The Auld Doctor, and Other Poems and Songs in Scots

by David Rorie

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Genres: Poetry

70 pages, Hardcover

First published January 2, 2006

About the author

David Rorie, MDCM, DPH (1867 - 1946) was a Scottish doctor, folklorist and poet writing in his native language, Scots. As a poet he is known chiefly for his authorship of the well-known song, 'The Lum Hat wantin' the Croon', (sung in Ladysmith during the siege, and widely amongst Scots troops in the Great War) and a volume of collected poems which appeared under that title in 1935.

Educated at Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities, where he gained an MD in 1908, he was for some years joint Editor of the Caledonian Medical Journal, contributing numerous articles to that journal as well as to the Edinburgh Medical Journal and the British Medical Journal, and becoming a well-known authority on matters of public health in Scotland.

As an enthusiastic collector and editor of Scottish folklore he is known for his interest in folk-medicine and his authorship of Folklore of the Mining Folk of Fife (Folklore Society, 1912) - this last stemming no doubt from his period as a busy doctor in Bowhill (Cardenden), Fife.

Dr Rorie served in the RAMC during the 1914-18 War, attained the rank of colonel, and was awarded the DSO and Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur.

Reviews

[Susan Molloy]

While I understand the intent of this little book of poetry, I did have a little difficulty in reading this heavy Scottish brogue (I am not quite used to it, so it will take a bit more practice.) One very good part that this book has is a glossary at the end to help the reader.

A few examples follow:

BRITHERS.
'Twas up at the tree near the heid o' the glen I keppit a tinkler chiel,
The cauld wind whistled his auld duds through,
He was waesomely doon at the heel; . . .

THE SPEESHALIST.
Saturday Night.
Noo, ye'll no' tak' it ill o' me, Mistress Macqueen,
For ye ken ye are juist a young kimmer, . . .

THE HYPOCHONDRIAC.
I dinna ken what is the maitter wi' Jeams,
He canna get sleepit at nicht for his dreams,
An' aye when he waukens he granes and he screams
Till he fair pits the shakers on me!

This volume deserves a re-read in the future.

🟣Kindle version.

[Jon Gauthier]

This should be fun.. :)