The Shires on the Moray Frith
Worthy of either song or story
Are the Shires found Frith of Moray.
Here lies the valley of Strathspey,
Famed for its music-lively, gay.
Elgin cathedral’s 'prentice aisle
Is glory of that ruined pile.
What modern chisel now could trace
Fine scuplture of that ancient place?
And Forres, famed for Sweyn’s stane,
In honor of that kingly Dane.
‘Graved with warriors’ runes and rhyme
Long prior to historic times.
For a thousand years it’s been forgot
Who was victor-Dane or Scot.
It is the country of Macbeth,
Where good King Duncan met his death,
And Barren Heath—that place of fear—
Stood witches’ cauldron of Shakespeare.
Nairn’s Cawdor Castle strong remains–
Full worthy of the ancient Thanes.
And nestled 'neath the hills and bens,
Queen of the moors, the loch’s and glens,
Full proudly stands, in vale of bliss,
Chief Highland town of Inverness.
Near here the famous Falls of Foyers,
Where Burns and others tuned their lyres.
And the fatal field of dark Culloden,
Where doughty clans wore once down trodden
Here men yet wear the tartan-plaid,
Ready to join the Highland Brigade.
And when the Frith you look across.
The eye beholds Sutherland and Ross,
Where Duke hath harnessed mighty team,
Plows hills, and rocks, and moors by steam;,
Perhaps it may in part atone
For cruel clearings days by-gone.
And Cromarty, whose wondrous mason
First learned his geologic lesson ;
Friends may rear a stately pillar ..
The ‘ Old Red Sandstone ’ of Hugh Miller.
Ben Wyvis towers, like monarch crowned,
Conspicious o’er the hills around,
With crest e’er white with driven snow ;
Strathpeffer’s water-cure below.
