Westering Home

"Westering Home" was written by Hugh S. Roberton in the 1920s. It may be derived from the Irish Gaelic song "Trasna na dTonnta". It runs as follows:

Chorus

Westering home, and a song in the air,
Light in the eye and it's goodbye to care.
Laughter o' love, and a welcoming there,
Isle of my heart, my own one.

Verse 1
Tell me o' lands o' the Orient gay,
Speak o' the riches and joys o' Cathay;
Eh, but it's grand to be wakin' ilk day
To find yourself nearer to Islay.

Verse 2
Where are the folk like the folk o' the west?
Canty and couthy and kindly, the best.
There I would hie me and there I would rest
At hame wi' my ain folk in Islay.

Verse 3
Now I'm at home and at home I do lay
Dreaming of riches that come from Cathay
I'll hop a good ship and be on my way
And bring back my fortune to Islay

Ilk means each. Canty means neat or trim. Couthy means homely, simple, unpretentious. Islay is pronounced "Isla".

External links

• Entry at the Scottish Poetry Library
• Another reference