Montreal Daily Star,
7 January 1911, page 13
Oh! For a Day and a Nicht in Scotland
At least one thousand Scots from the United States and Canada will make a pilgrimage together to the land of the heather hills next summer, at the time of the Glasgow Exhibition, according to plans that have already been made. They will sail from Montreal, the Allan liners Heaperian and Grampian having been chartered. It is this return to the home land that has suggested the poem of Mr John MacFarlane of Montreal here given:
“Oh! For a Day and a Nicht in Scotland”
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland,
Far’mung the hills that I kent lang syne,
Wi’ the clear Clyde water at near-han’ glintin’
An’ a cronie or twa that since were mine;
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotlnad
Whaur mem’ry lingers an’ fond loves twine.
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland,
To con lik scene o’ my childhood’s play,
To roam since mair I’ the simmer gloaming’
To list the lark I’ the daw’in grey;
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland
Free frae the cark o’ the follsome fray.
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland,
To wander licht owre the bent sae broon,
To pu’ the gowan an’ the yorlin’
An’ hear in the loanin the burnie’s croon;
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland
Wi’ cheery faces ap’ dwallin’s roun!
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland
The hert cries oot like a bairn distrest
For the times gane by I’ the caller mornin’
Wi’ youth’s sweet joy at its blithesome best
Oh! For a day and a nicht in Scotland,
Or life dees doon I’ the waitin’ West.
John MacFarlane
Ere, before.
Tags: Allan Line, Glasgow, Glasgow Exposition, John MacFarlane, Montreal, poetry, Quebec
