with Marion Angus

In March it was the anniversary of Marion Angus’ birthday. A forebearer of a Scottish renaissance in inter-war poetry, Marion (1865-1956) wrote in the Scottish vernacular, or Braid Scots. Although she had contributed many articles and poems to journals throughout her life, she began to write in earnest in her fifties. Her work often featured the North East of Scotland where she lived as an adult and which she described as “the cauld east countra”.

To celebrate, we wanted to share her special birthday poem…

‘On a Birthday’

Time, why are you going so fast?
I like not furious paces.
Milestones glimmer and then are past,
White, solemn faces.

I’m coming near to Forever and Ever,
With its flower and leaf unfalling,
Where you, poor Time, are an ancient measure,
Fit for a dream’s recalling.

And fain am I to turn again,
Before this journey’s ended,
For a long, long look at the road I came,
So rough and dark and – splendid!