wurds tae loue 'n' wurds tae hate

My entry for Paul's Challenge, which you can find below!

Author's Note: I used a translation website to translate some of the words to Scottish Slang, which I have italicized throughout the poem. I don’t know if the translations are accurate, but seem to be. Paul, you’ll have to evaluate!

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I’ve neh often met a word ah dinnae lik'

bit there’s one that makes me a bawherr woozy.

It’s an adjective that means nice 'n' freendly,

bit howfur kin ye gather nice from a word like “Couthie”

//

It’s chiefly a Scots thing tae say,

bit I’ve heard it roll aff th' tongue o' some Yanks—

a well-meaning word,

but it soonds totally absurd

when it’s said by a lassie in th' United States.

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Th' word turns tae sludge when it rolls aff mah tongue.

Even typing it mak's mah tummy turn.

If a book contains couthie ye better believe

it’ll gang crackin' with the fire logs that I burn.

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Now let’s shift th' focus tae a bonny word,

one that’s full oot o' positivity 'n' actually nice.

Fur ye 'mericans th' word means “yes”

bit in Scotland they say it as “Aye”

//

“Aye” is an affirmative answer

if "yes" is whit you’re meaning tae say.

Dae yi'll waant ice cream?

Aye!

Gang tae th' beach?

Aye!

Write fur Paul’s challenge, eh?

Oh yes…

Ah mean...AYE!

//

It haes a cheery tone when it exits yer geggy,

bit is maist eloquent if yi say wi' a Scots accent.

Sae, if yi'll waant tae sound clever in conversation

substitute “aye” if “yes” is th' word that ye meant.