Page:The poetical works of Robert Burns.djvu/202
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THE POEMS OF BURNS.
THE POET'S WELCOME TO HIS ILLEGITIMATE CHILD.
Thou's welcome, wean! mishanter fa' me,
If ought of thee, or of thy mammy,
Shall ever danton me, or awe me,
My sweet wee lady,
Or if I blush when thou shalt ca' me
Tit-ta or daddy.
If ought of thee, or of thy mammy,
Shall ever danton me, or awe me,
My sweet wee lady,
Or if I blush when thou shalt ca' me
Tit-ta or daddy.
Wee image of my bonie Betty,
I fatherly will kiss and daut thee,
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' hell.
I fatherly will kiss and daut thee,
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' hell.
What tho' they ca' me fornicator,
An' tease my name in kintra clatter:
The mair they talk I'm kent the better,
E'en let them clash;
An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter
To gie ane fash.
An' tease my name in kintra clatter:
The mair they talk I'm kent the better,
E'en let them clash;
An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter
To gie ane fash.
Sweet fruit o' monie a merry dint,
My funny toil is now a' tint,
Sin' thou came to the world asklent,
Which fools may scoff at;
In my last plack thy part's be in't—
The better haff o't.
My funny toil is now a' tint,
Sin' thou came to the world asklent,
Which fools may scoff at;
In my last plack thy part's be in't—
The better haff o't.
An' if thou be what I wad hae thee,
An' tak the counsel I shall gie thee,
A lovin' father I'll be to thee,
If thou be spar'd;
Thro' a' thy childish years I'll ee thee,
An' think't weel war'd.
An' tak the counsel I shall gie thee,
A lovin' father I'll be to thee,
If thou be spar'd;
Thro' a' thy childish years I'll ee thee,
An' think't weel war'd.
Gude grant that thou may aye inherit
Thy mither's person, grace, an' merit,
An' thy poor worthless daddy's spirit,
Without his failins,
'Twill please me mair to hear an' see't,
Than stockit mailins.
Thy mither's person, grace, an' merit,
An' thy poor worthless daddy's spirit,
Without his failins,
'Twill please me mair to hear an' see't,
Than stockit mailins.
TO MISS FERRIER,
ENCLOSING THE ELEGY ON SIR J. H. BLAIR.
Nae heathen name shall I prefix
Frae Pindus or Parnassus;
Auld Reekie dings them a' to sticks,
For rhyme-inspiring lasses.
Frae Pindus or Parnassus;
Auld Reekie dings them a' to sticks,
For rhyme-inspiring lasses.
Jove's tunefu' dochters three times three
Made Homer deep their debtor;
But, gi'en the body half an ee,
Nine Ferriers wad done better!
Made Homer deep their debtor;
But, gi'en the body half an ee,
Nine Ferriers wad done better!
Last day my mind was in a bog,
Down George's Street I stoited;
A creeping cauld prosaic fog
My very senses doited.
Down George's Street I stoited;
A creeping cauld prosaic fog
My very senses doited.
Do what I dought to set her free,
My saul lay in the mire;
Ye turned a neuk—I saw your e'e—
She took the wing like fire!
My saul lay in the mire;
Ye turned a neuk—I saw your e'e—
She took the wing like fire!
The mournfu' sang I here enclose,
In gratitude I send you;
And wish and pray in rhyme sincere,
A' gude things may attend you!
In gratitude I send you;
And wish and pray in rhyme sincere,
A' gude things may attend you!