Scottish Poetry Selection
- Tae the Presbytery

Both St Peter's church (founded in 1300) and Kelman Churches are part of the Free Church of Scotland, or "Wee Frees" as they are sometimes called. They are located in a suburb of Aberdeen called Culter, on the Royal Deeside Road which leads to Balmoral Castle. On the north side of the River Dee, Culter is referred to as "Peterculter" (probably after the above mentioned church). That portion of Culter which lies on the south side of the river is called "Maryculter", after the St. Mary's church located there.
Despite the plea from the "church mouse" in this poem, St Peter's was amalgamated with the Kelman church "up the brae".


Tae the Presbytery

I'm just a wee bit moosie
Bide at St Peter's doon the brae,
My cousin bides at Kelman kirk
That's just alang the way.
Noo we've heard a rumour
We're mair than jist disturbed,
Canna think ye'll iver think o't
Gweed Lord, it's sae absurd.

It's said yer gan' tae jine the kirks
Close een doon a' the gither,
Jine Kelman an' St Peter's kirks
Man, that's a lot o' blether.
Noo honestly, it winna work
Nae matter fit they say,
The breach, tho' maybe nae sae wide
Is wide eneuch the day.

Fouk are queer the world ower
Those in power as weel,
Like tae kirn fouk roon aboot,
Listen tae them squeal.
Whitever kirk decides tae close
For I can truly say,
St Peter's winna climb the hill
Nor Kelman gang doon the brae.

Just take heed, leave things alane,
For ye'll mak a might hash,
We'll maybe only lose ae kirk
But ye'll lose a' the cash.
We get on jist as we are
An' that's the wye we wint it.
Sae powers that be, haud yer wheesht
Then a' will be contented.

Dinna fash yersel', the tide will turn
The kirk will flourish more,
Future folk will praise the Lord
Sae dinna slam the door!

Meaning of unusual words:
moosie=mouse
doon the brae=down te hill
bides=stays
Gweed Lord=Good Lord
jine=join
een doon a' the gither=one down all together
blether=gossip
winna=will not
fit=what
eneuch=enough
Fouk=folk
kirn fouk roon aboot=tie people up
ae=one
haud yer wheesht=keep quiet
Dinna fash yersel'=don't worry yourself

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