And the Exhibition Will Be Closed by Madge…

The Duchess of Gloucester will open

hae ye ever been in Bedlam hinny

the Sir Walter Scott Bicentenary Exhibition

are ye no fair deaved wi the skirling

in Parliament House Edinburgh on August 15

I never laughed sae muckle afore

Sir Walter’s descendants

I’ll rive every dud aff their backs

Mrs Patricia Maxwell-Scott of Abbotsford

I hae been burning bricks in Egypt

and Miss Jean Maxwell-Scott a lady-in-waiting

see the big black loof o the Deil

to the Duchess of Gloucester will attend the ceremony

he’ll scour a het peat doon their throats

The Earl of Crawford

maukins and muir-poots

president of the planning committee

deil pike the carle’s banes

will occupy the chair

cast the lairds to bushes and whins

Also present will be the Duke of Atholl

he’ll mak unco wark o the bleeze

accompanied by his own regiment

tak up a torch wi me hinny

of Atholl Highlanders

and ding doon the roost like Apollyon

Notes:

This poem is part of a portfolio of work by Edwin Morgan, introduced by James McGonigal, and by the three winners of the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award: Penny Boxall, Niall Campbell, and Roseanne Watt.

Source: Poetry (July/August 2020)