The Exile (Anon) She surely raised her bairns well, Taught us strength and pride, Gave us love o’ homeland, But couldna’ make us bide. We set off young, we set off auld, In search of pastures new Yet, one by one, along life’s way Find little that would do. We have our homes, we make a life On every foreign shore; Choose a husband, find a wife, And still we yearn for more. To soothe a restless, aching heart We chase another scheme, Follow one more rainbow Yet we never still the dream. Aye, she let us go so easily With never a backward look. But...how could we know as we sailed or flew Our heart was a baited hook, With a line as long as we want it to be To wherever we may roam, Till...out of the blue, with one sharp tug “Mother Scotland” reels us home.