A bigsie chiel, o sma accoont,
Liftit his heid ae day
An frae the verra founs o ignorance, bespak
That aa aroon, stars, sun, an warld
Wis some cosmic mishanter, a celestial mistak.

Nae mishanter hauds the Seasons gaun,
Birth, growth, an daith-the hale kiboodle
Year in, year oot, ayebydan.

Birth's a cycle in itsel,
A body, sundered in the fires of Hell,
The quickenin bairn inside,
Hungry fur braith an licht
Fechts throw fitiver.

Nae pain like it, nur nae peace
Fear, swyte, an bluid,
Brings furth sair-won release.

Comes the snibbin o the door
On beatin wings, a midnicht swan,
The tyauve o life drifts oot
Takkin the laich road,
Till the siccar dawn.