Here the wey, neibours,

for ti dae a yirdin –

you anes’ll dae it better

nor a penny geggie –

binna we socht the braid o the yirth –

Ye’v aa the grundin needit.

Thare ye go! Hearse til the fore.

I’ll stert wi whitlike hearse ye’ll need.

No black for Christ’s sake –

nor white naither – an dinna sheen it up!

Wathered’ll dae – likes o a ferm cairt –

wi the wheels gildit (ye cuid aye

pit that on fresh for neist ti naething)

or nae wheels avaa:

a reuch brode juist, an hale it owre the grund.

Caa oot that gless!

Gode – neibours, neibours – gless!

Gless for whit? Sae the deid

can leuk oot or us ti see

whitna braw pail he’s in or see

hou monie flouers or nane thare is –

or whit?

Ti haud the weet an snaw aff him?

He’ll no be lang afore it stotes fair hivvie

wi grush an clart an aa whit.

Lat be wi the gless –

an nae upholstery, feech!

nor nae wee bress rollers

an smaa haundie wheels ablo it –

Neibours, whit wis ye thinkin aboot?

A reuch plain pail syne

wi gilt wheels an nae tap avaa.

The coffin lies on this

bi its ain wecht.

                        An nae wreaths, wid ye –

see thae greehouse flouers especially.

Better wi some ordnar bit myndin,

a thing he liked that fowk kens:

his auld duds – mibbe a puckle beuks –

the dear kens whit! Ye’ll ken yersels

the wey we see things,

neibours –

ye’ll finnd something – ocht –

flouers even, gin he’d come ti that.

For onie favour, but, see ti the driver!

Aff wi his lum hat! Whit’s he daein

up thare oniewey –

sittin up thare gallus as ye like,

totin oor frein alang ti shaw us his braws!

Get the bugger doun – doun wi him!

Doun, an no seen! I wadna hae him ridin

up on that cairt avaa – the hell wi him –

the unnertakker’s orraman!

Gie him a haud o the reins

ti walk aside the horse

an nae paraudin naither!

A wee bit aboot yersels:

walk ahint – the wey thay div in France,

seiventh cless, or gin ye will ride,

Deil tak the curtains! Mak a wee bit shaw

ye haed pitten yersel oot, shaw yer face

til the wather as til wae.

Dae ye think ye can haud awa frae waesome?

Whit – frae us? We at aiblins haes

naething ti lose? Gang shares wi us,

shares wi us – it’ll be siller

in yer pooches.

                                    Nou on ye gang

Ye’r aiblins ready.

(An owreset o Tract, bi William Carlos Williams)