Non Caithness Poets

Arts Index

'E People' - anon

There's 'e Sinclairs an' 'e Swansons,
Baikies, Waters, Beggs an' Mansons,
An' 'e Calders, Shearers, Rosies, Oags an' Gunns;
There's 'e Ryries an' McAdies,
An' 'e Keiths wi' all their laddies,
An' 'e Bankses, Bremners, Bains an' Finlaysons;
There's 'e Coghills, Mowats, Cormacks,
'E MacKays an' loks more Macs,
O' 'e Budges, Dunnetts, Sutherlands there's tons!
There's 'e Hendersons an' Leitches
Some in kilts an' some in breeches -
Every wan their mithers' dochters', faithers' sons!

There's 'e Cheemags an' 'e Chonnagies,
'E Daivags an' 'e Donnagies,
An' Lizzagies, an' Chinads by 'e score;
There's a host o' Williaminas,
Keeties, Bellas an' Chameseenas,
An' there's Sannagies an' Cheordagies galore;
There's 'e Willags an 'e Beelagies
An' ither manely chielagies,
'E Murdo's an' 'e Teenies - an' fit's more,
There's 'e Kirsties, Chessies, Annagies,
'E Donalies an' Dannagies -
Neimes'll  serve ye as they did the folks of yore!

From a 1948 publication of "Over The Ord". 

'E Caithness Midgie' - Caithness Violinist

Ye'll meet 'im here, ye'll meet 'im 'ere
By ro'die, park or bridgie,
There's no a pest on a' 'e earth
Can rouse ye lek 'e midgie.

He'll sample baith yer airms and leygs,
He'll mak' ye cross and fidgy,
He'll never let ye rest in peace,
'E tantalizin' midgie.

He's blistered a' ma nose and ears,
Ah'm spreckled lek a pidgie,
I try a smok' til' scer 'im off,
Bit, faith, he's dour, 'e midgie.

'E shepherd herdin' on 'e hill,
'E toff 'at's in 'e lodgie,
'E love affairs o' Jack and Jill,
's attended by 'e midgie.

Ah've sailed 'e seven ragin' seas,
An up 'e Murrimbidgee,
But roch altho' they wir at times,
They're neithing till 'e midgie.

Against 'e fleeag, moose an' clo'k,
Aw hev a vi'lent grudgie,
But blast 'e warst o' insec' trock,
'E tempan, foosum, midgie.

Question
What does "roch" and "tempan" mean, as in the poem about the midgie?  Send any information on this to bill@caithness.org

Answer
Re "E Caithness Midgie", "roch" means rough and "tempan" means tempting (as in provoking).
Regards,
Ann McLeod