The Glen of Weeping

In the Glencoe visitors’ centre
tourists in shorts and backpacks
troop into the tiny video theatre.

From speakers a Scottish folk-singer
tells of the popular myth
of MaDonalds murdered by Campbells.

The video footage rolls
with cardboard cut-out clansmen
fronting winter stills
of the Glen of weeping.

—–

The video voice-over
tells its true-story? of

A king’s soldiers, who shared
MacDonald hospitality.

A king’s soldiers
with their signal to attack and kill.

And MacDonalds staining snow
with red and fleeing footprints

The voice-over tells
of the king’s secretary of state,
Sir John Dalrymple of Stair
with orders for the massacre
signed by King William’s own hand,
who ensured the MacDonalds of Glencoe
were made an example of
in spite of their oath-of-loyalty to the king.

The voice-over tells
of the captain of the king’s forces,
Robert Campbell of Glen Lyon
who was the only Campbell there
teaching the unruly highlanders
the king’s lesson.

—–

and to cover up the facts
that the MacDonalds were butchered
on a blanket of early morning snow

Glencoe’s myth was born
of yet another battle
between cattle-thieves and rebellious chiefs

as authentic as
the scene sold to present-day tourists
of kilted figures playing laments
at the entrance to the glen of weeping

as if every Scottish mountain
came complete with its own Scottish piper.