finally an on-line version (with glossary) of Hugh MacDiarmid's A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle


"The licht nae man has ever seen
Till he has felt that he's been gien
The stars themselvls insteed o een,

And often wi the sun has glowered
At the white mune until it cowered,
As when by new thocht o'er powered.

Oor universe is like an ee
Turned in, man's benmaist hert to see,
And swamped in subjectivity.

But whether it can use its sicht
To bring what lies withoot to licht
To answer's still ayont my micht.

But when that inturned look has brocht
To licht what still in vain it's socht
Ootward maun be the bent o thocht.

And organs may develope syne
Responsive to the need divine
O single-minded humankin.

The function, as it seems to me.
O Poetry is to bring to be
At lang, lang last the unity...."


(listen along at Pennsound)