Prosbaig

by Anne Frater

Telescope       English Version

It was one thing
            at Trafalgar
for Nelson, deliberately
            to raise the telescope
            to his blind eye
so that he wouldn’t have to read
            the message in the flags.

It would have been quite another thing
if he’d taken the same attitude
to steering the ship.

Prosbaig       Scottish Gaelic

‘Se aon rud a bh’ ann
            latha Trafalgar
Nelson a bhith air aona ghnothach
            a’ togail na prosbaig
            chun t–sùil dhall
gus nach leughadh e
            teachdaireachd nam bratach.

‘Se rud eile a bhiodh ann
nam biodh e ris an aon chleas
‘s e aig an stiùir.