SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 756 Title : A Hoary Story - The Cemet'ry Inspector's Lament Author(s): John Henderson Copyright holder(s): John Henderson Text Grave-diggin is ne'er a thit easy, Wi a pickle o freest i the grun, An Mair, the inspector, shuda kent this, As he lingered aside on the mun. Fan his navvies doon-deep i the openin, Shouted, "It's jist aboot richt, Maister Mair," The inspector gat oot his tape meesure, An edged tae the heid tae mak shair. Bit jist as he leaned doon tae test it, Ma Nature, she iced his left bit, Sae heid ower hurdies he tummled, Richt intae the yawnin broon pit. The navvies hard scrabblin doon unner, Sae lent ower the sheugh fur a keek. "Ah've lossed ma guid wallies', Mair gollared, An they're playin gin hod-an-go-seek." Whilies efter his haun haudin gnashers, Cam hup clair-lik intae thur sicht, Sae his men poo’d him oot o the chasm, Whilst he heeld oan tae thur airms guid an ticht. Syne he spak tae his wallies wi easedom, “Ye'll be fine wi a rub an' a spit.” Bit fan shoved i his mou a mite efter, T’wis clair thit yon ains didnae fit! 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 Adults (18+): Other: Knew some recipients of text. Audience size: 1000+ Writer knew intended audience: Text details Method of composition: Wordprocessed Word count: 188 Text medium Web (webpages, discussion boards, newsgroups, chat rooms): Text publication details Published: Publisher: Electric Scotland Publication year: 2004 Place of publication: http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/doggerels.htm Part of a longer series of texts: Name of series: Doggerels and other poems Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 782 Forenames: John Surname: Henderson Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1930 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: University Lecturer (retired) Place of birth: Causewayhead Region of birth: Stirling Birthplace CSD dialect area: Stlg Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Emba Region of residence: Paphos Country of residence: Cyprus Father's occupation: Headteacher Father's place of birth: Dunblane Father's region of birth: E & SE Perthshire Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Per Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Teacher Mother's place of birth: Falkirk Mother's region of birth: Stirling Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Stlg Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Everywhere Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Where required