Playing The Fiddle…Could It Be? A Poem By Bob Shepherd

I’ve never played a musical instrument in my life

Just a wee while ago I was saying just that to my wife

So, what do I play with my Celtic working-class roots

Is it bagpipes, fiddle or even flutes?

I have no voice to sing a song

To even try would be oh so wrong

Determination needs to come into play

If a musical Bob will ever see the day

Dougie MacLean playing the fiddle

There’s nothing like it, he’s now solved the riddle

A fiddle it is then. How long have I left?

And will my skills ever be seen as deft?

An ageing Scot in America to stay

Can play the tunes of a home far away

Until it’s time to eventually come home

I’ll play those tunes from where I did roam

There is no doubt music hits big

I may even venture to have my own gig

Why not? Since a boy, I’ve always thought big

But that gig of course, would be alone

Or my family and dugs will only moan

A Dougie MacLean I’ll never ever be

But The Gael on my fiddle…well, we’ll just have to see