Thursday 24 January 2013

THE CORBIE



It's that time of year in Scottish schools.  Heading towards Burn's Day, a lot of the children are learning Scots poems.  Once learned never forgotten.
These lessons are based on a Scots poem that I learned at school called "The Corbie".


A corbie sits at the tap o’ thon tree,
And he’s lookin  doon wi his black black ee,
And hes crying oot wi a “Caw Caw Caw”
“If you try to sclimb up, You are sure tae fa”


My father says it'll no be lang, 

Afore I’m  big an supple and strang 
An' i'll sclimb up an I'll no fall, 


An' we'll see if the Corbie cries Caw! Caw! Caw!

My mither says its a daft-like ploy
But my faither could dae it when he wis a boy! 











A Corbie is a crow!   



What a great excuse to get the messy charcoal out (to the horror of the class teachers). Can you believe the children are only 5!   



9 comments:

  1. Hi Mrs Crosbie

    I love this blog!

    I lived in Ayr as a boy and learnt the Corbie and have never forgotten it

    I am a Principal of a school in London and we have a staff talent show on the 18 April 2013 and I will be performing the 'Corbie'

    I would like to use your children's wonderful pictures as a backdrop - would that be OK?

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  2. Gaun yersel!
    I would be delighted! I had my secondary education at Prestwick Academy.... small world. If you look on my flickr account they may be some more
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/maureencrosbie

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  3. Heathfield Primary, Ayr. 1974. Burns Society Poetry Competition. Mr Kerr was the Heidmaister and ah won wi "The Corbie". This blog is the first time I've seen that poem since but I've never forgotten it! Jings!
    [and I went to Prestick Academy as well, 1978-82]

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  4. I have been looking for this everywhere. I have recited many Poensure, this one is the one I always recite to my family. I love it!! The Corbie❤

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  5. I remember reciting this for a primary school assembly for Burn's Day. It's always stuck in my mind since then and I just decided to look it up today for old time's sake and found this page. Good to know I'm not the only one with this poem permanently stuck in their head

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  6. I've spent ages looking for this. I remember it from school in Scotland. Just realised today it's not Corby but Corbie

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  7. Learned this poem for a Scots Poetry competition in Primary 2 with Miss Wood at Flora Stevenson's in Edinburgh. I've searched for it online multiple times without success - because I thought I must have forgotten two lines - but I remember it just as Mrs Crosbie wrote it!

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  8. I won the Burns certificate for excellence in recitation of Scottish poetry at school with that poem.

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