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Scots Language Centre Centre for the Scots Leid

Gweed Cheer!

Thanks to Sheena Blackhall for giving permission to reproduce these heart-warming Christmas poems.

Gweed Cheer!

The holly green hings in the haa 
The robin reidbresit sings 
Roon aabody's waa baith great an sma
Wag Xmas cairds on strings 
Chorus: Gweed cheer gweed cheer 
Fur Yule is here 
May naebody's plate be teem 
Makk aathin braw in the hoose an haa 
Pit on yer dauncin sheen. 
There's caunles bricht tae gie us licht 
The fire is hett in the lum 
There's Xmas pies, an aabody buys 
A pudden that's made o plum 
Chorus: Gweed cheer etc 
Pit on yer claes an shoogle yer taes 
An caimb yer touzlie hair 
Fur noo's the day we skreich Hurray 
The rarest day o the Year! 
Chorus: Gweed cheer etc 
There's pantomimes, there's Xmas chimes 
There's crackers tae takk an pu 
An if yer giftie we've forgot
Sing Happy Xmas noo!
Tune: The Cock o the North/Auntie Mary

Sheena Blackhall

 

Bairnie Jesus

Bairnie Jesus born fur me 
Hear this sang in praise o ye 
Jist like the fowk o Galilee
I praise ye in yer glory.

Dauntlit on yer mammy's knee 
Bairnie Jesus pure an wee 
On Xmas day this sang I gie 
Tae tell o the auld, auld, story. 
Luv cam doon tae the warld yon night 
The sterns shone oot wi aa thgeir micht 
That fowk aroon could see the sight 
O the bairn in the Xmas story 
I canna gie ye gifties gran 
Myrrh or gowd frae a furreign lan 
Bit I hae a sang, sae weel I can 
Sing oot tae tell o yer glory. 
 

Tune: Ally Bally

Sheena Blackhall

 

Shine on the Warld Ye Lue 

I see the starnie, the starnie wee 
It shone langsyne on the Christ bairnie 
Oh, micht the starns that shone on ye 
Shine on the ward ye lue. 
Chorus: Shine on the puir fowk 
Shine on the sair 
Shine on the hurtit 
Gie them yer care
Takk tent o us forivermair 
Here, in the warld ye lue. 
I see the robon's breast sae reid 
Ye fin a place fur his gangrel heid 
Smaa tho he be, ye ken his need 
Here, in the warls ye lue. 
 
Chorus: Shine etc 
I see the sna, sae caul, caul, caul, 
Rowed roon the toon like a big fite shawl 
I ken yer warmth cheers young an aul, 
Here in the warld ye lue 
Chorus: Shine etc
Tune: I see the moon, the moon sees me

Sheena Blackhall

 

 

Three Kings Cam Frae Their Native Lan

Three kings cam frae their native lan 
Ower ocean, desert, steen an san 
Rare gifts tae bring on Xmas day 
Tae Jesus happit in the strae 
Chorus: A starnie lets its licht doonfaa 
Stood gaird abeen yon stirkie's staa 
Sae sogjer, fairmer, aa micht ken 
That God's ain bairn wis born tae men. 
Three shepherds tae the byre stepped in 
Tae boo afore the Haly Littlin 
As breets an birdies gaithered roon 
An by yon roch cradle cooried doon. 
Chorus: A starnie etc 
Noo ilkie year at Xmas time 
We jyne oor hauns tae pray an myne 
On Jesus born sae pure, sae smaa 
Cam doon tae save an lue us aa. 
Chorus: A starnie