Barred.
Dae ye ken that wurd?
Barred?
It widnae be the furst time
that wan o ma boys wis barred.
They're ayeweys gettin barred
fae thir local.
Bit barred? Rabbie Burns,
oor National barred?
The telly said it.
It's aye fu o it in January.
Like a fiftynine bus ye ken.
Nuthin fir ages then ye
cannae get movin fir them.
A huvtae admit A don't really
listen tae it aw. A hid enough
aw they years ago at the scuil.
Bit they're still
bangin on aboot Burns.
Ye'd of thought they'd of
fun anither wan bi noo,
a modrin wan.
Mibbe there isnae any?
Tae be honest, A blame the education system.
There's too much o it nooadays,
an A don't think Rabbie had any
an look whit it did fir him.
Bit it gied ye a laugh, thae poems.
We couldnae make heid nor tail o them.
bit we learnt them fir a wee man
wi a bald heid an a broon suit.
He'd come tae judge us.
Fae the federation, wid ye believe.
Well done, he wid say, An excellent delivery.
An gie us a book..
A mind rinnin hame wi it
an ma mammy said, weel din, hen.
Let yer Auntie Nelly hear yer poem.
An A'd say it aw then,
Can A gan oot noo, Mammy?
An she said tae ma Auntie,
That wean's language disnae get
Onie better, does it?
So that's yer barred fir ye.
We used tae git barred fae gan oot,
nooadays ye'd cry it grounded
would ye no?
Ye huv tae keep up language wise.
As Burns himsel said,
The times they are a-changin.
A hink ....

Liz Niven