Holy Fair, The Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCACAD EDFDGAGHD ACACIJIJD CJCJGCKCD LMNCBABAD CAOAPCQCD RCRCKSKSD CCCCTACAD CCCCUCUCD VWVWKWKXD SAYACWCWD RARAZCZCD CSCSCCCCD AAAAAAAAD A2WB2WC2B2FFF CCCCCWCWF CCCCKSFSF BD2LE2IAIAF FFFFKCKCF CACACTF2TF FAFALALAF F2FF2FCCCCF G2SG2SCSCS

Upon a simmer Sunday mornA
When Nature's face is fairB
I walked forth to view the cornA
An' snuff the caller airB
The risin' sun owre Galston muirsC
Wi' glorious light was glintinA
The hares were hirplin down the furrsC
The lav'rocks they were chantinA
Fu' sweet that dayD
-
As lightsomely I glowr'd abroadE
To see a scene sae gayD
Three hizzies early at the roadF
Cam skelpin up the wayD
Twa had manteeles o' dolefu' blackG
But ane wi' lyart lininA
The third that gaed a wee a backG
Was in the fashion shiningH
Fu' gay that dayD
-
The twa appear'd like sisters twinA
In feature form an' claesC
Their visage wither'd lang an' thinA
An' sour as ony slaesC
The third cam up hap step an' lowpI
As light as ony lambieJ
An' wi' a curchie low did stoopI
As soon as e'er she saw meJ
Fu' kind that dayD
-
Wi' bonnet aff quoth I Sweet lassC
I think ye seem to ken meJ
I'm sure I've seen that bonie faceC
But yet I canna name yeJ
Quo' she an' laughin as she spakG
An' taks me by the han'sC
Ye for my sake hae gien the feckK
Of a' the ten comman'sC
A screed some dayD
-
My name is Fun your cronie dearL
The nearest friend ye haeM
An' this is Superstition hereN
An' that's HypocrisyC
I'm gaun to Mauchline Holy FairB
To spend an hour in daffinA
Gin ye'll go there you runkl'd pairB
We will get famous laughinA
At them this dayD
-
Quoth I With a' my heart I'll do'tC
I'll get my Sunday's sark onA
An' meet you on the holy spotO
Faith we'se hae fine remarkinA
Then I gaed hame at crowdie timeP
An' soon I made me readyC
For roads were clad frae side to sideQ
Wi' monie a wearie bodyC
In droves that dayD
-
Here farmers gash in ridin graithR
Gaed hoddin by their cottersC
There swankies young in braw braidclaithR
Are springin owre the guttersC
The lasses skelpin barefit thrangK
In silks an' scarlets glitterS
Wi' sweet milk cheese in mony a whangK
An' farls bak'd wi' butterS
Fu' crump that dayD
-
When by the plate we set our noseC
Weel heaped up wi' ha'penceC
A greedy glowr Black Bonnet throwsC
An' we maun draw our tippenceC
Then in we go to see the showT
On ev'ry side they're gath'rinA
Some carryin dails some chairs an' stoolsC
An' some are busy bleth'rinA
Right loud that dayD
-
-
-
Here some are thinkin on their sinsC
An' some upo' their claesC
Ane curses feet that fyl'd his shinsC
Anither sighs an' praysC
On this hand sits a chosen swatchU
Wi' screw'd up grace proud facesC
On that a set o' chaps at watchU
Thrang winkin on the lassesC
To chairs that dayD
-
O happy is that man and blestV
Nae wonder that it pride himW
Whase ain dear lass that he likes bestV
Comes clinkin down beside himW
Wi' arm repos'd on the chair backK
He sweetly does compose himW
Which by degrees slips round her neckK
An's loof upon her bosomX
Unken'd that dayD
-
Now a' the congregation o'erS
Is silent expectationA
For Moodie speels the holy doorY
Wi' tidings o' salvationA
Should Hornie as in ancient daysC
'Mang sons o' God present himW
The vera sight o' Moodie's faceC
To's ain het hame had sent himW
Wi' fright that dayD
-
Hear how he clears the points o' faithR
