SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 609 Title : The Bridge Author(s): Maureen Sangster Copyright holder(s): Maureen Sangster Text I wes a bridge but naebody kent I wes An unnerneath the deithly watters ran An ower ma swollen sel grief's muckle feet'd soond. I wes a bridge but naebody kent I wes A bridge can brak Can tak nae mair snell Offerings or irksome sichts Bauld pain or thirl onymair Tae limbs far nerve ends hae deid I wes a bridge but naebody sa I wes Though Christ, the tons o human flesh upon ma was - Some nichts I'd feel a blight Nae bonnie moon cud lift - If they hud been the ghaists o fowk that I hud nivver met There wid hae been a future. I thoucht o that - that I cud be a coortin bridge An throu ma span o time bring aboot a waddin But there were nane jined in passion on me I wes a bridge for Daith an waur Than Daith cam skitterin tae me: Pairts o living fowk ithers nivver see Breists an sores sewn intae ma stanes Wid ye believe there wis a threid for this? But noo the lichts come on Earlier, for the derk comes earlier Black gobs o muckle iron mak Fine limbs tae cairry prood heids o lichts I nivver sa those lichts afore They're mair than specimens o colour Nane come on themsels bit ithers' haunds Program their steady motion I nivver thocht their power above me Wes mine - but I hiv hud enough o daith An noo want love: an airm alang ma shouders Or ma back sae griefs like bairns maun fa Wee caundels drappin doon ma sides Tae plunk intae that fool watter doon below I wes a bridge but naebody heard I wes till noo This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience General public: Audience size: 1000+ Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1999 Word count: 286 Text medium Other: Pamphlet Text publication details Published: Publisher: Kettillonia Publication year: 2002 Place of publication: Fife ISBN/ISSN: 190294416X Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 249 Forenames: Maureen Surname: Sangster Gender: Female Decade of birth: 1950 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Place of birth: Aberdeen Region of birth: Aberdeen Birthplace CSD dialect area: Abd Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Kirkcaldy Region of residence: Fife Residence CSD dialect area: Fif Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Teacher Father's place of birth: St Fergus Father's region of birth: Buchan Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Buchan Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Teacher Mother's place of birth: Skene Mother's region of birth: Aberdeen Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Abd Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: For general use Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In Scots-speaking company. Poetry writing/readings