Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850-1894

Sub-Island: "Ille Terrarum" (Underwoods, poem 2.2)

II

FRAE nirly, nippin', Eas'lan' breeze,

Frae Norlan' snaw, an' haar o' seas,

Weel happit in your gairden trees,

A bonny bit,

Atween the muckle Pentland's knees,

Secure ye sit.

Beeches an' aiks entwine their theek,

An' firs, a stench, ault-farrant clique.

A' simmer day, your chimleys reek,

Couthy and bien;

An' here an' there your windies keek

Amang the green.

A pickle plats an' paths an' posies,

A wheen auld gillyflowers an' roses:

A ring o' wa's the hale encloses

Frae sheep or men;

An' there the auld housie beeks an' dozes,

A' by her lane.

The gairdner crooks his weary back

A' day in the pitaty-track,

Or mebbe stops awhile to crack

Wi' Jane the cook,

Or at some buss, worm-eaten-black,

To gie a look.

Frae the high hills the curlew ca's;

The sheep gang baaing by the wa's;

Or whiles a clan o' roosty craws

Cangle thegether;

The wild bees seek the gairden raws,

Weariet wi' heather.