It's an innovative intervention in the indyref debate: a lengthy poem by writer David Maclennan. Here we publish If Scotland in full:

If Scotland votes for Independence

Will the limestone lochs of Durness become more limey

Will Scots porridge oats be much more porridgey

Will Arbroath smokies be far smokier

And make our Cullen Skink a whole lot skinkier

 

Will Independence make the heather bloom more purple

The gorse more yellow sea campion more pink

And will the bluebells below the Duke's Pass in the Trossachs

More thoroughly carpet the woods

 

If we vote yes

Will the Tartan Army throw off its inhibitions

And really get themselves about

Will Celtic Rangers Hibs and Hearts at last command the passion of the fans

Will Inverness Caley Thistle find a more patriotic name

And will the Sun and Daily Record finally give some space to football

 

Will the Proclaimers rediscover their Dundee accents

Will Phil Cunningham get his act together on that box of his

And Aly Bain get to grips with his Shetland fiddle

Will Paolo Nutini sound more Paisley

And Capercaille a bit more Gaely

 

If Scotland was left to go it alone

Would Bannockburn be undeniable

The Saltire flag more flyable

The Bank of Scotland liable

The crofting way of life more viable

The Wee Free Church more pliable

The Orange marchers justifiable

The summer weather more reliable

And would the deep fried Mars bar cease to be as fryable

 

If Scotland goes its own way

Will the Langholm Common Riding be more common

Will the cabers birl further in bonny Braemar

Will the flames of Up Helly Aa more brightly burn

Will Abermuchty and Auchtergeldy take it in turn

To have the longest village main street in the land

Will smir and dreich and gloaming forebye

And drookit and glaikit an' aw naw an' och aye

Burst forth like a spring when Scotland is free

An' gallus an' stumour an' oh michty me

 

If Scotland says aye

Will St. Andrews be the home of golf

Will the curling stones roar on the Lake of Menteith

Will the camans clash loud in the Camanachd Cup

Will the Guest House in Oban be always full up

 

Will the Rest and Be Thankful be thankful at last

The Beallach to Applecross more like a pass

Will the Old Man of Hoy and the Old Man of Stoer

And Buachaille Etive Beg and Buachaille Etive Mhor

Stand taller and prouder and more recognizable

And the chip on oor shooders a wee bit less sizeable

 

Will Glaswegians be more gallus

Will you have had your tea in Edinburgh

Will Aberdonians be more mean

And will all the stereotypes

Of every city town and village in the land be reinforced

 

If Scotland does its ain thing

Will Scotland be more Scottish

 

I hae ma doots.