(Neglected and Forgotten)
Lyrics composed
by John Henderson on 12th May, 2006
to Christopher Seppe's 1987 'Solitude Rag' played here by
Sue Keller.
Dedicated to my great grandparents James and Jessie (Nicoll)
Henderson
of Cattymill, Kinloch, Perthshire, 1881-1884.
Hich ... upoan ma waa hings mislippen sicht.
Dool ... thon bosky strypie i' unco licht.
I' treetly wirds, spiks tae me quait,
O its doolsome an lang foryatten tasht gate.
Fit ... did sich lik yon hiv tae gie maan,
'Cep ... gurr mebee a mull-dam i teem lan
Bit tummlin oan, noo oot o eese,
Waashin smeeth stanes by wil girse an deid trees.
Wann'rin ma thochts imaigin lang syne
"Mebee fullt up the dam, skinny yeld kine.
Sluice rinnin fest, mull-grinsteen gaen roon;
The kye ivver sae gutsy, ilk efternoon.
Noo,
Shapit stanes weet, maist skiddery an lowse;
Fyow leaves hing oan brenches, jist freuch cowes.
Reets stragglin fell stairvit naikit ooner the bank,
Far chuckies i airth canna them hank."
"Wann'rin ma thochts imaigin lang syne
Belike fullt up the dam, skinny yeld kine.
Sluice rinnin fest, mull-grinsteen gaen roon;
The kye ivver sae gutsy, ilk efternoon.
Noo,
Shapit stanes weet, maist skiddery an lowse;
Fyow leaves hing oan brenches, jist freuch cowes.
Reets stragglin fell stairvit naikit ooner the bank,
Far chuckies i airth canna them hank."
****
Thocht .... "Nar tap thon hull is a lochan broon;
Skales ... cauld waater slaalik ow'r rig an doon.
Throw drapin muirs, snodes its slaa coorse,
Oontil intae mirky wid's beild it poors."
*****
Hich upoan ma waa's thon mislippen sicht.
Dool thon bosky strypie i' an unco licht.
Furhooie wirds, spiks it sae quait,
O its doolsome foryatten sae tasht gate.
Cams frae tap a hull wi its lochan broon
Skales cauld waater slaalik ow'r rig an doon.
Snodin a' its coorse, throw stey-drapin muirs,
Oontil intae mirky wid's beild it fest poors.
Aye stapit stanes weet skiddery an lowse;
Sweil fyow leaves oan brenches, ainly freuch cowes.
Ooner the bank, reeds stragglin rank,
Stairv'd naikit far airth's nae haudin hank.
Cams frae tap a hull wi its lochan broon.
Skales cauld waater slaalik ow'r rig an doon.
Snodin a' its coorse, throw stey-drapin muirs,
Oontil intae mirky wid's beild it fest poors.
*********
Wann'rin wid an hull, thochts wi kittle weil fullt,
A wonner'd fit lik fowks cud dae sich an ull.
Mislippin, syne foryatten thon ma ain forebears' plank,
Lavin it dwine sae fair rank.
Wann'rin wid an hull, thochts wi kittle weil fullt,
A wonner'd fit lik fowks cud dae sich an ull.
Mislippin, syne foryatten thon ma forebears' plank,
Lavin it tae dwine sae rank.
*********
Aye ... upoan ma waa hings thon mislippen sicht.
Dool ... thon bosky strypie i' unco licht.
I' treetly wirds, spiks tae me quait,
O its doolsome an lang foryatten tasht gate.
Neglected and Forgotten
Translation of 'Mislippen an Foryatten' into blank verse in
English
Dark ... upon my wall hangs a neglected sight
Sadly ... that wild stream in curious light
In trickling words, it speaks to me quietly
Of its sorrowful and long forgotten well worn route
What ... did such as that have to offer people
Except ... maybe make a mill-dam in empty land
But tumbling on, it's now out of use
Washing smooth stones past wild grass and dead trees
Wandering my thoughts imagine far back
"Perhaps it filled up the dam, and thin dry cattle
Sluice running fast, mill-grindstone going round
The cows ever very thirsty each afternoon
Now,
Shaped stones wet, most slippery and loose
Few leaves hang on branches, just dry twigs
Roots straggling dangerously starved naked under the bank
Where pebbles in earth cannot secure them."
Thought ... "Near the top of that hill was a small brown
loch
Spilling ... cold water slowly over ridge and down
Through dropping moors, on a neat course
Until into dim wood's shelter it pours."
Wandering the wood and hill, thoughts full of anger,
I wondered what kind of people could be so wicked?
Neglecting, then forgetting this, my own forebears' place;
Allowing it to waste away so disgustingly.
