BlogRenfrewshire Makar Shaun Moore has written this short poem to celebrate Gie’s A Scots Poem Day.
In Yer Ain Words
Yir words, they come fae within,
Internal, personal, honest and true,
Yir words come fae, yir nature and nurture,
They’re part and parcel ae you.
Yir words are yir gut instinct, yir raw emotions,
Yir deliberations and informed opinions,
Yir ain private thoughts been publicly aired,
Yir heart laid oot bare, and yir naked soul shared,
Given sound and form by yir flesh and muscle,
Instinctive ideas, organic and real,
A body’s expression ae pain or pleasure,
Yir words are just, how you feel.
And you can call pronunciation received,
But I will cry it imposed,
Aspirations and affectations, prescribed
By those, and such as those
Yir voice is no a thing tae be bred out ae ye,
Tae be controlled, conformed or denied,
Speech drummed intae or hammered out ae,
Yir core being culturally colonised,
Yir words are yours,
Yir words are you,
Yir words are where ye came fae,
And where yir gaun too.
Yir words are in yir genes, it’s yir heritage,
Familial and communal, yir social heirlooms,
Inner identity, innate, Uttered in utero
Souvenirs and songs fae the womb,
Homespun wisdom that’s been passed doon,
Cradle comforting hearth warming sounds,
Fae yir mammy, fae yir granny,
Fae yir Nonna, yir Par Nani,
Fae yir Babcia, fae Yir Shinnavey,
It’s yer Mither Tongue, wherever yir fae.
#GiesAScotsPoemDay
Shaun was visiting Johnstone Town Hall to promote #GiesAScotsPoemDay. It’s a partnership between Hands Up for Trad and the Scottish Poetry Library.
Write/record/video your favourite Scots verse and post it on your social media platform of choice with the hashtag #GiesAScotsPoemDay.
You can also send your Scots poem to the team using the form on the website.
Scots Language Awards 2023
The Scots Language Awards will take place at Johnstone Town Hall on Friday 16 September 2023.
Tickets are available to buy NOW from the One Ren box office.
The awards recognise the amazing efforts and work of the people and organisations who all use and speak Scots’ unique culture, music and words.
Voting will be open to the public between 17 – 30 July 2023 and the Awards will take place on Saturday 16th September.
You might also want to keep an eye on our plans for Mòd Phàislig 2023 when Paisley will host Scotland’s premier celebration of Gaelic language and culture.