The
stanza form’s commonly called a standard Habbie, after the subject of a lament written
in it over 100 years before Burns. Here’s
Burns using it in a lament himself:
____________________________________________________
Burlesque
Lament For The Absence Of William Creech, Publisher
By Robert
Burns
Auld
chuckie Reekie's sair distrest,
Down
droops her ance weel burnish'd crest,
Nae joy
her bonie buskit nest
Can yield
ava,
Her
darling bird that she lo'es best-
Willie's
awa!
O Willie
was a witty wight,
And had
o' things an unco' sleight,
Auld
Reekie aye he keepit tight,
And trig
an' braw:
But now
they'll busk her like a fright, -
Willie's
awa!
The
stiffest o' them a' he bow'd,
The
bauldest o' them a' he cow'd;
They
durst nae mair than he allow'd,
That was
a law:
We've
lost a birkie weel worth gowd;
Willie's
awa!
Now
gawkies, tawpies, gowks and fools,
Frae
colleges and boarding schools,
May
sprout like simmer puddock-stools
In glen
or shaw;
He wha
could brush them down to mools-
Willie's
awa!
The
brethren o' the Commerce-chaumer
May mourn
their loss wi' doolfu' clamour;
He was a
dictionar and grammar
Among
them a';
I fear
they'll now mak mony a stammer;
Willie's
awa!
Nae mair
we see his levee door
Philosophers
and poets pour,
And
toothy critics by the score,
In bloody
raw!
The
adjutant o' a' the core-
Willie's
awa!
Now
worthy Gregory's Latin face,
Tytler's
and Greenfield's modest grace;
Mackenzie,
Stewart, such a brace
As Rome
ne'er saw;
They a'
maun meet some ither place,
Willie's
awa!
Poor
Burns ev'n Scotch Drink canna quicken,
He cheeps
like some bewilder'd chicken
Scar'd
frae it's minnie and the cleckin,
By
hoodie-craw;
Grieg's
gien his heart an unco kickin,
Willie's
awa!
Now ev'ry
sour-mou'd girnin blellum,
And
Calvin's folk, are fit to fell him;
Ilk
self-conceited critic skellum
His quill
may draw;
He wha
could brawlie ward their bellum-
Willie's
awa!
Up
wimpling stately Tweed I've sped,
And Eden
scenes on crystal Jed,
And
Ettrick banks, now roaring red,
While
tempests blaw;
But every
joy and pleasure's fled,
Willie's
awa!
May I be
Slander's common speech;
A text
for Infamy to preach;
And
lastly, streekit out to bleach
In winter
snaw;
When I
forget thee, Willie Creech,
Tho' far
awa!
May never
wicked Fortune touzle him!
May never
wicked men bamboozle him!
Until a
pow as auld's Methusalem
He canty
claw!
Then to
the blessed new Jerusalem,
Fleet
wing awa!
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