Epistle To William Creech. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBBCBD BBBEBD BBBFBD GGGFGD EEEHED EEEEED GGGGGD IIIGID AAAGAD BBBFBD JJJIJD AAAFAD| Selkirk May | A |
| - | |
| Auld chukie Reekie's sair distrest | B |
| Down droops her ance weel burnisht crest | B |
| Nae joy her bonnie buskit nest | B |
| Can yield ava | C |
| Her darling bird that she lo'es best | B |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| O Willie was a witty wight | B |
| And had o' things an unco slight | B |
| Auld Reekie ay he keepit tight | B |
| An' trig an' braw | E |
| But now they'll busk her like a fright | B |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| The stiffest o' them a' he bow'd | B |
| The bauldest o' them a' he cow'd | B |
| They durst nae mair than he allow'd | B |
| That was a law | F |
| We've lost a birkie weel worth gowd | B |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| Now gawkies tawpies gowks and fools | G |
| Frae colleges and boarding schools | G |
| May sprout like simmer puddock stools | G |
| In glen or shaw | F |
| He wha could brush them down to mools | G |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| The brethren o' the Commerce Chaumer | E |
| May mourn their loss wi' doofu' clamour | E |
| He was a dictionar and grammar | E |
| Amang them a' | H |
| I fear they'll now mak mony a stammer | E |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| Nae mair we see his levee door | E |
| Philosophers and poets pour | E |
| And toothy critics by the score | E |
| In bloody raw | E |
| The adjutant o' a' the core | E |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| Now worthy Gregory's Latin face | G |
| Tytler's and Greenfield's modest grace | G |
| Mackenzie Stewart sic a brace | G |
| As Rome n'er saw | G |
| They a' maun meet some ither place | G |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| Poor Burns e'en Scotch drink canna quicken | I |
| He cheeps like some bewilder'd chicken | I |
| Scar'd frae its minnie and the cleckin | I |
| By hoodie craw | G |
| Grief's gien his heart an unco kickin' | I |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| Now ev'ry sour mou'd girnin' blellum | A |
| And Calvin's fock are fit to fell him | A |
| And self conceited critic skellum | A |
| His quill may draw | G |
| He wha could brawlie ward their bellum | A |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| Up wimpling stately Tweed I've sped | B |
| And Eden scenes on crystal Jed | B |
| And Ettrick banks now roaring red | B |
| While tempests blaw | F |
| But every joy and pleasure's fled | B |
| Willie's awa | D |
| - | |
| May I be slander's common speech | J |
| A text for infamy to preach | J |
| And lastly streekit out to bleach | J |
| In winter snaw | I |
| When I forget thee Willie Creech | J |
| Tho' far awa | D |
| - | |
| May never wicked fortune touzle him | A |
| May never wicked man bamboozle him | A |
| Until a pow as auld's Methusalem | A |
| He canty claw | F |
| Then to the blessed New Jerusalem | A |
| Fleet wing awa | D |
Robert Burns
(1)
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