An Epitaph for a Scottish Hard Man

By Tomas Mc Rae, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, ©1995
First presented in a local Scots radio programme

[Please rest your cursor (without clicking) on difficult words to see their meaning.]

In Penicuik, that nice wee toon,
The rain wiz poorin doon an doon.
Wi watery hair an soakin clothes
Wee Wullie through the deluge goes.
Nae canopy does him protect.
Thaire’s a macho image tae project.
Wull reaches hame, puir drippin loon.
Nae fires are lit acause it’s June.
He staggers, shiverin, aff tae bed,
Then wakens up tae find … he’s dead!

The Epitaph

A martyr tae tough manhood’s proof,
Wull died a happy fellie.
Naebody caw’d that lad a poof
Fur raisin’ an umberelly.