by Robert Burns
Can reason down its agonizing throbs;
And, after proper purpose of amendment,
Can firmly force his jarring thoughts to peace? 20
O happy, happy, enviable man!
O glorious magnanimity of soul!
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
35.
Epitaph on William Hood, Senior
HERE Souter Hood in death does sleep;
To hell if he’s gane thither,
Satan, gie him thy gear to keep;
He’ll haud it weel thegither.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
36.
Epitaph on James Grieve
HERE lies Boghead amang the dead
In hopes to get salvation;
But if such as he in Heav’n may be,
Then welcome, hail! damnation.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
37.
Epitaph on William Muir
AN HONEST man here lies at rest
As e’er God with his image blest;
The friend of man, the friend of truth,
The friend of age, and guide of youth:
Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d, 5
Few heads with knowledge so informed:
If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
38.
Epitaph on my Ever Honoured Father
O YE whose cheek the tear of pity stains,
Draw near with pious rev’rence, and attend!
Here lie the loving husband’s dear remains,
The tender father, and the gen’rous friend;
The pitying heart that felt for human woe, 5
The dauntless heart that fear’d no human pride;
The friend of man-to vice alone a foe;
For “ev’n his failings lean’d to virtue’s side.”
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
39.
Ballad on the American War
Tune— “Killiecrankie.”
WHEN Guilford good our pilot stood
An’ did our hellim thraw, man,
Ae night, at tea, began a plea,
Within America, man:
Then up they gat the maskin-pat, 5
And in the sea did jaw, man;
An’ did nae less, in full congress,
Than quite refuse our law, man.
Then thro’ the lakes Montgomery takes,
I wat he was na slaw, man; 10
Down Lowrie’s Burn he took a turn,
And Carleton did ca’, man:
But yet, whatreck, he, at Quebec,
Montgomery-like did fa’, man,
Wi’ sword in hand, before his band, 15
Amang his en’mies a’, man.
Poor Tammy Gage within a cage
Was kept at Boston-ha’, man;
Till Willie Howe took o’er the knowe
For Philadelphia, man; 20
Wi’ sword an’ gun he thought a sin
Guid Christian bluid to draw, man;
But at New York, wi’ knife an’ fork,
Sir-Loin he hacked sma’, man.
Burgoyne gaed up, like spur an’ whip, 25
Till Fraser brave did fa’, man;
Then lost his way, ae misty day,
In Saratoga shaw, man.
Cornwallis fought as lang’s he dought,
An’ did the Buckskins claw, man; 30
But Clinton’s glaive frae rust to save,
He hung it to the wa’, man.
Then Montague, an’ Guilford too,
Began to fear, a fa’, man;
And Sackville dour, wha stood the stour, 35
The German chief to thraw, man:
For Paddy Burke, like ony Turk,
Nae mercy had at a’, man;
An’ Charlie Fox threw by the box,
An’ lows’d his tinkler jaw, man. 40
Then Rockingham took up the game,
Till death did on him ca’, man;
When Shelburne meek held up his cheek,
Conform to gospel law, man:
Saint Stephen’s boys, wi’ jarring noise, 45
They did his measures thraw, man;
For North an’ Fox united stocks,
An’ bore him to the wa’, man.
Then clubs an’ hearts were Charlie’s cartes,
He swept the stakes awa’, man, 50
Till the diamond’s ace, of Indian race,
Led him a sair faux pas, man:
The Saxon lads, wi’ loud placads,
On Chatham’s boy did ca’, man;
An’ Scotland drew her pipe an’ blew, 55
“Up, Willie, waur them a’, man!”
Behind the throne then Granville’s gone,
A secret word or twa, man;
While slee Dundas arous’d the class
Be-north the Roman wa’, man: 60
An’ Chatham’s wraith, in heav’nly graith,
(Inspired bardies saw, man),
Wi’ kindling eyes, cry’d, “Willie, rise!
Would I hae fear’d them a’, man?”
But, word an’ blow, North, Fox, and Co. 65
Gowff’d Willie like a ba’, man;
Till Suthron raise, an’ coost their claise
Behind him in a raw, man:
An’ Caledon threw by the drone,
An’ did her whittle draw, man; 70
An’ swoor fu’ rude, thro’ dirt an’ bluid,
To mak it guid in law, man.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
40.
