KIRKLAND STREET
Home ] Up ] Photo Galleries ] Town Guides ] Notables ] Community ] News ] Places ] History ] Search ] Contact Us ]


 

An ancient toun o’ kirk an’ spire

   Wi’ streets and vennels o’ desire,

Whaur dreams aye fand a safe retreat

   An’ mine began on Kirkland Street.

 

I hae some mind o’ fifty-five

   An’ o’ the struggles tae survive;

The times were hard — the living sair,

   But war-time’s ever hardly fair.

 

The ration coupons, I mind tae —

   But yet we managed day by day.

There was aye crack and aye the thocht,

   Aboot the lads wha went and focht.

 

We ran the Glebe and Crosshill Road

   As far as Francis’ auld abode;

We played ahint the graveyard dyke,

   An’ rode the Vennel on a bike!

 

The Breek an’ Bench stood mony a year

   An’ still evokes, aye mony a tear.

Its big Bough Door was fun an’ play,

   As was Pat’s Corner, ‘neath the brae;

 

I hae some memory o’ the Cairn

   It’s there I first began tae learn;

There was aye fun and games galore

   An’ noo an’ then, the auld yin’s roar!

 

If I was puir I didnae ken,

   My childhood was yon but-an-ben;

In retrospect, were times sae bad?

   A’ I could dae was be a lad.

 

Thus dreams remain my safe retreat,

   An’ they belang on Kirkland Street!

 

 

William Davidson         August 9, 2010

 

Links to Poems of Maybole and Carrick by William Davidson

INTRODUCTION
BIRTHDAY EPISTLE To Robert Burns Your presence is requested  February 4th, 2017 at 6:30 P.M.
DEAR BROTHER FRIEND KIRKLAND STREET IS THE PIPER O'KILBARCHAN DEAD?

A BIRTHDAY EPISTLE TO ROBERT BURNS

I DREAM OF JOURNEY'S END SCHOOL MATES
THE CAPITAL OF CARRICK

I LOVE YOU CALEDONIA

SCOTTISH BARDS

THE BATTLE AT DUNEANE GOAT'S GREEN THE BEECH TREE
MY AULD FRIEN’ MACINTOSH KILHENZIE GLEN THE BONNIE RIVER STINCHAR
TAKE ME HOME LAND OF MIRTH  THE GARPIN
BALLANTRAE MOCHRUM SHADOWS THE GIRVAN
AULD HARRY PEDEN'S THORN WHERE THE STINCHAR FLOWS

EPISTLE TO GEORGE MACMILLAN DAVIDSON

A SON'S FAREWELL THE PRINCE O’ STANDART HABBIE

Copyright ©

Copyright © Permission for display on this site granted by William Davidson. You may view and download poems for personal use only. No other distribution or use of this text is authorized.

About the Author

William F. Davidson was born in Ayr, Scotland in 1939. Raised in Maybole, he attended Cairn Primary School & Carrick Academy before emigrating to Canada in October 1956. He traveled throughout Canada and the United States for three years before taking up permanent residence in New York in 1959. Mr. Davidson has also lived and worked in Australia for two years. He is married with one son. Several family members continue to live in Maybole. E-mail wdavidson44@gmail.com Photo: William Davidson with his wife Helga.