Wi' rattlin an' wi' thumpinA
Now meekly calm now wild in wrathR
He's stampin an' he's jumpinA
His lengthen'd chin his turn'd up snoutZ
His eldritch squeal and gesturesC
Oh how they fire the heart devoutZ
Like cantharidian plaistersC
On sic a dayD
-
But hark the tent has chang'd its voiceC
There's peace and rest nae langerS
For a' the real judges riseC
They canna sit for angerS
Smith opens out his cauld haranguesC
On practice and on moralsC
An' aff the godly pour in thrangsC
To gie the jars an' barrelsC
A lift that dayD
-
What signifies his barren shineA
Of moral pow'rs and reasonA
His English style an' gesture fineA
Are a' clean out o' seasonA
Like Socrates or AntonineA
Or some auld pagan heathenA
The moral man he does defineA
But ne'er a word o' faith inA
That's right that dayD
-
In guid time comes an antidoteA2
Against sic poison'd nostrumW
For Peebles frae the water fitB2
Ascends the holy rostrumW
See up he's got the word o' GodC2
An' meek an' mim has view'd itB2
While Common Sense has ta'en the roadF
An's aff an' up the CowgateF
Fast fast that dayF
-
Wee Miller niest the Guard relievesC
An' Orthodoxy raiblesC
Tho' in his heart he weel believesC
An' thinks it auld wives' fablesC
But faith the birkie wants a ManseC
So cannilie he hums themW
Altho' his carnal wit an' senseC
Like hafflins wise o'ercomes himW
At times that dayF
-
Now butt an' ben the change house fillsC
Wi' yill caup commentatorsC
Here's cryin out for bakes an gillsC
An' there the pint stowp clattersC
While thick an' thrang an' loud an' langK
Wi' logic an' wi' ScriptureS
They raise a din that in the endF
Is like to breed a ruptureS
O' wrath that dayF
-
Leeze me on drink it gies us mairB
Than either school or collegeD2
It kindles wit it waukens learL
It pangs us fou o' knowledgeE2
Be't whisky gill or penny wheepI
Or ony stronger potionA
It never fails on drinkin deepI
To kittle up our notionA
By night or dayF
-
The lads an' lasses blythely bentF
To mind baith saul an' bodyF
Sit round the table weel contentF
An' steer about the toddyF
On this ane's dress an' that ane's leukK
They're makin observationsC
While some are cozie i' the neukK
An' forming assignationsC
To meet some dayF
-
But now the Lord's ain trumpet toutsC
Till a' the hills rae rairinA
An' echoes back return the shoutsC
Black Russell is na sparinA
His piercing words like highlan' swordsC
Divide the joints an' marrowT
His talk o' hell whare devils dwellF2
Our vera sauls does harrowT
Wi' fright that dayF
-
A vast unbottom'd boundless pitF
Fill'd fou o' lowin brunstaneA
Whase ragin flame an' scorching heatF
Wad melt the hardest whun staneA
The half asleep start up wi' fearL
An' think they hear it roarinA
When presently it does appearL
'Twas but some neibor snorinA
Asleep that dayF
-
'Twad be owre lang a tale to tellF2
How mony stories pastF
An' how they crouded to the yillF2
When they were a' dismistF
How drink gaed round in cogs an' caupsC
Amang the furms an' benchesC
An' cheese and bred frae women's lapsC
Was dealt about in lunchesC
An' dauds that dayF
-
In comes a gausie gash guidwifeG2
An' sits down by the fireS
Syne draws her kebbuck an' her knifeG2
The lasses they are shyerS
The auld guidmen about the graceC
Frae side to side they botherS
Till some ane by his bonnet laysC
And gi'es them't like a tetherS
-

Robert Burns



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