Reply to an Announcement by J. Rankine
On His Writing to the Poet, That a Girl in That Part of the Country Was with Child to Him.
I AM a keeper of the law
In some sma’ points, altho’ not a’;
Some people tell me gin I fa’,
Ae way or ither,
The breaking of ae point, tho’ sma’, 5
Breaks a’ thegither.
I hae been in for’t ance or twice,
And winna say o’er far for thrice;
Yet never met wi’ that surprise
That broke my rest; 10
But now a rumour’s like to rise —
A whaup’s i’ the nest!
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
41.
Epistle to John Rankine
Enclosing Some Poems
O ROUGH, rude, ready-witted Rankine,
The wale o’ cocks for fun an’ drinkin!
There’s mony godly folks are thinkin,
Your dreams and tricks
Will send you, Korah-like, a-sinkin 5
Straught to auld Nick’s.
Ye hae saw mony cracks an’ cants,
And in your wicked, drucken rants,
Ye mak a devil o’ the saunts,
An’ fill them fou; 10
And then their failings, flaws, an’ wants,
Are a’ seen thro’.
Hypocrisy, in mercy spare it!
That holy robe, O dinna tear it!
Spare’t for their sakes, wha aften wear it — 15
The lads in black;
But your curst wit, when it comes near it,
Rives’t aff their back.
Think, wicked Sinner, wha ye’re skaithing:
It’s just the Blue-gown badge an’ claithing 20
O’ saunts; tak that, ye lea’e them naething
To ken them by
Frae ony unregenerate heathen,
Like you or I.
I’ve sent you here some rhyming ware, 25
A’ that I bargain’d for, an’ mair;
Sa
e, when ye hae an hour to spare,
I will expect,
Yon sang ye’ll sen’t, wi’ cannie care,
And no neglect. 30
Tho’ faith, sma’ heart hae I to sing!
My muse dow scarcely spread her wing;
I’ve play’d mysel a bonie spring,
An’ danc’d my fill!
I’d better gaen an’ sair’t the king, 35
At Bunker’s Hill.
‘Twas ae night lately, in my fun,
I gaed a rovin’ wi’ the gun,
An’ brought a paitrick to the grun’ —
A bonie hen; 40
And, as the twilight was begun,
Thought nane wad ken.
The poor, wee thing was little hurt;
I straikit it a wee for sport,
Ne’er thinkin they wad fash me for’t; 45
But, Deil-ma-care!
Somebody tells the poacher-court
The hale affair.
Some auld, us’d hands had taen a note,
That sic a hen had got a shot; 50
I was suspected for the plot;
I scorn’d to lie;
So gat the whissle o’ my groat,
An’ pay’t the fee.
But by my gun, o’ guns the wale, 55
An’ by my pouther an’ my hail,
An’ by my hen, an’ by her tail,
I vow an’ swear!
The game shall pay, o’er muir an’ dale,
For this, niest year. 60
As soon’s the clockin-time is by,
An’ the wee pouts begun to cry,
Lord, I’se hae sporting by an’ by
For my gowd guinea,
Tho’ I should herd the buckskin kye 65
For’t in Virginia.
Trowth, they had muckle for to blame!
‘Twas neither broken wing nor limb,
But twa-three draps about the wame,
Scarce thro’ the feathers; 70
An’ baith a yellow George to claim,
An’ thole their blethers!
It pits me aye as mad’s a hare;
So I can rhyme nor write nae mair;
But pennyworths again is fair, 75
When time’s expedient:
Meanwhile I am, respected Sir,
Your most obedient.
Chronological List of Poems
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42.
A Poet’s Welcome to his Love-Begotten Daughter
The First Instance That Entitled Him to the Venerable Appellation of Father
THOU’S welcome, wean; mishanter fa’ me,
If thoughts o’ thee, or yet thy mamie,
Shall ever daunton me or awe me,
My bonie lady,
Or if I blush when thou shalt ca’ me 5
Tyta or daddie.
Tho’ now they ca’ me fornicator,
An’ tease my name in kintry clatter,
The mair they talk, I’m kent the better,
E’en let them clash; 10
An auld wife’s tongue’s a feckless matter
To gie ane fash.
