Fifty Nine

Bak in fifty echt or nine,
I milk‛t kye wae a sister o‛ mine,
Rid Roan, Blue Roan Ayrshire maybe,
Polly Meg an the Bridgit lady.

Polly stud weel Meg wud fidgit,
Only Mae cud milk oul Bridget,
Somethin in mae sisters manner,
Soothed an made oul Bridgit calmer.

In the byre lang afore seven,
Bed at six had seem‛t like heaven,
All the same the best o times,
Bak in fifty echt or nine.

© Charles Gillen, 2005
Reproduced with permission from Charlie Gillen,   Tha Wizard's Quill , (Vol. 5,Ulster-Scots “Living Writers” Series, Ullans Press, 2005).