John Buchan wrote most movingly in English verse about the death of his young brother Alastair, killed at the Battle of Arras, in 1917.
But his best known elegy-cum-affectionate-character-study is probably the one below, written in Scots, and dating from 1916.
FISHER JAMIE
Puir Jamie’s killed. A better lad
Ye wouldna find to busk a flee
Or burn a pule or wield a gad
Frae Berwick to the Clints o’ Dee
~
And noo he’s in a happier land. -
It’s Gospel truith and Gospel law
That Heaven’s yett maun open stand
To folk that for their country fa’.
~
But Jamie will be ill to mate;
He lo’ed nae music, kenned nae tunes
Except the sang o’ Tweed in spate,
Or Talla loupin’ ower its linns.
~
I sair misdoot tht Jamie’s heid
A croun o’ gowd will never please;
He liked a kep o’dacent tweed
Whaur he could stick his casts o’ flees.
~
If Heaven is a’ that man can dream
And a’ that honest herts can wish.
It main provide some muirland stream,
For Jamie dreamed o’ nocht but fish.
~
And weel I wot he’ll up and speir
In his bit blate and canty way,
Wi’ kind Apostles standin’ near
Whae in their time were fishers tae.
~
He’d offer back his gowden croun
And in its place a rod he’ll seek,
And bashfu’-like his herp lay doun
And speir a leister and a cleek.
~
For Jims had aya a poachin whim;
He’ll sune grow tired, wi’ lawfu’ flee
Made frae the wings o’ cherubim,
O’ castin’ ower the Crystal Sea.
~
I picter him at gloamin’ tide
Steekin’ the backdooe o’ his hame
And hastin’ to the waterside
To play again the auld auld game;
~
And syne wi’ saumon on his back,
Catch’t clean against the Heavenly law,
And Heavenly byliffs on his track,
Gaun linkin’ doun some Heavenly shaw.
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