Poems

The Pessimist
on 07th May 2009

Poetry in Scots

Poetry in the Scots language began to be written down in the 14^th century, beginning with John Barbour’s ‘The Brus’, and continuing through the makars of the 15^th and 16^th centuries. The poetic revival of the 18^th century led to the work of Robert Burns, and many others, and Scots poetry has continued to be composed in both general and regional forms down to the present day. Poetry probably remains the most common medium by which most Scottish people experience the fullness of Scots as a language and as a written, literary tradition. This section of the website contains articles related to the various traditions of writing poetry in Scots and, in particular, our Poem of the Month, as recommended by the Scottish Poetry Library in Edinburgh. The Scots Language Centre has a growing collection of audio and video material related to poetry in Scots, so please check it out.

Poem of the Month

The Pessimist

Categorised as:

The lift’s braw an’ clear this mornin’,
But I doot it’ll rain or nicht,
For I’ve aye said things was gyaun tae be waur,
An’ I’ve aye been richt.

The craps is leukin’ rale bonnie,
But I reckon they’ll turn oot licht,
Or they’ll scourge the lan’ an’ they winna stan’ –
Ye’ll see I’ll be richt.

Wir trade, they say, is revivin’,
But siller’s maist terrible ticht;
Fin ye’ve nocht tae spen’ an’ nae ane ’ll len’,
Ye’ll ken ‘t I’m richt ...

Gin ye see nae tribble afore ye,
Ye’d best gie your glesses a dicht;
It winna be lang or things ‘ll gang vrang –
They’re never aye richt.

It’s nae ‘t fae birth I’ve been scunnert
At life, although fairly I micht;
But scunner or no, fat’s comin’ll show
I’m perfectly richt.

I’m nae makin’ oot I’m a prophet,
I’m nae claimin’ nae second sicht;
But I’ve aye said things was gyaun tae be waur,
An’ I’ve aye been richt.

J.M.Caie (1878-1949)

Poem selected by the Scottish Poetry Library.

Scots Language Centre

Poems

Poetry in Scots

Poem of the Month

The Pessimist

Archive