A Scottish Highland Cow: 'On yonder hill there stood a coo' | Helen Sullivan

I have never been to Scotland, but I saw a highland cow in Australia once, at a farm on a hill in Byron BayWilliam Topaz McGonagall, the "worst poet in the history of the English language", is responsible for some of my mother's favourite words in the world to say. She delivers them in a decent-enough Scottish accent, and she does so whenever the opportunity presents itself: "On yonder hill there stood a coo / It's no' there noo / It must'a shif'ted". When I hear this rhyme I picture a Scottish highland cow, its coat waving in the icy flaff. McGonagall, who has a certain genius for coos, unfortunately also felt moved to capture in rhyme disasters, "calamities" and freak accidents. He chose to pay tribute to the people who died in the 1879 Tay Bridge disaster thus:Beautiful railway bridge of the silv'ry TayAlas! I am very sorry to sayThat ninety lives have been taken awayOn the last sabbath day of 1879Which will be remember'd for a very long time." Continue reading...