Hard-won land

The farmland of Buchan in NE Scotland is now rich and highly productive, the result of hard work by the generations of farmers who have cleared and improved the land. That hard won battle is well described in J. C. Milne's poem Buchan (past and present). The poem is written in Doric, the language of Buchan.

Aince, man!
Dour Lan'!
Tyeuch!
Rock and moraine
Focht
Vrocht
Wi' marra and brain
Pick and pleugh!

Noo, man!
Gweed lan'!
Fit
For crap and corn.
Beef and horn,
But dour, man
Tyeuch, thrawn,
Yet!

Once, man!
Hard land!
Tough!
Rock and moraine
Fought
Worked
With marrow and brain
Pick and plough!

Now, man!
Good land!
Fit
For crop and corn.
Beef and horn,
But hard, man,
Tough, stubborn,
Yet!

A writer of farming stock, John C Milne (1897-1962) was born at Memsie near Fraserburgh. After a brilliant academic career at Aberdeen University, where he took three First Class degrees, in English and Moral Philosophy, in Mental Philosophy and in Geography, he turned to teaching, later becoming Master of Method at Aberdeen College of Education. His verse collection, The Orra Loon, was published in 1946 and his Collected Poems in 1963.