The shifting voice, along with MacDiarmid’s use of “Lallans” Scots, makes this a magical and moving poem.

“The Bonnie Broukit Bairn”

Mars is braw in crammasy,
Venus in a green silk goun,
The auld mune shaks her gowden feathers,
Their starry talk’s a wheen o blethers,
Nane for thee a thochtie sparin’
Earth, thou bonnie broukit bairn!
– But greet, an in your tears ye’ll droun
– The haill clanjamfrie!