Rodden Tree

by Edith Harper

Fan Ah wis a quine there wis a rodden tree
cooried in the lee o the auld grey wa.
A swing wis made o strang raip an timmer
an hung fae a thick, stracht beuch.
Aside the tree blumed a laylock bush.
The touch o ma bairnheid wis roch sisal
an laylock wis the scent.
An the sang o ma bairnheid wis the raips
craik oan the beuch, an the sciff
o ma feet oan the grund.

An in a dwam Ah swung the days awa
an dreamed mony dreams, till they a became ane
wi the touch an the scent an the sang.
That quine's lang awa but the dreams
are aye there, swingin an swingin
aneath the rodden tree.