A Dedication To Gavin Hamilton, Esq. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDEBB FGHHIIAA JJBB DDDD BBBBBBIIKK BBKKLLLLBBAA AALL IIMMAAII LLAAMM AAMMNODDLLL AADD MMGGPP MMMMDDMM IIBBDDAAPPPPLLQPP AALLBB BBLLDDMMAAGGMMMMEXPECT na sir in this narration | A |
A fleechin fleth'rin Dedication | A |
To roose you up an' ca' you guid | B |
An' sprung o' great an' noble bluid | B |
Because ye're surnam'd like His Grace | C |
Perhaps related to the race | C |
Then when I'm tir'd and sae are ye | D |
Wi' mony a fulsome sinfu' lie | E |
Set up a face how I stop short | B |
For fear your modesty be hurt | B |
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This may do maun do sir wi' them wha | F |
Maun please the great folk for a wamefou | G |
For me sae laigh I need na bow | H |
For Lord be thankit I can plough | H |
And when I downa yoke a naig | I |
Then Lord be thankit I can beg | I |
Sae I shall say an' that's nae flatt'rin | A |
It's just sic Poet an' sic Patron | A |
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The Poet some guid angel help him | J |
Or else I fear some ill ane skelp him | J |
He may do weel for a' he's done yet | B |
But only he's no just begun yet | B |
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The Patron sir ye maun forgie me | D |
I winna lie come what will o' me | D |
On ev'ry hand it will allow'd be | D |
He's just nae better than he should be | D |
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I readily and freely grant | B |
He downa see a poor man want | B |
What's no his ain he winna tak it | B |
What ance he says he winna break it | B |
Ought he can lend he'll no refus't | B |
Till aft his guidness is abus'd | B |
And rascals whiles that do him wrang | I |
Ev'n that he does na mind it lang | I |
As master landlord husband father | K |
He does na fail his part in either | K |
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But then nae thanks to him for a'that | B |
Nae godly symptom ye can ca' that | B |
It's naething but a milder feature | K |
Of our poor sinfu' corrupt nature | K |
Ye'll get the best o' moral works | L |
'Mang black Gentoos and pagan Turks | L |
Or hunters wild on Ponotaxi | L |
Wha never heard of orthodoxy | L |
That he's the poor man's friend in need | B |
The gentleman in word and deed | B |
It's no thro' terror of damnation | A |
It's just a carnal inclination | A |
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Morality thou deadly bane | A |
Thy tens o' thousands thou hast slain | A |
Vain is his hope whase stay an' trust is | L |
In moral mercy truth and justice | L |
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No stretch a point to catch a plack | I |
Abuse a brother to his back | I |
Steal through the winnock frae a whore | M |
But point the rake that taks the door | M |
Be to the poor like ony whunstane | A |
And haud their noses to the grunstane | A |
Ply ev'ry art o' legal thieving | I |
No matter stick to sound believing | I |
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Learn three mile pray'rs an' half mile graces | L |
Wi' weel spread looves an' lang wry faces | L |
Grunt up a solemn lengthen'd groan | A |
And damn a' parties but your own | A |
I'll warrant they ye're nae deceiver | M |
A steady sturdy staunch believer | M |
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O ye wha leave the springs o' Calvin | A |
For gumlie dubs of your ain delvin | A |
Ye sons of Heresy and Error | M |
Ye'll some day squeel in quaking terror | M |
When Vengeance draws the sword in wrath | N |
And in the fire throws the sheath | O |
When Ruin with his sweeping besom | D |
Just frets till Heav'n commission gies him | D |
While o'er the harp pale Misery moans | L |
And strikes the ever deep'ning tones | L |
Still louder shrieks and heavier groans | L |
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Your pardon sir for this digression | A |
I maist forgat my Dedication | A |
But when divinity comes 'cross me | D |
My readers still are sure to lose me | D |
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So sir you see 'twas nae daft vapour | M |
But I maturely thought it proper | M |
When a' my works I did review | G |
To dedicate them sir to you | G |
Because ye need na tak it ill | P |
I thought them something like yoursel' | P |
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Then patronize them wi' your favor | M |
And your petitioner shall ever | M |
I had amaist said ever pray | M |
But that's a word I need na say | M |
For prayin I hae little skill o't | D |
I'm baith dead sweer an' wretched ill o't | D |
But I'se repeat each poor man's pray'r | M |
That kens or hears about you sir | M |
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May ne'er Misfortune's gowling bark | I |
Howl thro' the dwelling o' the clerk | I |
May ne'er his genrous honest heart | B |
For that same gen'rous spirit smart | B |
May Kennedy's far honour'd name | D |
Lang beet his hymeneal flame | D |
Till Hamiltons at least a dizzen | A |
Are frae their nuptial labours risen | A |
Five bonie lasses round their table | P |
And sev'n braw fellows stout an' able | P |
To serve their king an' country weel | P |
By word or pen or pointed steel | P |
May health and peace with mutual rays | L |
Shine on the ev'ning o' his days | L |
Till his wee curlie John's ier oe | Q |
When ebbing life nae mair shall flow | P |
The last sad mournful rites bestow | P |
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I will not wind a lang conclusion | A |
With complimentary effusion | A |
But whilst your wishes and endeavours | L |
Are blest with Fortune's smiles and favours | L |
I am dear sir with zeal most fervent | B |
Your much indebted humble servant | B |
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But if which Pow'rs above prevent | B |
That iron hearted carl Want | B |
Attended in his grim advances | L |
By sad mistakes and black mischances | L |
While hopes and joys and pleasures fly him | D |
Make you as poor a dog as I am | D |
Your humble servant then no more | M |
For who would humbly serve the poor | M |
But by a poor man's hopes in Heav'n | A |
While recollection's pow'r is giv'n | A |
If in the vale of humble life | G |
The victim sad of fortune's strife | G |
I thro' the tender gushing tear | M |
Should recognise my master dear | M |
If friendless low we meet together | M |
Then sir your hand my Friend and Brother | M |
Robert Burns
(1)
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