89. The Ordination Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABACADAE FGFGHGHGE GGGGGGGGE IGJGKGKGK KLKLKLKLK HKHKHKHKK MLMLMLMLK LLLLLLLLK GGGGGGGGK NAOAOAOAK AKAKAKAKK HAHAHAHAK AGAGAGAGK LLLLLLLLK| ations | A |
| An' ye wha leather rax an' draw | B |
| Of a' denominations | A |
| Swith to the Ligh Kirk ane an' a' | C |
| An' there tak up your stations | A |
| Then aff to Begbie's in a raw | D |
| An' pour divine libations | A |
| For joy this day | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| Curst Common sense that imp o' hell | F |
| Cam in wi' Maggie Lauder | G |
| But Oliphant aft made her yell | F |
| An' Russell sair misca'd her | G |
| This day Mackinlay taks the flail | H |
| An' he's the boy will blaud her | G |
| He'll clap a shangan on her tail | H |
| An' set the bairns to daud her | G |
| Wi' dirt this day | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| Mak haste an' turn King David owre | G |
| And lilt wi' holy clangor | G |
| O' double verse come gie us four | G |
| An' skirl up the Bangor | G |
| This day the kirk kicks up a stoure | G |
| Nae mair the knaves shall wrang her | G |
| For Heresy is in her pow'r | G |
| And gloriously she'll whang her | G |
| Wi' pith this day | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| Come let a proper text be read | I |
| An' touch it aff wi' vigour | G |
| How graceless Ham leugh at his dad | J |
| Which made Canaan a nigger | G |
| Or Phineas drove the murdering blade | K |
| Wi' whore abhorring rigour | G |
| Or Zipporah the scauldin jad | K |
| Was like a bluidy tiger | G |
| I' th' inn that day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| There try his mettle on the creed | K |
| An' bind him down wi' caution | L |
| That stipend is a carnal weed | K |
| He taks by for the fashion | L |
| And gie him o'er the flock to feed | K |
| And punish each transgression | L |
| Especial rams that cross the breed | K |
| Gie them sufficient threshin | L |
| Spare them nae day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| Now auld Kilmarnock cock thy tail | H |
| An' toss thy horns fu' canty | K |
| Nae mair thou'lt rowt out owre the dale | H |
| Because thy pasture's scanty | K |
| For lapfu's large o' gospel kail | H |
| Shall fill thy crib in plenty | K |
| An' runts o' grace the pick an' wale | H |
| No gi'en by way o' dainty | K |
| But ilka day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| Nae mair by Babel's streams we'll weep | M |
| To think upon our Zion | L |
| And hing our fiddles up to sleep | M |
| Like baby clouts a dryin | L |
| Come screw the pegs wi' tunefu' cheep | M |
| And o'er the thairms be tryin | L |
| Oh rare to see our elbucks wheep | M |
| And a' like lamb tails flyin | L |
| Fu' fast this day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| Lang Patronage with rod o' airn | L |
| Has shor'd the Kirk's undoin | L |
| As lately Fenwick sair forfairn | L |
| Has proven to its ruin | L |
| Our patron honest man Glencairn | L |
| He saw mischief was brewin | L |
| An' like a godly elect bairn | L |
| He's waled us out a true ane | L |
| And sound this day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| Now Robertson harangue nae mair | G |
| But steek your gab for ever | G |
| Or try the wicked town of Ayr | G |
| For there they'll think you clever | G |
| Or nae reflection on your lear | G |
| Ye may commence a shaver | G |
| Or to the Netherton repair | G |
| An' turn a carpet weaver | G |
| Aff hand this day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| Mu'trie and you were just a match | N |
| We never had sic twa drones | A |
| Auld Hornie did the Laigh Kirk watch | O |
| Just like a winkin baudrons | A |
| And aye he catch'd the tither wretch | O |
| To fry them in his caudrons | A |
| But now his Honour maun detach | O |
| Wi' a' his brimstone squadrons | A |
| Fast fast this day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| See see auld Orthodoxy's faes | A |
| She's swingein thro' the city | K |
| Hark how the nine tail'd cat she plays | A |
| I vow it's unco pretty | K |
| There Learning with his Greekish face | A |
| Grunts out some Latin ditty | K |
| And Common sense is gaun she says | A |
| To mak to Jamie Beattie | K |
| Her plaint this day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| But there's Morality himsel' | H |
| Embracing all opinions | A |
| Hear how he gies the tither yell | H |
| Between his twa companions | A |
| See how she peels the skin an' fell | H |
| As ane were peelin onions | A |
| Now there they're packed aff to hell | H |
| An' banish'd our dominions | A |
| Henceforth this day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| O happy day rejoice rejoice | A |
| Come bouse about the porter | G |
| Morality's demure decoys | A |
| Shall here nae mair find quarter | G |
| Mackinlay Russell are the boys | A |
| That heresy can torture | G |
| They'll gie her on a rape a hoyse | A |
| And cowe her measure shorter | G |
| By th' head some day | K |
| - | |
| - | |
| Come bring the tither mutchkin in | L |
| And here's for a conclusion | L |
| To ev'ry New Light mother's son | L |
| From this time forth Confusion | L |
| If mair they deave us wi' their din | L |
| Or Patronage intrusion | L |
| We'll light a spunk and ev'ry skin | L |
| We'll rin them aff in fusion | L |
| Like oil some day | K |
Robert Burns
(1)
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About 89. The Ordination
89. The Ordination is a poem by Robert Burns. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.