Holy Willie's Prayer Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBBCBC DDDEDE FFFGFH BBBIBI BBBJBJ KKKLMN OOOFOF PPQMPM BMRMMM FFFSFT UUULUV MMMUMU MMMUMU FFFWFW LLLMLM FFFFFF| 'And send the godly in a pet to pray ' Pope | A |
| - | |
| O Thou that in the heavens does dwell | B |
| Wha as it pleases best Thysel' | B |
| Sends ane to heaven an' ten to hell | B |
| A' for Thy glory | C |
| And no for onie guid or ill | B |
| They've done afore Thee | C |
| - | |
| I bless and praise Thy matchless might | D |
| When thousands Thou hast left in night | D |
| That I am here afore Thy sight | D |
| For gifts an' grace | E |
| A burning and a shining light | D |
| To a' this place | E |
| - | |
| What was I or my generation | F |
| That I should get sic exaltation | F |
| I wha deserv'd most just damnation | F |
| For broken laws | G |
| Sax thousand years ere my creation | F |
| Thro' Adam's cause | H |
| - | |
| When from my mither's womb I fell | B |
| Thou might hae plung'd me deep in hell | B |
| To gnash my gooms and weep and wail | B |
| In burnin lakes | I |
| Where daned devils roar and yell | B |
| Chain'd to their stakes | I |
| - | |
| Yet I am here a chosen sample | B |
| To show thy grace is great and ample | B |
| I'm here a pillar o' Thy temple | B |
| Strong as a rock | J |
| A guide a buckler and example | B |
| To a' Thy flock | J |
| - | |
| O Lord Thou kens what zeal I bear | K |
| When drinkers drink an' swearers swear | K |
| An' sining here an' dancin there | K |
| Wi great and sma' | L |
| For I am keepit by Thy fear | M |
| Free frae them a' | N |
| - | |
| But yet O Lord confess I must | O |
| At times I'm fash'd wi' fleshly lust | O |
| An' sometimes too in warldly trust | O |
| Vile self gets in | F |
| But Thou remembers we are dust | O |
| Defil'd wi' sin | F |
| - | |
| O Lord yestreen Thou kens wi' Meg | P |
| Thy pardon I sincerely beg | P |
| O may't ne'er be a livin plague | Q |
| To my dishonour | M |
| An' I'll ne'er lift a lawless leg | P |
| Again upon her | M |
| - | |
| Besides I farther maun allow | B |
| Wi' Leezie's lass three times I trow | M |
| But Lord that Friday I was fou | R |
| When I cam near her | M |
| Or else Thou kens Thy servant true | M |
| Wad never steer her | M |
| - | |
| Maybe Thou lets this fleshly thorn | F |
| Buffet Thy servant e'en and morn | F |
| Lest he owre proud and high shou'd turn | F |
| That he's sae gifted | S |
| If sae Thy han' maun e'en be borne | F |
| Until Thou lift it | T |
| - | |
| Lord mind Gaw'n Hamilton's deserts | U |
| He drinks an' swears an' plays at cartes | U |
| Yet has sae mony takin arts | U |
| Wi' great and sma' | L |
| Frae God's ain priest the people's hearts | U |
| He steals awa | V |
| - | |
| An' when we chasten'd him therefor | M |
| Thou kens how he bred sic a splore | M |
| An' set the warld in a roar | M |
| O' laughing at us | U |
| Curse Thou his basket and his store | M |
| Kail an' potatoes | U |
| - | |
| Lord hear my earnest cry and pray'r | M |
| Against that Presbyt'ry o' Ayr | M |
| Thy strong right hand Lord make it bare | M |
| Upo' their heads | U |
| Lord visit them an' dinna spare | M |
| For their misdeeds | U |
| - | |
| O Lord my God that glib tongu'd Aiken | F |
| My vera heart and flesh are quakin | F |
| To think how we stood sweatin shakin | F |
| An' p 'd wi' dread | W |
| While he wi' hingin lip an' snakin | F |
| Held up his head | W |
| - | |
| Lord in Thy day o' vengeance try him | L |
| Lord visit them wha did employ him | L |
| And pass not in Thy mercy by them | L |
| Nor hear them their pray'r | M |
| But for Thy people's sake destroy them | L |
| An' dinna spare | M |
| - | |
| But Lord remember me an' mine | F |
| Wi' mercies temporal and divine | F |
| That I for grace an' gear may shine | F |
| Excell'd by nane | F |
| And a' the glory shall be thine | F |
| Amen Amen | F |
Robert Burns
(1)
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