First Epistle To Davie, - A Brother Poet Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BCBDDBEFEFGHIH A IIJKLLLMLMCFLF A CCGLLNOBPBBDCQ Q RRBSTBLMLMCCLC L FFLRMLLLLLUFOF Q QQBOOBLGLGNBFB Q GGLDDLVBVBWMRR Q XXLQQLLCLCLDLD X QQMLLMQLQLFYIR X MRBXXZLBLBXCA2C X BBCCCCB2LB2LCLCLI | A |
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While winds frae aff Ben Lomond blaw | B |
And bar the doors wi' driving snaw | C |
And hing us owre the ingle | B |
I set me down to pass the time | D |
And spin a verse or twa o' rhyme | D |
In hamely westlin jingle | B |
While frosty winds blaw in the drift | E |
Ben to the chimla lug | F |
I grudge a wee the great folks' gift | E |
That live sae bien an' snug | F |
I tent less and want less | G |
Their roomy fire side | H |
But hanker and canker | I |
To see their cursed pride | H |
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II | A |
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It's hardly in a body's power | I |
To keep at times frae being sour | I |
To see how things are shar'd | J |
How best o' chiels are whiles in want | K |
While coofs on countless thousands rant | L |
And ken na how to wair't | L |
But Davie lad ne'er fash your head | L |
Tho' we hae little gear | M |
We're fit to win our daily bread | L |
As lang's we're hale and fier | M |
Muir spier na nor fear na | C |
Auld age ne'er mind a feg | F |
The last o't the warst o't | L |
Is only but to beg | F |
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III | A |
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To lie in kilns and barns at e'en | C |
When banes are craz'd and bluid is thin | C |
Is doubtless great distress | G |
Yet then content could make us blest | L |
Ev'n then sometimes we'd snatch a taste | L |
O' truest happiness | N |
The honest heart that's free frae a' | O |
Intended fraud or guile | B |
However Fortune kick the ba' | P |
Has ay some cause to smile | B |
And mind still you'll find still | B |
A comfort this nae sma' | D |
Nae mair then we'll care then | C |
Nae farther we can fa' | Q |
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IV | Q |
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What tho' like commoners of air | R |
We wander out we know not where | R |
But either house or hall | B |
Yet nature's charms the hills and woods | S |
The sweeping vales and foaming floods | T |
Are free alike to all | B |
In days when daisies deck the ground | L |
And blackbirds whistle clear | M |
With honest joy our hearts will bound | L |
To see the coming year | M |
On braes when we please then | C |
We'll sit and sowth a tune | C |
Syne rhyme till't we'll time till't | L |
And sing't when we hae done | C |
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V | L |
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It's no in titles nor in rank | F |
It's no in wealth like Lon'on bank | F |
To purchase peace and rest | L |
It's no in makin muckle mair | R |
It's no in books it's no in lear | M |
To make us truly blest | L |
If happiness hae not her seat | L |
And centre in the breast | L |
We may be wise or rich or great | L |
But never can be blest | L |
Nae treasures nor pleasures | U |
Could make us happy lang | F |
The heart ay's the part ay | O |
That makes us right or wrang | F |
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VI | Q |
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Think ye that sic as you and I | Q |
Wha drudge and drive thro' wet an' dry | Q |
Wi' never ceasing toil | B |
Think ye are we less blest than they | O |
Wha scarcely tent us in their way | O |
As hardly worth their while | B |
Alas how aft in haughty mood | L |
God's creatures they oppress | G |
Or else neglecting a' that's guid | L |
They riot in excess | G |
Baith careless and fearless | N |
Of either heaven or hell | B |
Esteeming and deeming | F |
It's a' an idle tale | B |
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VII | Q |
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Then let us cheerfu' acquiesce | G |
Nor make one scanty pleasures less | G |
By pining at our state | L |
And even should misfortunes come | D |
I here wha sit hae met wi' some | D |
An's thankfu' for them yet | L |
They gie the wit of age to youth | V |
They let us ken oursel' | B |
They make us see the naked truth | V |
The real guid and ill | B |
Tho' losses and crosses | W |
Be lessons right severe | M |
There's wit there ye'll get there | R |
Ye'll find nae other where | R |
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VIII | Q |
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But tent me Davie ace o' hearts | X |
To say aught less wad wrang the cartes | X |
And flatt'ry I detest | L |
This life has joys for you and I | Q |
And joys that riches ne'er could buy | Q |
And joys the very best | L |
There's a' the pleasures o' the heart | L |
The lover an' the frien' | C |
Ye hae your Meg your dearest part | L |
And I my darling Jean | C |
It warms me it charms me | L |
To mention but her name | D |
It heats me it beets me | L |
And sets me a' on flame | D |
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IX | X |
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O all ye pow'rs who rule above | Q |
O Thou whose very self art love | Q |
Thou know'st my words sincere | M |
The life blood streaming thro' my heart | L |
Or my more dear immortal part | L |
Is not more fondly dear | M |
When heart corroding care and grief | Q |
Deprive my soul of rest | L |
Her dear idea brings relief | Q |
And solace to my breast | L |
Thou Being All seeing | F |
O hear my fervent pray'r | Y |
Still take her and make her | I |
Thy most peculiar care | R |
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X | X |
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All hail ye tender feelings dear | M |
The smile of love the friendly tear | R |
The sympathetic glow | B |
Long since this world's thorny ways | X |
Had number'd out my weary days | X |
Had it not been for you | Z |
Fate still has blest me with a friend | L |
In every care and ill | B |
And oft a more endearing hand | L |
A tie more tender still | B |
It lightens it brightens | X |
The tenebrific scene | C |
To meet with and greet with | A2 |
My Davie or my Jean | C |
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XI | X |
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O how that name inspires my style | B |
The words come skelpin rank and file | B |
Amaist before I ken | C |
The ready measure rins as fine | C |
As Phoebus and the famous Nine | C |
Were glowrin owre my pen | C |
My spaviet Pegasus will limp | B2 |
'Till ance he's fairly het | L |
And then he'll hilch and stilt and jimp | B2 |
An' rin an unco fit | L |
But least then the beast then | C |
Should rue this hasty ride | L |
I'll light now and dight now | C |
His sweaty wizen'd hide | L |
Robert Burns
(1)
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