Piddingworth Greg Benton |
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| 'Piddingworth...where St. George's Cross is not yet banned.' --Mark Steyn |
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| Live as free people, yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God. (1Peter 2) |
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| A LAMENT |
| (Isla St. Clair sings the first and last verses followed by the pipes & orchestration) I've heard the lilting, at the yowe-milking, Lasses a-lilting before dawn o' day; But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning; "The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away". As buchts, in the morning, nae blythe lads are scorning; The lasses are lonely and dowie and wae. Nae daffin', nae gabbin', but sighing and sobbing, Ilk ane lifts her leglen, and hies her away. In hairst, at the shearing, nae youths now are jeering, The Bandsters are lyart, and runkled and grey. At fair or at preaching, nae wooing, nae fleeching, The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. At e'en, in the gloaming, nae swankies are roaming, 'Bout stacks wi' the lasses at bogle to play. But ilk ane sits drearie, lamenting her dearie, The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away. Dule and wae for the order sent our lads to the Border; The English, for ance, by guile wan the day: The Flowers of the Forest, that foucht aye the foremost, The prime o' our land are cauld in the clay. We'll hae nae mair lilting, at the yowe-milking, Women and bairns are dowie and wae. Sighing and moaning, on ilka green loaning, The Flowers of the forest are all wede away. Jean Eliot 1727-1805 |
| Translation: yowe=ewe ilka=every wede=withered buchts=cattle pens dowie-sad wae=woeful daffin'=dallying gabbin'=talking leglen=stool hairst=harvest bandsters=binders lyart=grizzled runkled=crumpled fleeching=coaxing gloaming=twilight swankies=young lads bogle=peek-a-boo dule=mourning clothes |
| For some, the most familiar piping tune is that of 'Amazing Grace' popularised in the '70's by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. One hears it's emotional strains frequently at funerals. For armies in the British tradition, including that of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the presence of regiments either from Scotland or of Scottish tradition eventually led to the incorporation of the ritual 'Lament For The Fallen' and the playing on the pipes of the old and haunting Scots tune 'Flowers of the Forest'. It is commonly played on Remembrance. Whilst the words of the song refer to the sad losses of Scottish warriors in battle with the English centuries ago, the power of the grief and loss experienced by the families and comrades of soldiers is appropriately applied for any who have fallen in the course of their duty. When I heard Isla St. Clair's voice echoing the lament, it was an inspiration that led me to apply the music to images, past and present, of our brave warriors, their sacrifice and their valour. Even though Remembrance Day is far off, it is not inappropriate to also remember that our forces are even now engaged in battle in far-off places and that some of the 'flowers' of our forests, our magnificent warriors, are once again falling in the cause of freedom and civilisation. |