The Gaelic Archipeligo
Author: Philip Robinson
Date: 2001
Source: Ullans: The Magazine for Ulster-Scots, Nummer 8 Hairst 2001
Philip Robinson
A hae mind o tha while
No lang syne.
Dissydents
Dissentèrs
Fae Rooshae
Scrievin buiks in jail.
Scraichin fae tha Gulag.
Nae metter whit the daen
Pettròl bombs, cryin names
Sticks an stanes
A cudnae say whit-fur.
Nae metter.
The wur aye thocht big o,
But.
Guid on thaim aa
Billie boys.
Brave boys fae Rooshae
Agin thon Yin-Pairty State.
Thaim’s tha Boys
At fears nae Noise
An niver wull,
Like Nappy Gandhi an wee Annie
Frank
Mairtin Luther
Käng
Billy
Boys — O
Boys.
Ye wudnae credit it.
Thran Orthydox
Protéstin Painites
Dissydents on fur tha Richts o Man.
Agin tha Yin-Pairty Pravda
O Thocht-Polis.
Sang, naethin like tha gates
O oor ain
Wastren democracies
Solidarities
Minorities
Free Press, wi nae lang’ls
Boys, it wuz gran
Bein thran
Bak then
Bak thonner.
See iz but
At biggit tha Mither o Parliaments
Wi oor Glorious Revolution
An biggit Americae
Wi oor Hill Billie generation
An biggit Bilfawst
Wi oor Moontain Men inventions
Wi oor Auld Lang Syne
Wi oor Help in Ages Past.
At knowed aa that.
See noo, but
Mither kens best
An Americae forbye
An a Majoritie.
Owrewhelmin.
Nailin up a Bilfawst Guid Friday thing.
Ay.
Sorry — Yes.
We’r lairnt we maun aye say YES.
Whit wye maun we thole
Dissentèrs tha noo —
Minoritie owerwhelmit
Dissydents twuntie-echt percentit.
See iz noo
Thaim owerwhelmin yins
Scrievin
Thair ain democracie
Mair Pairtys nor fowk.
Divid in twa
Greement Pairtys, tha guid guys.
Yin Pairty rule fur PAICE.
Agin it aa
Tha Dissydents cum
“Dissydent scum,”
Craa it yinst mair,
An agane.
Mairchin raas o baddies wi blak hats.
Lang Kesh thaim?
Scrievin
Sic puzhin in oor Papers
Skailin dissent
Like oul dung on tha Green Paice
Dinosaurs fae These Islanns
Tha Gaelic Archipeligo
Brave an guid New Warl.
Whit richt hae they
Keepin on sayin Na
Nane ava.
A doot.
