"Lyart" appears in Elliot's line about the "bandsters" who are "lyart, and runkled, and gray," indicating that only the elderly remain to do the work of the young. The term derives from the Scots "lyart" meaning grizzled or streaked with grey, often used to describe old men or animals. In poetry, it evokes the physical decay that accompanies age, and its use here is doubly poignant—the old are not just ageing naturally but prematurely forced into labour without their children. The word has a rugged, earthy sound that suits the pastoral setting, and its alliterative pairing with "runkled" creates a dense texture of bodily decline.

"Lyart" is a Scots adjective describing grey hair or a hoary appearance, often used to mark the physical signs of ageing and the wisdom or weariness that comes with advancing years. The word's clipped, guttural sound suits its association with age and decline, and its use in poetry often carries a poignant quality, particularly when the aged are shown bearing the burdens of a younger generation. In Elliot's "A Lament for Flodden," "the bandsters are lyart, and runkled, and grey" shows that only the elderly remain to do the work of the fallen young, and their grey hair becomes a mark not just of age but of survival and sorrow. For poetry students, "lyart" offers an opportunity to explore how physical description in poetry can carry emotional and thematic weight; the word does more than describe appearance—it tells a story of loss and endurance. The term appears in older Scots poetry and is related to the English "lyard" and the Old French "liart," meaning grey. In teaching, contrasting "lyart" with its more neutral equivalents "grey-haired" or "hoary" reveals how Scots vocabulary often carries a rustic, earthy quality that suits pastoral and elegiac contexts. The word's alliterative potential, as seen in "lyart and runkled," makes it effective for creating dense, textured descriptions.