Captain Campbell's Poetry

Discuss all aspects of the three towns in the Threetowners' Lounge.
Post Reply
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Penny Tray »

Last spring, sitting on the Homecoming Committee in the Grant Arms, Stevenston, with the late, great Bobbydarg, Little Plum, Aileen Shaw, George Weir and Meg Gordon, digressing as we often did, we strayed on to poetry, and Meg mentioned Captain Ian Campbell, an Ardrossanite, whom she said had published a small book of poems. Although fond of poetry, I hadn't heard of him. Meg however, spoke highly of his work and thought it would appeal to me.

Since then I've written to the Scottish Poetry Library, etc, etc, but only recently unearthed a major clue which led me to to the actual book of poems, published in 1935. I am now authorised to share the poetry. Ardrossanites will, I think, like it because of its quality and local references. Anyone who has travelled the world will like it. Anyone with a sense of humour or appreciation of words will like it, I think, I hope.

We'll start with 'Rumour'. The wa', I'm in no doubt, because of poems which will shortly follow, is the Eglinton School wa' at the top of Glasgow Street; the Mill Glen trees, the dam, and Glesga' Street are self-explanatory, and so too is the Polis Station in Harbour Street.

I just love seeing 'speug' in print. Boys and lassies spoke of speugs (sparrows) but personally I don't ever remember writing it down or even contemplating how it might be written.

When reading the poetry you should perhaps appreciate that Captain Campbell sailed 'deep sea', was often away from Ardrossan 10 months at a time, missed his family, local farms where he had friends, and above all had a keen eye for all around him.

RUMOUR

On the big school wa' an auld jeckdaw
Lit doon by the side o' a speug.
"I've a secret word," said the muckle burd,
"Tae whisper in your lug."

The speug drew near, an' it cocked its ear,
Up tae the auld yin's beak.
Excitement's sheen cam' owre its een
As the daw began to speak.

"I was takin' ma ease in the mill glen trees
Just below the dam,
"When auld magpie went fleein' by,
An' I think he had a dram."

"Noo cross yoursel' ye'll never tell
Tae robin or tae wren,
Ye'll shut yer beak an' never squeak,
Tae either cock or hen."

The speaug drew braith an' he swore an' aith,
That the secret he would keep.
"May the wild nor'-west blaw doon ma nest,
If ever I gie a cheep."

Weel satisfied the jeckdaw cried,
"I've anither freen tae meet."
Then he took the air and he chuckled sair,
As he flew doon Glesga' Street.

He let himself drap wae a steadyin' flap,
On the roof o' the Polis Station,
An' there he stood an' cawed oot lood,
In eager expectation.

In a wee bit while on tap o' the jile,
There derted a big white gull.
"Did ye hear," says he, "O the latest spree,
That has set a' the magpies full?"

"I heard it the noo frae auld Jock Doo.
And he gied me his solemn word,
"That he saw them a' at the big school wa',
An' there wisna a sober burd."

The bad auld daw began tae caw,
An' he laughed till his sides were sair.
"Auld freen," says he, "that magpie's spree's
A figment o' the air.

"Noo I'll gie ye a tip ye can always grip,
When ye feel in better humour.
"For the fastest spurt pit yer feathery shirt
On a wee bit speug called 'Rumour'."
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
little plum
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3360
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:51 am

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by little plum »

Hi P.T., I enjoyed reading your post, looking forward to more.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off - Abe Lemons
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Penny Tray »

Thanks Little Plum. The "mill glen trees, Just below the dam" isnae that far from where meg and others lived as youngsters. Her and George will maybe go that way when they vist the Big Wid in the spring (jist keepin' them committed). :wink:
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
little plum
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3360
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2008 12:51 am

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by little plum »

P.T., is the polis station the red sandstone building, and is it roughly opposite Nicols.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off - Abe Lemons
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Penny Tray »

Little Plum,

That's the one. I'll not be able to pass it now without looking for the Auld Jeckdaw and the The Big White Gull sitting on the roof. Keep your eye open for the wee Speug tae but don't listen to a word he says.
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
Hughie
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 11138
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 12:42 am
Location: Australia Formerly Ardrossan
Contact:

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Hughie »

Very good! I'm sure I've seen that before, but it must have been in print somewhere as it's not in Google.
User avatar
Meg
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6131
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:18 am
Location: Formerly Ardrossan, now Ayr

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Meg »

PT - what a detective - seriously, thanks so much for unearthing Captn Campbell's book. I know of two still in circulation in Ardrossan - and one in Fiji (!) but to actually be able to put the fantastic poems onto the forum is such a bonus - I have read every one of them both laughing and crying - sometimes at the same time. I know those overseas and homesick on occasion will recognise and share the emotion of "I wish I was back at Montfode Road End" - and "The Affair at Venice" (The Merchant of Venice as maybe Burns might have written it:-) has stood me in good stead the few times I have been asked to share a poem at Burns Suppers and St Andrew's Night celebrations.

