Sheila Templeton of Glasgow shared joint first prize in the 2016 McCash Scots Poetry Competition on the theme of “Change is Lichtsome.”

Her poignant tale of a woman ripped from the land she has loved and tended shows the obverse side of change but is lightened by the eloquence of her testimony.

                         COTTAR WIFE

There wis ae year we laisted the hale twalmonth

twa hale terms, fae Wutsunday an roon again

- afore my man fell oot wi the grieve, as wis his wont.

So it wis back tae the feein-mairket an a new fee,

a different cottar hoose, an ootlin wife i the big hoose

nae kenning fit she’d expect o me. Aathin clyted

oan the cairtie, bairnies, dishes, sticks o furnitur

the sheltie strainin atween the shafts. An my man

dour faced, black browed, reddy wi his han

gin onybody daur an argie-bargie. My hert was wechty

weerin awa fae that place, my face begrutten in saut -

but nae for the cottar hoose, tho it was bonnie eneuch.

My tears were for the grun, the blaik grun, its saft dairk

easin hert-sairs at Martimas, crummlin throw my hans

faan I’d plunted bulbs – blewarts, snaa-fite stars

o Bethlehem, skirie tulips, vauntie  in their silken skirts –

its bountie i the simmer time, keepin us in maet;

the wye it seemed tae sigh efter a rain-dookin.

An fit wad I gie, tae plunt a gean or an aipple tree

its croon o fite flooers brobbit wi the pink o dawnin, ilka spring

- wad lichten my ivery step, lift the verra hert oot my breist.

But a tree taks time tae spread its roots, tae ease

intae the grun. Chynge disnae gree wi that.