Address to a Cricket
At gloamin’ when the twilight fa’,
And songsters to their nests withdrawn,
A cricket, snugh behind the wa’,
Supplies their place,
And in corner sings fu’ braw,
Wi’ unco grace.
When younkers scamper, ane by aye,
And dowie I am left alane,
You cheer my heart wi’hamely strain,
Or shrill toned chirple,
As cozie roun’ the warm hearth-stane,
You nightly hirple.
May wae befa’them, that would gie
A fiddler penny or bawbee,
When they can have sic music free,
Withouten stent-
Much fitter they should keep the fee,
To help their rent.
What tho’ your note be aye the same,
In grateful strain I sing your name,
Weel might my muse blush deep wi’ shame,
Should she neglect,
To greet you in her humble hame,
Wi’ due respect.
And when the nipping frosty win’,
Blaws frae the North with whistling din,
Or wintry floods roar o’er the linn,
In foam and spray,
I shall wi’ crumbs, when night sets in,
Requite your lay.
Sarah Leech
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I was searching out more info on Sarah Leech’s poetry, given that there’s very little about her online: a brief introductory to one published book (of 25 poems), and a minor essay which includes the words ‘Our Peasantry‘.
I do love the writings of Historical Societies and Local History Groups, so much indeed, that I thought to add in here the essay at the end of this post. Whilst reading on Ms Leech, I also found (by coincidence) an excellent journal on translation which has therein an essay on Women’s speech in literary translation; the discussion there being in the difference between male and female writers, which I often think of as an ability to cultivate and exercise a ‘spider’s eye’ with regard to detailing. BUT that is subject of another post which is in progress and refers to the poetry of ‘things’ and is not a general approach to the workings of Women’s Poetics and Literature, just a personal observation.
Sarah Leech, it is remarked upon in the so-brief discussions on her art has a wonderful rhythm and should really be read aloud:
There is but one book of 25 poems by the author , which doesn’t really present a wide spectrum of her concerns. I should really add in here the link on Feminism and Translation but I won’t for the minute.
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Chris Murray 