Hinniewaff

Nae wird means fragrance in the Scots
though mony a wird means stink
the’r fum an wheech an bowfin
an steuch, it gars ye think –

gin oor faithers snufft the flooers
or they plooed them unnerneth,
ivver snockt the fremmit air
on the intide’s braith?

Hid they nae wirds for baken breid,
for a new-dookt babbie’s huil?
Ainly wirds for strauchlin sair,
for awthing dreich an duill?

Wes’t aw juist darg ‘mangst glaur an sharn
an cauld weet scabbit sile?
An the feff o fush on shore heids,
an guff o ingine ile?

I canna trew they wes saw sture,
their herts wes nivver blide:
they maun hae kent a wheen braw saurs,
juist hed the wirds inside.

Yet still an on, oor Scots tung leeves,
an birls an jigs in rhyme,
an grups yer hert in crack an tale,
it canna be by time,

tae gie the leid a splent-new wird,
for caller smells an gran –
an sae I gie ye hinniewaff –
cry in an shak its han.