Crack and kicherin spillin oot the gowden howfs o Budapest
Collegian inns o Heidelberg, the dives o the Sorbonne.
Waggin lines o waashin streetch ower the weel-kept causey
Abune an auncient gushet whaur an artist tries his haun.
Flauchterin Aurora o white nichts o Haparanda
Greeks an Turks aye grunchin ower the Cypriot divide.
Waarm win souchin through the gentie grape rigs shooglin
Rinning doun the brae toward the blae Aegean tide.
Feart, blate, an yet wi mettle muntin
Hingin on for dear life tae the nor-wast tour.
Caul, wat, trauchlin oot an upward
Daunerin the hinmaist through the labyrinths o pooer.
In the coontin hooses o the laigh countrie
Glisterin wi ile an soused wi barley-bree.
Hi you! divvyin oot the dales o lan and watter
Hirsel ower a bittie, syne, an mak some room tae me!
Mary McCabe 