HARVEY HOLTON'S COMPLIMENTS TAE HAMISH MOORE'S LALLAN PIPES

Flattened fingers oan the chaunter daunce the darg.
Bent the hero's heid strains wi lugs listenan
while elbies balance baitn bellows an bag.
Afore the derk drones the chaunter chases tunes
that wander wi the will o the piper's pleasure
fixin an findin sik fine daured divisions
in a solid sea o soond.
Fresh makit in an auld manner
the pairts twyne an twist; crunluaths created
oot o an urlar unnerstood bi hert an heid
o tune-smith an tradition. Deft the dooblin,
true the treblin, lovely the leumluath
afore the torluaths time. Made the crunluath mach,
the mixin o the music, tae fetch the fingers fend
for the harns cauld an clear.
Laichlaunders biggit the banes
o this type o pipe: turnan & tunean,
takan time tae shew the bag, tichten the joints
an redd up the reeds till the hert an haunds
o thon music maister wark their wie wi it.
Frae Fife tae Perth, Frae Selkirk tae Sanqunar
timeless traditions are makit an mouldit
suin tae be merged in a mixin o means. Fond freends
frae heichlaund tae laichlaund tak tunes thegither,
slowly the smaa an middle music wi the big music blends
forgean in fire fresh flooers for the forests,
garan them grow that the bairnies can biy oan them
keppit an clean in this cycle o soond.

HARVEY HOLTON

Harvey Holton's poetry has appeared in 'Cencrastus' magazine, and should feature in a forthcoming issue of
'Chapman'. A poem of his, 'Thinkan an Daean', can be heard with small pipes accompaniement on Hamish
Moore's LP, 'Cauld Wind Pipes'. Moore, with other musicians, joined Holton in a presentation of his 'Fionn'
poem cycle during the last Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Further collaborations are expected.