Hame
From an anonymous Chinese poem (Han Dynasty 200BC - 200AD) By David Purves of the Scots Leid Associe/Scots Language Society
At fifteen A jyned the airmie.
At twantie-five A cam hame at lest.
As A gaed inti the clachan,
A met an auld caird an speired:
“Wha bides in oor houss nou?”
Says he. “Look doun the street!
Thare yeir auld hame doun thare!”
Pines an cypresses growe lyke weeds.
Mappies leeve in the dug’s kennel.
Dous nest in the brukken ruif.
Wyld gress cuivers the courtyaird.
Daunerin creepers hap the wal.
A gether millet an mak a pudden
an pick sum maws for ti mak soup,
but the’r naebodie for ti share thaim.
Whan A’m feinisht wi ma soup an pudden,
A staun ma lane bi the brukken yett
an dicht the tears frae ma een.
