Thursday 19 July 2007

A Scotsman's Prayer?

So, you skelfers who were there way back in February when I first rocked up at the SPL might remember the challenge Al suggested for us all? If not, it was to re-write Ian Dury's 'Busman's Prayer' using the places of Scotland.

As we've never revisited it as a group but now have this wonderful space into which things can be thrown for the catching or the falling I offer you my attempt. Now, I rather lost what flow I had after the first few lines so any collaboration/amendation shall be happily accepted. Thanks to the wonders of Wiki I'm able to kick off with the original, complete with footnoted alternatives (who says it's not a serious academic resource!?) You'll also have to forgive my mongrel Scots...

The Busman's Prayer

Our Farnham,[1] who art in Hendon
Harrow be Thy name.
Thy Kingston come; thy Wimbledon,
In Erith as it is in Hendon.
Give us this day our daily Brent [2]
And forgive us our Westminster[3]
As we forgive those who Westminster against us.[4]
And lead us not into Thames Ditton[5]
But deliver us from Yeovil.[6]
For Thine is the Kingston, the Purley and the Crawley,[7]
For Esher and Esher.[8]
Crouch End.


^ 1. Our Father
^ 2. Give us this day our Berkhampstead / our Leatherhead
^ 3. our Hammersmith
^ 4. Forgive us our bypasses,As we forgive those who bypass against us
^ 5. And lead us not into Temple Station
^ 6. But deliver us from Ewell
^ 7. For Thine is the Kingston, the Powys and the Goring
^ 8. for Iver and Iver

A Scotsman's Prayer

Oor Faither, Wishaw in New Haven
Alloa be yer name
Yer Kinghorn come; Yer will be Rum
In Perth as it is in Leven.
Gie us th' day oor daily Breich
And forgive us oor Faslanes
as we forgive those who Faslane against us.
And lead us no into tenaments
But deliver us from Elgin
For thine is the Kinussie, the Portree and the Orkney.
For ever and ever.
Bearsden

1 comment:

Skelf said...

I laughed out loud! Lovely. I pushed it into Lowland Scots then realised i ought just to do my own, Lowland Scots approach. You have been notified...