Thursday, January 28, 2016

The passing of my Teacher Joe Lang







 I woke up to news of the passing of my mentor, teacher, guide, friend, and brother Joe Lang. Hard to write with these tears, so I will give a fuller post later. But for now, this poem Joe recited to myself and our brother Todd J as we sat at the green man stone in Rosslyn Glen, in the shadow of the castle and chapel, with the Esk singing to us. When Joe finished, we all had tears in our eyes....

In Rosslyn's Glen

When the licht i' the lift gauns aa stottery,
Braw Rosslyn's Glen wad be nae-mair.
Then aa the warld wad quit its rotary an aa wad dee.
Then aa thing wad be turned tae stoor
And time wad birl into its langest hoor,
Ner wad we sit in yon flowery-bower again,
                                              in Rosslyn's Glen.

The Esk wad gie ower its sweet churmurmin'
And cannie-nannies stop their burmerin'
Then stoot castle waa's wad aa be tummilin'
Oot ower the kingfisher's nest.

Then hind and stag was freeze intil bleck bleck naethin'
Braw leaves on trees wad never be.
Then I wad greet ayont eternity,
                                                For Rosslyn's Glen

-Joseph Lang


Joe always asked, "Do you know what a cannie-nanie is? What is burmurin?"  He would laugh and say cannie-nannie is an old Scottish term for a bumble bee and burmurin was buzzing!




       




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