In this
one, I don’t even have to write in the poet’s name between the title and the text,
because he adds it himself at the end of the text. Like a Ghazal poet J
_______________________________
Epistle
To Dr. Blacklock
Wow, but
your letter made me vauntie!
And are
ye hale, and weel and cantie?
I ken'd
it still, your wee bit jauntie
Wad bring
ye to:
Lord send
you aye as weel's I want ye!
And then
ye'll do.
The
ill-thief blaw the Heron south!
And never
drink be near his drouth!
He tauld
myself by word o' mouth,
He'd tak
my letter;
I
lippen'd to the chiel in trouth,
And bade
nae better.
But
aiblins, honest Master Heron
Had, at
the time, some dainty fair one
To ware
this theologic care on,
And holy
study;
And tired
o' sauls to waste his lear on,
E'en
tried the body.
But what
d'ye think, my trusty fere,
I'm
turned a gauger-Peace be here!
Parnassian
queans, I fear, I fear,
Ye'll now
disdain me!
And then
my fifty pounds a year
Will
little gain me.
Ye
glaikit, gleesome, dainty damies,
Wha, by
Castalia's wimplin streamies,
Lowp,
sing, and lave your pretty limbies,
Ye ken,
ye ken,
That
strang necessity supreme is
'Mang
sons o' men.
I hae a
wife and twa wee laddies;
They maun
hae brose and brats o' duddies;
Ye ken
yoursels my heart right proud is-
I need na
vaunt
But I'll
sned besoms, thraw saugh woodies,
Before
they want.
Lord help
me thro' this warld o' care!
I'm weary
sick o't late and air!
Not but I
hae a richer share
Than mony
ithers;
But why
should ae man better fare,
And a'
men brithers?
Come,
Firm Resolve, take thou the van,
Thou
stalk o' carl-hemp in man!
And let
us mind, faint heart ne'er wan
A lady
fair:
Wha does
the utmost that he can,
Will
whiles do mair.
But to
conclude my silly rhyme
(I'm
scant o' verse and scant o' time),
To make a
happy fireside clime
To weans
and wife,
That's
the true pathos and sublime
Of human
life.
My
compliments to sister Beckie,
And eke
the same to honest Lucky;
I wat she
is a daintie chuckie,
As e'er
tread clay;
And
gratefully, my gude auld cockie,
I'm yours
for aye.
Robert
Burns.
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