Английская поэзия XIV–XX веков в современных русских переводах

Gin mornin daw

I’ll hear the craw

On Craigie Knowes

Wauk up the sin:

Wauk up the sin

Wi’ caw on caw

Whan day comes in

On Craigie Knowes:

On Craigie Knowes

A’ round about

I’ll hear the craw

Or day be düne:

Or day be düne

And sterns come out,

And houlets hoot

On Craigie Knowes.

They delv’d a saft hole

For Johnnie McNeel:

He aye had been droll

But folk likit him weel.

The bell gied a toll;

And Mess John in his goun

Spak guid-words for the soul

As Johnnie gaed doun.

On a wee, mossy-knoll,

That’s green a’ the year,

A stane-letter’d scroll

Tells Johnnie liggs there.

Nae lang rigmarole;

Juist-Johnnie McNeel

Was aye a bit droll

But folk likit him weel.

Cromwell was a sodger:

Cromwell was a saint:

Cromwell cam to Scotland

To mak himsel’ acquaint.

He rumml’d up his cannon

Afore St John’s Toun:

Wowf! Roar’d the cannon

And the wa’s fell doun.

A randy frae the Speygate

Yowl’d: “Haud on, ye füle!”

“Auld wife, auld wife:” craw’d Cromwell:

“I maun dae the Lord’s will”.

John Knox he learn’d the Latin,

The Hebrew and the Greek:

But aften frae the poopit

His mither-tongue he’d speak.

In bane he was sma’-boukit,

But had a muckle beard

And when he gar’d it waggle

Baith man and beast were feard.

He brocht back frae the galleys

The snellness o’ the sea:

Its saut was in his sermons,

Its glitter in his e’e.

John Knox in destination

Warsl’d wi’ kirk and state;

And the souchin o’ his spirit

Blaws about Scotland yet.

O luely, luely cam she in

And luely she lay doun:

I kent her be her caller lips

And her breists sae sma’ and roun’.

A’ thru the nicht we spak nae word

Nor sinder’d bane frae bane:

A’ thru the nicht I heard her hert

Gang soundin’ wi’ my ain.

It was about the waukrife hour

Whan cocks begin to craw:

That she smool’d saftly thru the mirk

Afore the day wud daw.

Sae luely, luely cam she in

Sae luely was she gaen:

And wi’ her a’ my simmer days

Like they had never been.