Hugh MacDiarmid was a cheery old soul......

...well, no, he was an argumentative and objectionable old sod. I liked him. He could have been the model for PG Wodehouse's remark that "It is never difficult to distinguish between a Scotsman with a grievance and a ray of sunshine". He lived in pre-pc times. Here he is in 'A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle' bemoaning the state of the Burns industry, You canna gang to a Burns supper even Wi'oot some wizened scrunt o' a knock-knee Chinee turns roon to say, "Him Haggis - velly goot!" And ten to wan the piper is a Cockney But he was capable of astonishing poetry in Scots. Here is 'The Bonnie Broukit Bairn' Mars is braw in crammasy, Venus in a green silk goun, The auld mune shak's 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 !