1996 Greeting

Twa Hunner’ Years Syne

On a dank, dreich day by the Nith,
Ae chiel passed awa’ in Dumfries –
Tho’ plackless then, in wardly worth,
He was bless’d in his Maker’s peace –
And in your mind an’ mine
Richt up to this day,
Twa hunner’ years syne.

On a sad, soor day by the Nith,
The Awkward squad fired a salute
As Jean strained gey hard tae gie birth
Tae Rab’s new bairn – Life in, Life oot –
For ae wife or ae quine
‘Twas aften the wey,
Twa hunner’years syne.

For maist o’ his life, since his birth,
He gied the warld ae legacy braw
O’ poems an’ sangs pure in worth,
An’ lo’ed by common folk an’ a’
Yon Literati fine.
‘Twas every the wey,
Twa hunner’ years syne.

On this Janwar nicht by the Cairt,
As members an’ guests a’ sit doon,
Skeich auld-farrant fiers play their pairt
In ongauns – wi sweet sangs tae croon
In saft -like, dulcet tone,
‘Twill aye be the wey,
Twa hunner years oan.

On a gey bien nicht by the Cairt,
The Auldest Burns Club’s Preses, bold
Alan, spelds o’ Rab’s life an’ his pairt
In Scotland’s Enlightenment – told
In word, line, verse an’poem.
‘Twill aye be the wey,
Twa hunner’ years oan.

Tom Gibson 25th January 1996