Bill Wallace Eric Dickens Mike Cross Robert Frost “The Scotsman” “Desert Places” Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast In a field I looked into going past, Well a Scotsman clad in kilt left the bar one evening fair And the ground almost covered smooth in snow, And one could tell by how he walked that he’d drunk more than his share But a few weeds and stubble showing last. He fumbled ‘round until he could no longer keep his feet And stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street The woods around it have it - it is theirs. All animals are smothered in their lairs. About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by I am too absent-spirited to count; One says to the other with a twinkle in her eye The loneliness includes me unawares. “See yon sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built I wonder if it’s true what they don’t wear beneath their kilt?” And lonely as it is, that loneliness They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as they could be Will be more lonely ere it will be less - Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see A blanker whiteness of benighted snow And there behold for them to view beneath his Scottish skirt With no expression, nothing to express. Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth They cannot scare me with their empty spaces They marveled for a moment then on said, “We must be gone Between stars - on stars where no human race is. Let’s leave a message for our friend before we move along” I have it in me so much nearer home As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon tied into a bow To scare myself with my own desert places. Around the bonnie star the Scot’s kilt did lift and show Now the Scotsman woke to nature’s call and stumbled towards the trees Behind the bush he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees And in a startled voice he says to what’s before his eyes “Ah lad I don’t know where you’ve been but I see ya won first prize!” Anne Mamary
Bill Wallace Mike Cross “The Scotsman” Well a Scotsman clad in kilt left the bar one evening fair And one could tell by how he walked that he’d drunk more than his share He fumbled ‘round until he could no longer keep his feet And stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street About that time two young and lovely girls just happened by One says to the other with a twinkle in her eye “See yon sleeping Scotsman so strong and handsome built I wonder if it’s true what they don’t wear beneath their kilt?” They crept up on that sleeping Scotsman quiet as they could be Lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see And there behold for them to view beneath his Scottish skirt Was nothing more than God had graced him with upon his birth They marveled for a moment then on said, “We must be gone Let’s leave a message for our friend before we move along” As a gift they left a blue silk ribbon tied into a bow Around the bonnie star the Scot’s kilt did lift and show Now the Scotsman woke to nature’s call and stumbled towards the trees Behind the bush he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees And in a startled voice he says to what’s before his eyes “Ah lad I don’t know where you’ve been but I see ya won first prize!” Eric Dickens Robert Frost “Desert Places” Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast In a field I looked into going past, And the ground almost covered smooth in snow, But a few weeds and stubble showing last. The woods around it have it - it is theirs. All animals are smothered in their lairs. I am too absent-spirited to count; The loneliness includes me unawares. And lonely as it is, that loneliness Will be more lonely ere it will be less - A blanker whiteness of benighted snow With no expression, nothing to express. They cannot scare me with their empty spaces Between stars - on stars where no human race is. I have it in me so much nearer home To scare myself with my own desert places. Anne Mamary