Och, ye're aye a glorious bunch o wairdsmiths! But yir wee lassie's back tae test yir Scots-readin skills, sae Ah'm postin a "warm up exercise" (on mair than ane level) for ye tae peruse...

Ah postit this ane elsewhaur, twa days back, but Ah've tweakit the wairds a bit syne. Tis basit on the auld Celtic kythin that Winter cam when the Crone hardenit the yirth wi her sillar (silver) hammer, an Spring cam when the Maiden (aiblins Bridgit) cam thro, wavin her white wand tae saften the yirth aince mair.


IMBOLCTIDE

When yon Auld Grannie gyres an gimps                
an unco dance on cranreuch groond                        
an gies her sillar curls a crimp,                        
Ye ken that Imbolc's comin roond.                        

When sillar hammers, blaw for blaw                        
fa habber-haird in hinmaist hone                        
then haud ye fast, for soon the thaw                        
will prize awa cauld winter's loan.                

Nae lang she'll lanesame bide, nor sup                 
Wi'oot the dochter she lo'es best;                         
Nae grannie redds the kailyaird up                        
But for the thocht o some comin guest!                
Nae mair the lanesame anvil-drum                
Will mark the pace o Grannie's dance--
The Lass o the Lintin Wand shall come                
An lowpin lambies hae their chaunce--                 

For Grannie Cailleach's time grows short                
An wee snaw-drappies rowthie ring                        
for Bridgit cams, blithe hope tae sport                
An after Bridgit cams-- the Spring!


Glossary: unco=strange, cranreuch=frosty, ken=know, Imbolc=Celtic Feast/source of Groundhog's Day, blaw=blow, fa=fall, habber=stutter, hinmaist=last, haud=hold, prize=pry, awa=away, wi'oot=without, dochter=daughter, redds the kailyaird up=cleans the place, thocht=thought, comin=coming, Lintin Wand=glinting wand of Bridgit, lowpin=leaping, chaunce=chance, Cailleach=crone/Celtic Earth-Goddess, snaw-drappies=snowdrops, rowthie=abundantly, cams=comes, blithe=joyous

--Yir vairsifyin lass, Cuilionn