Skip to content

Scottish Poetry Library

Register/Sign in
Shopping Bag Shopping Bag
Bringing people and poems together
  • Home
  • Poetry
    • Poets
    • Poems
    • Makar – National Poet
      • Our Waking Breath: A Poem-letter from Scotland to Ukraine
      • A Woman’s A Woman
      • The story of the Makar – National Poet of Scotland
    • Best Scottish Poems
    • Spiorad an Àite
      Spirit of Place
    • The Trysting Thorns
    • Poetry Ambassadors
      Tosgairean na Bàrdachd
      • Poetry Commissions: Walter Scott 250
        Coimiseanan Bàrdachd: Walter Scott 250
      • Poetry Ambassadors 2021
    • Poetry Ambassadors 2020
    • Posters
    • Podcasts
  • Library
    • Become a borrower
    • Catalogue
    • Collections
    • Ask a librarian
    • Copyright enquiries
  • Learning
    • SQA set texts
    • Learning resources
    • Designing sensory poetry activities
    • Children’s poems in Scots
    • National Poetry Day archive
    • New to poetry?
    • Advice for poets
  • Events
    • What’s On
    • Meeting rooms and venue hire
    • Exhibitions
  • Shop
    • Poetry Highlights
    • Entropie Books
    • Stichill Marigold Press
    • Poems for Doctors, Nurses & Teachers
    • Scottish Poetry
    • Poetry Pamphlet Cards
    • Help
  • About us
    • Our story
    • Our people
    • Jobs
    • Company Papers & Policies
    • Our projects
    • Our building
    • FAQs
    • Find us
  • Support us
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
  • Blog
Shopping BagShopping Bag
Ask a librarian
  • Home
  • >
  • Poetry
  • >
  • Violet Jacob
  • >
  • Jock, to the First Army
Donate Donate icon Ask a Librarian Ask a Librarian icon

Jock, to the First Army

Violet Jacob

O Rab an’ Dave an’ rantin’ Jim,
    The geans were turnin’ reid
When Scotland saw yer line grow dim,
    Wi’ the pipers at its heid;
Noo, i’ yon warld we dinna ken,
    Like strangers ye maun gang—
‘We’ve sic a wale o’ Angus men
    That we canna weary lang’

An’ little Wat — my brither Wat —
    Man, are ye aye the same?
Or is yon sma’ white hoose forgot
    Doon by the strath at hame?
An’ div ye mind foo aft we trod
    The Isla’s banks before ?—
—’My place is wi’ the Hosts o’ God,
    But I mind me o’ Strathmore’

It’s deith comes skirlin’ through the sky,
    Below there’s nocht but pain,
We canna see whaur deid men lie
    For the drivin’ o’ the rain;
Ye a’ hae passed frae fear an’ doot,
    Ye’re far frae airthly ill —
—’We’re near, we’re here, my wee recruit,
    An’ we fecht for Scotland still.’


Violet Jacob

from More Songs of Angus and Others (London: Country Life, 1918)

Tags:

death in battle Grief & Sorrow Scots World War I
Share this
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Learn more

Violet Jacob1863 - 1946

Violet Jacob, known for her novels of Scottish history and her poetry written in the rich dialect of Angus, was born into an aristocratic family, and lived her adult life as an officer’s wife in England and abroad.
More about Violet Jacob

Podcasts

Our audio programme of poets, poems and news for you to listen to.
Listen Now

Events

Discover our poetry events at the library & online.
Find forthcoming Events
  • Newsletter signup
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Scottish Poetry Library
5 Crichton's Close, Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DT
Tel: +44 (0)131 557 2876
© Scottish Poetry Library 2022.
The Scottish Poetry Library is a registered charity (No. SCO23311).
City of Edinburgh logo Green Arts Initiative logo Creative Scotland logo
Scottish Poetry Library