SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 734 Title : The Erseboond Author(s): Tom Hubbard Copyright holder(s): Tom Hubbard Text Efter Rimbaud's 'Les Assis': thon makar's tribute ti the librarians o his native Charleville Plookie an pockie, foustie roond the een, Their wrattie fingers cleeked intil their hochs; Wi doobtsome scruif their harnpans are owergeen Like the cankert growthieness on cowpit brochs. Ilk rickle o banes has shagged his-sel intil The muckle mirkie skelet o his chair; Aa day, aa nicht, it's fuitsie-fuitsie thrills Wi wuiden baurs that shoogle ower the flair. The auld cunts hae aye been plaitit wi their saits; In simmer drouth, their flype turns calico; Or else they're chitterin, like sairie taeds, Govin at the winnock at the glushie snaw. - An their saits aye sair thaim weill, like; shitey-broon, The strae yields ti their hurdies' ilka sklent; Spreit o the auncient sun lichts up, that's boond In braids whaur there's the corn ti ferment. An the erseboond, knees at teeth, green pianists, Ten fingers bangin on aneath their sait; Tempo di barca, largo e mesto, juist, - Their heids keep time, near ti ejaculate. Dinna steir thaim up, or else they're sunk! Like skelpit baudrons, gurlin, apenin slaw Their shouthers, feemin, fizzin, spairgin spunk - Their hainches swall, their breeks fuff oot anaa. You hear thaim dunt, thae baldy heidbangeers, Their pows agin bleck waas; wi unco clack They ramp their feet; the buttons that they weirs Are beasties' een that keek oot fae the stack! They can pley, forby, the invisible haund that kills: Atween their winkers, seeps thon hellish bree That, whan you leather your bitch, her look distils: An you sweit, trapped in a cundie till you dee. Erseboond again, their nieves encuffed in clert; Joe Public's interruptions are fair cussed; Their chinless cholls aye bobbin loose, - fae stert o day till gloamin - tremmlin fit ti brust. Whan their winkers faa intil a dour-like sloom, They dover in their sexy saits' enbrace; Wee dollyburds o chairs, reenged roond the room, Encirclin desks you'd think looked on po-faced. Ilk blume o ink draps comma-shapes o pollen, Hushies ilk erseboond in his bit flour-cup Like the adder-bell in flicht throu gladiolie - An the ickers gar thae auld boys' pricks swall up. 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: 21-100 Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Title of original (if translation): Les assis Author of original (if translation): Rimbaud Language of original (if translation): French Word count: 371 Text medium Magazine (e-zine): Text publication details Published: Publisher: Spectrum Publication year: 1993 Place of publication: Kilmarnock ISBN/ISSN: 0964-5853 Part of larger text: Contained in: Spectrum Editor: Stuart A Paterson, Gerry Cambridge et al Page numbers: 58 Text setting Leisure/entertainment: Text type Poem/song/ballad: Author Author details Author id: 232 Forenames: Tom Surname: Hubbard Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1950 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 18 Upbringing/religious beliefs: N/A Occupation: Academic, librarian and writer Place of birth: Kirkcaldy Region of birth: Fife Birthplace CSD dialect area: Fif Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Kirkcaldy Region of residence: Fife Residence CSD dialect area: Fif Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Caterer Father's place of birth: Dysart Father's region of birth: Fife Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Fif Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Caterer Mother's place of birth: Dysart Mother's region of birth: Fife Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Fif Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Everyday Language: Italian Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Work, holiday, fluency fluctuating Language: Polish Speak: No Read: No Write: No Understand: No Circumstances: Smattering. Work, holiday Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: Everyday. Scots spoken in relaxed circumstances