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Obama wins

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Barack Obama

Scots cultural activist, Billy Kay, has reminded us about the diverse nature of the culture of the US South. In this extract from his book, the Scottish World, Kay reproduces a poem that has special signifcance in light of today's historic events.

From the chapter The Scotch South in Billy Kay’s book The Scottish World

"There, in the Cape Fear district in the baking flatlands of Scotland County, I also discovered that as recently as 1907 a book titled Lyrics from Cottonland by John Charles McNeill was published. Descended from Kintyre folk, McNeill's poetry reflects the voices of the black, Indian and white people of the area. He is regarded as the poet laureate of North Carolina. In ‘On the Cape Fear’ he condenses the history of the Argyll colony in a Scots voice which rings true:

Prince Charlie an I, we war chased owre the sea
Wi naething but conscience for glory.
An here I drew sawrd, when the land wad be free,
An was whipped tae a hole as a Tory.

When the Bonny Blue Flag was flung tae the breeze, I girded mysel tae defend it:
They warstled me doun tae my hands an my knees
An flogged my auld backbane tae bend it.

Sae the deil wan the fights, an wrang hauds the ground,
But God an mysel winna bide it.
I hae strenth in my airm yet for many a round
An purpose in plenty tae guide it.

I been banished an whipped an warstled an flogged (I belang tae the Democrat party)
But in gaein owre quagmires I haena been bogged
An am still on my legs, hale an hearty."

www.billykay.co.uk