Welcome! my bonie, sweet, wee dochter,
Tho’ ye come here a wee unsought for,
And tho’ your comin’ I hae fought for, 15
Baith kirk and queir;
Yet, by my faith, ye’re no unwrought for,
That I shall swear!
Wee image o’ my bonie Betty,
As fatherly I kiss and daut thee, 20
As dear, and near my heart I set thee
Wi’ as gude will
As a’ the priests had seen me get thee
That’s out o’ h — ll.
Sweet fruit o’ mony a merry dint, 25
My funny toil is now a’ tint,
Sin’ thou came to the warl’ asklent,
Which fools may scoff at;
In my last plack thy part’s be in’t
The better ha’f o’t. 30
Tho’ I should be the waur bestead,
Thou’s be as braw and bienly clad,
And thy young years as nicely bred
Wi’ education,
As ony brat o’ wedlock’s bed, 35
In a’ thy station.
Lord grant that thou may aye inherit
Thy mither’s person, grace, an’ merit,
An’ thy poor, worthless daddy’s spirit,
Without his failins, 40
‘Twill please me mair to see thee heir it,
Than stockit mailens.
For if thou be what I wad hae thee,
And tak the counsel I shall gie thee,
I’ll never rue my trouble wi’ thee, 45
The cost nor shame o’t,
But be a loving father to thee,
And brag the name o’t.
Chronological List of Poems
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43.
O Leave Novels! (Song)
O LEAVE novels, ye Mauchline belles,
Ye’re safer at your spinning-wheel;
Such witching books are baited hooks
For rakish rooks, like Rob Mossgiel;
Your fine Tom Jones and Grandisons, 5
They make your youthful fancies reel;
They heat your brains, and fire your veins,
And then you’re prey for Rob Mossgiel.
Beware a tongue that’s smoothly hung,
A heart that warmly seems to feel; 10
That feeling heart but acts a part —
‘Tis rakish art in Rob Mossgiel.
The frank address, the soft caress,
Are worse than poisoned darts of steel;
The frank address, and politesse, 15
Are all finesse in Rob Mossgiel.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
44.
The Mauchline Lady: A Fragment
Tune— “I had a horse, I had nae mair.”
WHEN first I came to Stewart Kyle,
My mind it was na steady;
Where’er I gaed, where’er I rade,
A mistress still I had aye.
But when I came roun’ by Mauchline toun, 5
Not dreadin anybody,
My heart was caught, before I thought,
And by a Mauchline lady.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
45.
My Girl she’s Airy: A Fragment
Tune— “Black Jock.”
MY girl she’s airy, she’s buxom and gay;
Her breath is as sweet as the blossoms in May;
A touch of her lips it ravishes quite:
She’s always good natur’d, good humour’d, and free;
She dances, she glances, she smiles upon me; 5
I never am happy when out of her sight.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
46.
The Belles of Mauchline
IN Mauchline there dwells six proper young belles,
The pride of the place and its neighbourhood a’;
Their carriage and dress, a stranger would guess,
In Lon’on or Paris, they’d gotten it a’.
Miss Miller is fine, Miss Markland’s divine, 5
Miss Smith she has wit, and Miss Betty is braw:
There’s beauty and fortune to get wi’ Miss Morton,
But Armour’s the jewel for me o’ them a’.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
47.
Epitaph on a Noisy Polemic
BELOW thir stanes lie Jamie’s banes;
O Death, it’s my opinion,
Thou ne’er took such a bleth’rin bitch
Into thy dark dominion!
Chronological List of Poems
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48.
Epitaph on a Henpecked Squire
AS father A
dam first was fool’d,
(A case that’s still too common,)
Here lies man a woman ruled,
The devil ruled the woman.
Chronological List of Poems
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49.
Epigram on the said Occasion
O DEATH, had’st thou but spar’d his life,
Whom we this day lament,
We freely wad exchanged the wife,
And a’ been weel content.
Ev’n as he is, cauld in his graff, 5
The swap we yet will do’t;
Tak thou the carlin’s carcase aff,
Thou’se get the saul o’boot.
Chronological List of Poems
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50.
Another on the said Occasion
ONE Queen Artemisia, as old stories tell,
When deprived of her husband she loved so well,
In respect for the love and affection he show’d her,
