SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 621 Title : Dipper: 09 - Mid-winter Spring Author(s): Dr James A Begg Copyright holder(s): Dr James A Begg Text Inspired by hearing a Blackbird singing "it's hert oot" in the 'wee smaa oors' during a night-call on the 9th January 1985, when the rest of Europe was suffering the coldest spell of winter weather for years! Tho heraldin the birth o Spring, Frae Ayr's Auld Kirkyaird echoes ring – - Whit is it Blackie, maks ye sing This Januar nicht? Why's yer pow no tuckt aneath yer wing - - It's juist no richt! Altho the wather's unco saft, An Westlin wins yer feathers waft, Rousin ye up wi gentle draught Tae warble free, - (I ken damn-fine Auld Davie's daft!) But so are ye! There's ten-fuit snaw-wraiths doun in Kent, An it's muckle waur on the Continent, Cruel Winter's wrath is no yet spent, I'm vext tae say, An I hae nae dout it's his intent Tae grup us tae. The Finns thole fifty d'grees o frost An doun on the Riviera Coast, Whaur sunshine's aye their proodest boast, They sit an freeze; While up in Ayr, as warm as toast, Ye tak yer ease. - Auld Davie's gyte, fou weel I ken, I caum him doun a wee while, then I heize him up an cairt him ben Tae's touslt bed; A wee word syne wi his auld wife Jen, Then oot I tread. At hauf-past fower it's dreich an dreary, The Auld Kirkyaird luiks awesome, eerie, I'm crabbit, haur-asleep, an weary, - When aa at yince, A sang bursts forth sae blythe an cheery, Frae Music's prince. As gowden notes frae gowden bill Come floatin throu the darkness still, I clean forget the nicht's cauld chill, As hame I gang; Enchauntit by the magic spell O Blackie's sang. ___ blackie/blackbird pow/head unco/exceedingly snaw-wraith/snowdrift muckle waur/much worse thole/endure gyte/confused heize/hoist ben/through 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: 1985 Word count: 323 General description: Anthology of prizewinning and other Scots poems, and short stories in Ayrshire Scots. Text medium Book: Radio: Other: Audiocassette Text publication details Published: Publisher: Luath Press Publication year: 1991 Place of publication: Barr, Ayrshire ISBN/ISSN: 0946487227 Edition: First Part of larger text: Contained in: The Dipper an the Three Wee Deils: Tales and Poems in Ayrshire Scots Editor: Authors: Dr. J. A. Begg and J. Reid Page numbers: 18-19 Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Private/personal: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 623 Title: Dr Forenames: James Initials: A Surname: Begg Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1940 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: Medical Practitioner Place of birth: New Cumnock Region of birth: S Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Ayr Region of residence: S Ayr Residence CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Clerical Officer, NCB Father's place of birth: Sandbank Father's region of birth: Argyll Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Arg Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Primary Teacher Mother's place of birth: New Cumnock Mother's region of birth: S Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: Danish Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work Language: French Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Holidaying in France Language: Norwegian Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: A little Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Home, socially, at work