You're right about the wall by the way. My mum also remembered the car accident put into verse by Captn Campbell - where someone drove their very expensive car into the wall at Eglinton School! He lived along Eglinton Road - in one of the big sandstone villas.

Thanks again for your hard work PT - cant wait (ps - would happily type up the longer poems for you
.

Meg
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Penny Tray »

Meg, and here is the tale of the road accident. In the book, published in 1935, the title is accompanied by a note which says - "A few weeks ago part of the wall at Eglinton School, Ardrossan, was knocked down by a motor car".
I've typed the poem as it appears in the book so I'm not sure why Captain Campbell makes use of dyke and dike in the same composition. Both, of course, properly refer to a wa'. Having been lucky enough too to visit the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, I just love the wit in the title of this poem.

A WAIL FROM A WALL

It's a fine like thing (said the "Big School" wa'), when I've been staunin' here,
A bonnie dyke sae big an' braw for near on sixty year' -
Staunin' tae mark an' ornament the tap-end o' the toon -
That noo some gowk on pleasure bent comes up an' knocks me doon.

I'm sure ye never saw the likes; they cam' like Egypt's plagues,
In roarin' caurs an' motor bikes, tae dance at Castle-craigs;
An' hang me if I ken ava whit jag was in the tune
That made them want tae charge a wa' an' gar it tummle doon.

They danced till early in the morn wi' deevils in their feet,
An' then a demon wi' a horn cam' roarin' up the street,
They say he was a wise-like chiel' frae Girvan, Ayr, or Troon,
But I'm convinced it was the de'il that cam' an' knocked me doon.

The very playgrun' shook wi' fear; the big school windaes glowed;
My railin's stood up sherp an' clear, an' naething like a road.
But dancin maun play unco pranks, for this rampaigin' loon
Held on tae reach the gaswork tanks, an' "wallop," I gaed doon!

An' noo it seems, tae croon it a', I maun just bide a wee;
They canna mend me till they ca' a special committee;
And then they'll blether - a' the cranks - till "square" is argued "roon,"
An' maybe pass a vote of thanks tae him that couped me doon.

Some men frae Ayr they'll bring in then, tae mention their dislikes,
(Ye maunna get Ardrossan men tae mend Ardrossan dikes.
Tae sort a pipe in fairlie school, frae Ayr ye crave the boon,
An' honest Coonty precepts rule when dykes are coupit doon.)

I'm fairly scunnert wi' them a'; they'd weary flesh an' banes,
An' yet I'm just a broken wa', a wheen auld rails an' stanes.
When committees are gabbin' sair I feel I'd just as soon
Have a' the motor caurs in Ayr tae come an' knock me doon.
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
Meg
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6131
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:18 am
Location: Formerly Ardrossan, now Ayr

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Meg »

Oh, I'm enjoying reading these auld freens again. You're first guid rid biddy is on me at the quiz night PT ;-)

Meg
User avatar
down south
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3534
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:18 pm
Location: Cheshire,formerly Saltcoats

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by down south »

Those were lots of fun, PT. Would I be right in thinking this could be the same Captain Campbell who in his latter days, in 1971 or so sailed a yacht across the Atlantic with another elderly gent and was hailed as a conquering hero when he got home ? I remember it made national publicity at the time, because they were thought lost at sea and then turned up safe and sound.

He sounds like quite a character ; and a worthy rival to Bob Auld as local bard.

Susan
Penny Tray
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 19110
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:46 pm

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Penny Tray »

Susan,

Meg Gordon mentioned such a voyage in the topic 'Poetry that moves you', thought to have been to the West Indies, and presumably back again.
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
User avatar
Meg
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6131
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 10:18 am
Location: Formerly Ardrossan, now Ayr

Re: Captain Campbell's Poetry

Post by Meg »

He was a character Susan - my mum and dad knew him and recounted some of his adventures - including him reciting The Green Eye of the Yellow God one night in the Castle Craigs during the interval (the dancing had stopped) - and scaring the heck out of all the young ladies - think he might have consumed a sherbert or two :-) He did set sail for the West Indies early in the 1970s - I think from Ardrossan Harbour with his friend - they were both in their seventies then. I cant wait for you to read the Affair at Venice - when I think of Margaret Lyle battling her way through The Merchant of Venice with 2nd year pupils - and the joy I got from reading that poem later in life and thinking how much more it would have meant to us as young Ayrshire folks.

Cant wait ....

Meg
Post Reply