John Buchan wrote most movingly in English verse about the death of his young brother Alastair, killed at the Battle of  Arras, in 1917.

But his best known elegy-cum-affectionate-character-study is probably the one below, written in Scots, and dating from 1916.

          FISHER JAMIE

Puir Jamie’s killed. A better lad

Ye wouldna find to busk a flee

Or burn a pule or wield a gad

Frae Berwick to the Clints o’ Dee

~

And noo he’s in a happier land. - 

It’s Gospel truith and Gospel law

That Heaven’s yett maun open stand

To folk that for their country fa’.

~

But Jamie will be ill to mate;

He lo’ed nae music, kenned nae tunes

Except the sang o’ Tweed in spate,

Or Talla loupin’ ower its linns.

~

I sair misdoot tht Jamie’s heid

A croun o’ gowd will never please;

He liked a kep o’dacent tweed

Whaur he could stick his casts o’ flees.

~

If Heaven is a’ that man can dream

And a’ that honest herts can wish.

It main provide some muirland stream,

For Jamie dreamed o’ nocht but fish.

~

And weel I wot he’ll up and speir

In his bit blate and canty way,

Wi’ kind Apostles standin’ near

Whae in their time were fishers tae.

~

He’d offer back his gowden croun

And in its place a rod he’ll seek,

And bashfu’-like his herp lay doun

And speir a leister and a cleek.

~

For Jims had aya a poachin whim;

He’ll sune grow tired, wi’ lawfu’ flee

Made frae the wings o’ cherubim,

O’ castin’ ower the Crystal Sea.

~

I picter him at gloamin’ tide

Steekin’ the backdooe o’ his hame

And hastin’ to the waterside

To play again the auld auld game;

~

And syne wi’ saumon on his back,

Catch’t clean against the Heavenly law,

And Heavenly byliffs on his track,

Gaun linkin’ doun some Heavenly shaw.