Epistle To John Rankine Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABAB BBBCBD EEEFEF FFFGAG DDDHDH FFFIFI AAAAAA JKLDKD MNNGML OOODOD GGGLPA QRRBRB DDDSDSn an' drinkin | A |
There's mony godly folks are thinkin | A |
Your dreams and tricks | B |
Will send you Korah like a sinkin | A |
Straught to auld Nick's | B |
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Ye hae saw mony cracks an' cants | B |
And in your wicked drucken rants | B |
Ye mak a devil o' the saunts | B |
An' fill them fou | C |
And then their failings flaws an' wants | B |
Are a' seen thro' | D |
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Hypocrisy in mercy spare it | E |
That holy robe O dinna tear it | E |
Spare't for their sakes wha aften wear it | E |
The lads in black | F |
But your curst wit when it comes near it | E |
Rives't aff their back | F |
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Think wicked Sinner wha ye're skaithing | F |
It's just the Blue gown badge an' claithing | F |
O' saunts tak that ye lea'e them naething | F |
To ken them by | G |
Frae ony unregenerate heathen | A |
Like you or I | G |
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I've sent you here some rhyming ware | D |
A' that I bargain'd for an' mair | D |
Sae when ye hae an hour to spare | D |
I will expect | H |
Yon sang ye'll sen't wi' cannie care | D |
And no neglect | H |
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Tho' faith sma' heart hae I to sing | F |
My muse dow scarcely spread her wing | F |
I've play'd mysel a bonie spring | F |
An' danc'd my fill | I |
I'd better gaen an' sair't the king | F |
At Bunker's Hill | I |
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'Twas ae night lately in my fun | A |
I gaed a rovin' wi' the gun | A |
An' brought a paitrick to the grun' | A |
A bonie hen | A |
And as the twilight was begun | A |
Thought nane wad ken | A |
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The poor wee thing was little hurt | J |
I straikit it a wee for sport | K |
Ne'er thinkin they wad fash me for't | L |
But Deil ma care | D |
Somebody tells the poacher court | K |
The hale affair | D |
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Some auld us'd hands had taen a note | M |
That sic a hen had got a shot | N |
I was suspected for the plot | N |
I scorn'd to lie | G |
So gat the whissle o' my groat | M |
An' pay't the fee | L |
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But by my gun o' guns the wale | O |
An' by my pouther an' my hail | O |
An' by my hen an' by her tail | O |
I vow an' swear | D |
The game shall pay o'er muir an' dale | O |
For this niest year | D |
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As soon's the clockin time is by | G |
An' the wee pouts begun to cry | G |
Lord I'se hae sporting by an' by | G |
For my gowd guinea | L |
Tho' I should herd the buckskin kye | P |
For't in Virginia | A |
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Trowth they had muckle for to blame | Q |
'Twas neither broken wing nor limb | R |
But twa three draps about the wame | R |
Scarce thro' the feathers | B |
An' baith a yellow George to claim | R |
An' thole their blethers | B |
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It pits me aye as mad's a hare | D |
So I can rhyme nor write nae mair | D |
But pennyworths again is fair | D |
When time's expedient | S |
Meanwhile I am respected Sir | D |
Your most obedient | S |
Robert Burns
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