Sunday, November 30, 2008

Happy St Andrew's Day

The Spider’s Legend of Robert the Bruce


Ah got scunnert tryin’ tae spin
a web for denner,
the stane wis a’ slaisterie,
couldnae get a grip,
ah wis hauf stairved by the end,
no even a midge tae claucht,
then a big lug o’ a mon cam in,
raggety, right dosser,
mair hungert looking than me,
stairted eyeing me up,
ah thought fuck this, am off,
swung like Tarzan
oot the cave on a thread
thick as a wean’s wrist.
Seemed tae cheer him up.

8 comments:

Susan at Stony River said...

I love this! I'd never thought of hearing the tale from the other character's POV: smashing ending.

Funny timing, because not long ago I mentioned going to Rathlin Island to a friend; she asked about puffins. They have puffins? I'm going for the spider's cave. I like birds all right, but I like history and folklore better.

Wishing you a lovely Saint Andrew's Day---

Hugh McMillan said...

thanks very much. There's a Bruce cave just about everywhere though I would love to see the one in Rathlin island. Must go back to Ireland soon. Have got very fond memories of the Cuirt Festival in Galway.

Marion McCready said...

And a happy St. Andrews day to you too! I really like this, Robert the Bruce - a 'right dosser', lol!

Rachel Fox said...

This should be on Historic Scotland teatowels...and soon!

hope said...

I love the reference, "Swung like Tarzan". :)

The Brokendown Barman said...

just got in and kinda drunk!!!!
like this poem, it gets the barman seal of approval, ver rare accolade indeed!!!
quite surprised there was nothing bout bruce bein scared of spiders, cos he was a cowardly bastard at the best of times

McGuire said...

Excellent poem, Shug. This will be immortalised in the futurei n the memories of poetry readers. It's amazing. Love the language, love th plight of the Spider, love how the spider is just spinning out his day and does not realise he is spinning beside a big figure in scottish history.

Colin Will said...

Somebody told me the average person ingests two spiders per year while sleeping with their mooths open. Be that as it may, I just wanted to say thanks for Strange Bamboo, which I look forward to reading.