A wee bit o' Burns

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Penny Tray
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

But hark! a rap comes gently to the door;
Jenny, wha kens the meaning o’ the same,
Tells how a neebor lad came o’er the moor,
To do some errands, and convoy her hame.
The wily mother sees the conscious flame
Sparkle in Jenny’s e’e, and flush her cheek;
With heart-struck anxious care, inquires his name,
While Jenny hafflins is afraid to speak;
Weel-pleas’d the mother hears, it’s nae wild, worthless rake.

*THE COTTER'S SATURDAY NIGHT
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

When eighty-five was seven month auld,
And wearing thro the aught,
When rotting rains and Boreas bauld
Gied farmer-folks a faught;
Ae morning quondam Mason Will,
Now Merchant Master Miller,
Gaed down to meet wi’ Nansie Bell
And her Jamaica siller,
To wed, that day.

*THE MAUCHLINE WEDDING
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Penny Tray
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

O Thou! Whatever title suit thee –
Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie –
Wha in yon cavern grim an’ sootie,
Clos’d under hatches,
Spairges about the brunstane cootie,
To scaud poor wretches!

*ADDRESS TO THE DEIL
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Penny Tray
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

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,
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.”

*EPITAPH ON MY HONOURED FATHER
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John Donnelly
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by John Donnelly »

The breadth of Burns' abilities never ceases to amaze me.
The pathos, love, empathy and raw emotion here seems impossible to rhyme with the humour, irony, scathing satire and awareness of the heights and depths of mankind's character shown in so many other of his poems.

JD.
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by meekan »

Agreed John !
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

Gie him strong drink until he wink,
That’s sinking in despair;
An’ liquor guid to fire his bluid,
That’s prest wi’ grief and care:
There let him browse, and deep carouse,
Wi’ bumpers flowing o’er,
Till he forgets his loves or debts,
An’ minds his griefs no more.

*SCOTCH DRINK
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

For me, I swear by sun and moon,
An’ ev’ry star that blinks aboon,
Ye’ve cost me twenty pair o’ shoon,
Just gaun to see you;
And ev’ry ither pair that’s done,
Mair taen I’m wi’ you.

*EPISTLE TO JAMES SMITH
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

In gath’rin votes you were na slack;
Now stand as tightly by your tack:
Ne’er claw your lug, an’ fidge your back,
An’ hum an’ haw;
But raise your arm, and tell your crack
Before them a’.

*THE AUTHOR’S EARNEST CRY AND PRAYER
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

In gowany glen thy burnie strays,
Where bonie lasses bleach their claes;
Or trots by hazelly shaws and braes
Wi’ hawthorns gray,
Where blackbirds join the shepherd’s lays
At close of day.

*SKETCH
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

Ye ugly, creepin’, blastit wonner,
Detested, shunn’d by saunt an’ sinner,
How daur ye set your fit upon her –
Sae fine a lady!
Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner
On some poor body.

*TO A LOUSE
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Re: A wee bit o' Burns

Post by Penny Tray »

What is title, what is treasure,
What is reputation’s care?
If we lead a life of pleasure,
‘Tis no matter how or where!

*THE JOLLY BEGGARS – A CANTATA
Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.
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