Daftie


DAFTIE
by Gregor Steele

Gregor Steele’s tribute to James Clerk Maxwell, one of the world’s greatest scientists. Read by poet Matthew Fitt.

 



 



DAFTIE
by Gregor Steele

Daftie's tartan army, Daftie's tartan army, Daftie's tartan army,
Pit yer hauns in the air!
Daftie's tartan army, Daftie's tartan army!
Folk dinnae ken his richt name, and that's no fair.

He came up fae the country tae a smairt high school,
He spoke like you and me and he didnae look cool,
Ither laddies cried him Daftie but we ken that wisnae richt,
Fur Daftie chynged the world at the speed o licht.

See the planet Saturn, see the ring aroon it?
See the planet Saturn, see the ring aroon it?
Showed it wisnae solid, it wis aw wee bits,
He showed it wisnae solid, it wis aw wee bits.

He wis a demon at the physics - gases, waves and heat,
Electricity and magnets pit thegither awfie neat,
He taen the first colour photie the world had ever seen,
(It wis a tartan ribbon, it wis ridd and blue and green).

Daftie's tartan army, Daftie's tartan army, Daftie's tartan army!
Noo hear oor caw!
Daftie's tartan army, Daftie's tartan army!
His name wis James Clerk Maxwell, and he wisnae daft at aw.