Dancing Beard To Beard

From the darkened forests of Selkirk to the Highlands in the North
Came two fierce warriors to meet beside the Forth Wallace and Moray wore their nations heart with pride Refusing to submit to the invasionary English tide

No nation should serve in slavery to a leader dark and cruel
A warning to oppressors we are no ship of fools
You can burn your bridges brightly until this land you've cleared
If you won't let us use the ballot box we'll beat you beard to beard

You can take all our pocessions even kill our kith and kin But when you're tucked up in your blankets its then our turn to sin
We'll reap our revenge so sweetly then slip quietly back to pray
You can count out your misgivings on the victims that lay slain

So you should never swear allegiance to someone that you can't stand
Write a song of protest give a fine tune to your band Stand and shout from hilltops run savagely through the streets
We will never give this land up it deserves our homely peace

Be loyal! Be free! Stand up and be a man!
We've brought you to this ring so dance the best you can
Declare yourself a true Scot and unite this diverse land Stripped of all our shackles we'll dance the best we can.

Copyright 1999-2003 Stuart Garland.

Return to Scottish Poetry