Gowd

Charles Middleton born Aboyne 1907, died Aberdeen 1988
        
Dwined till a dwaum yon moss-green kindly een,    
His sang that raise as a shout
Fin his warld wis young, crined till a myowt    
Late, fin his reel ran deen.

The barfit loon that bed in the auld man's skin
Wid lowp like a bawd clean mad tae rin    
Hyne back, swack fur a swippert morn    
Fin soun an taste an sicht,
War green as brierin corn
An friens war flesh an bluid,
Nae thochts forlorn.
    
The airm aince braid's a branch
Dweebled, a shakkin sheaf.
The haun that gentled ma bairnhood,
Drappit, a tummlit leaf.

I cudna kep his step,
Tho the road he wauked grew roch
The burn maun rin its lane,
Till it reests i' the loch.

Fowk saw a gutterin caunle,
Bauchled sheen an claes.
I saw a guidin licht,
Frae the bairntime o ma days
Garrin me ken the wirth,
O beauty in brae an cloud ....
I luiked on an auld deen man,
An I saw gowd.

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