puss
Or wheelie bin.
George McEwan Oct. 2004
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