Dandie
by W D Cocker
Read by Marilyn Wright

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Cocker was born in Glasgow and worked there as a journalist on the Daily Record, but his poems mostly evoke the Stirlingshire farms of his mother’s family.

Come in ahint, ye wan’erin’ tyke!
Did ever a body see yer like?
Wha learnt ye a’ thae poacher habits?
Come in ahint, ne’er heed the rabbits!
Noo bide there, or I’ll warm yer lug!
My certie! ca’ yersel’ a doug?
Noo ower the dyke all’ through the park:
Let’s see if ye can dae some wark.
Way wide there, fetch them tae the fank!
Way wide there, ‘yont the burn’s bank!
Get roon’ aboot them! Watch the gap!
Hey, Dandie, haud them frae the slap!
Ye’ve got them noo, that’s no sae bad:
Noo bring them in, guid lad! guid lad!
Noo tak’ them canny ower the knowe —
Hey, Dandie, kep that mawkit yowe!
The tither ane, hey’, lowse yer grip!
The yowe, ye foumart, no’ the tip!
Ay, that’s the ane, guid doug! guid doug!
Noo haud her canny, dinna teug!
She’s mawkit bad; ay, shair’s I’m born
We’ll hae tae dip a wheen the morn.
Noo haud yer wheesht, ye yelpin’ randie,
An’ dinna fricht them, daft doug Dandie!
He’s ower the dyke — the de’il be in’t!
Ye wan’erin’ tyke, come in ahint!