TODAY sees the inauguration of Donald Trump as 45th president of the United States of America. Alan MacGillivray watched last Sunday’s BBC Songs of Praise, which considered Trump’s Lewis roots. It prompted him to write the poem below about the influence a Lewis man might have on American politics. A Leodhasach is a person from Lewis; port-a-beul is unaccompanied Gaelic mouth music.

DONALD, HERE’S TO YOU, SIR

Och, it’s yourself, Donald.

Come away in-by and sit you down.

Man, it’s a real coarse evening out there.

The snow’s low down on the hill – there’ll be more

afore the morn’s morn, I’ll warrant you.

Warm yourself by the stove, get the chill

out of your bones. You’ll have a dram?

Aye, aye, a wee drop of the Talisker.

It’s no your Lewis craitur, but Skye’s near enough.

A wee bit ice? No, just a breath of mist then

to soften the blow. Slainte mhath!

So you’ve still got the Gaelic, I hear.

Your mother knew how to bring you up well.

Now you’re to be the President, it’ll serve you fine.

A few words in the Lord’s own tongue’ll help

to keep thae Senators and Congressmen in order.

My, it’ll be a new experience, a real revelation,

for America to have a Leodhasach in charge of things,

bringing the true Highland spirit to your White House

work, having folks in of an evening for a ceilidh,

all sorts, incomers, poor old wifies, all the sick

and needy that the Good Book tells us to look after,

joined together for a dance and songs and stories

in the good old Gaelic way – Aye, that minds me,

my daughter Jean’s boy, he’s in America now,

driving a New York cab, he’s a rare singer,

I can just see you both singing the port-a-beul

together in the ceilidh. Get in touch with him,

Donald. Hussein MacNeil’s his name.

See him right. That’d be grand.

I see your glass is down. Another of the same?