Second Epistle To J. Lapraik Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAABAB CDDEDE DDDFDF GHHHHH DDDDDD AAAHAH FFFIFI JJJKLM AAANAN FFFFFF HHHOHO PPPDPD HHHHHH HHHHHH PPPDPD PPPHPH QRQHQH DDDFDF| WHILE new ca'd kye rowte at the stake | A |
| An' pownies reek in pleugh or braik | A |
| This hour on e'enin's edge I take | A |
| To own I'm debtor | B |
| To honest hearted auld Lapraik | A |
| For his kind letter | B |
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| Forjesket sair with weary legs | C |
| Rattlin the corn out owre the rigs | D |
| Or dealing thro' amang the naigs | D |
| Their ten hours' bite | E |
| My awkart Muse sair pleads and begs | D |
| I would na write | E |
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| The tapetless ramfeezl'd hizzie | D |
| She's saft at best an' something lazy | D |
| Quo' she Ye ken we've been sae busy | D |
| This month an' mair | F |
| That trowth my head is grown right dizzie | D |
| An' something sair | F |
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| Her dowff excuses pat me mad | G |
| Conscience says I ye thowless jade | H |
| I'll write an' that a hearty blaud | H |
| This vera night | H |
| So dinna ye affront your trade | H |
| But rhyme it right | H |
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| Shall bauld Lapraik the king o' hearts | D |
| Tho' mankind were a pack o' cartes | D |
| Roose you sae weel for your deserts | D |
| In terms sae friendly | D |
| Yet ye'll neglect to shaw your parts | D |
| An' thank him kindly | D |
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| Sae I gat paper in a blink | A |
| An' down gaed stumpie in the ink | A |
| Quoth I Before I sleep a wink | A |
| I vow I'll close it | H |
| An' if ye winna mak it clink | A |
| By Jove I'll prose it | H |
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| Sae I've begun to scrawl but whether | F |
| In rhyme or prose or baith thegither | F |
| Or some hotch potch that's rightly neither | F |
| Let time mak proof | I |
| But I shall scribble down some blether | F |
| Just clean aff loof | I |
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| My worthy friend ne'er grudge an' carp | J |
| Tho' fortune use you hard an' sharp | J |
| Come kittle up your moorland harp | J |
| Wi' gleesome touch | K |
| Ne'er mind how Fortune waft and warp | L |
| She's but a bitch | M |
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| She 's gien me mony a jirt an' fleg | A |
| Sin' I could striddle owre a rig | A |
| But by the L d tho' I should beg | A |
| Wi' lyart pow | N |
| I'll laugh an' sing an' shake my leg | A |
| As lang's I dow | N |
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| Now comes the sax an' twentieth simmer | F |
| I've seen the bud upon the timmer | F |
| Still persecuted by the limmer | F |
| Frae year to year | F |
| But yet despite the kittle kimmer | F |
| I Rob am here | F |
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| Do ye envy the city gent | H |
| Behint a kist to lie an' sklent | H |
| Or pursue proud big wi' cent per cent | H |
| An' muckle wame | O |
| In some bit brugh to represent | H |
| A bailie's name | O |
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| Or is't the paughty feudal thane | P |
| Wi' ruffl'd sark an' glancing cane | P |
| Wha thinks himsel nae sheep shank bane | P |
| But lordly stalks | D |
| While caps and bonnets aff are taen | P |
| As by he walks | D |
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| O Thou wha gies us each guid gift | H |
| Gie me o' wit an' sense a lift | H |
| Then turn me if thou please adrift | H |
| Thro' Scotland wide | H |
| Wi' cits nor lairds I wadna shift | H |
| In a' their pride | H |
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| Were this the charter of our state | H |
| On pain o' hell be rich an' great | H |
| Damnation then would be our fate | H |
| Beyond remead | H |
| But thanks to heaven that's no the gate | H |
| We learn our creed | H |
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| For thus the royal mandate ran | P |
| When first the human race began | P |
| The social friendly honest man | P |
| Whate'er he be | D |
| 'Tis he fulfils great Nature's plan | P |
| And none but he | D |
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| O mandate glorious and divine | P |
| The ragged followers o' the Nine | P |
| Poor thoughtless devils yet may shine | P |
| In glorious light | H |
| While sordid sons o' Mammon's line | P |
| Are dark as night | H |
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| Tho' here they scrape an' squeeze an' growl | Q |
| Their worthless nievefu' of a soul | R |
| May in some future carcase howl | Q |
| The forest's fright | H |
| Or in some day detesting owl | Q |
| May shun the light | H |
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| Then may Lapraik and Burns arise | D |
| To reach their native kindred skies | D |
| And sing their pleasures hopes an' joys | D |
| In some mild sphere | F |
| Still closer knit in friendship's ties | D |
| Each passing year | F |
Robert Burns
(1)
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About Second Epistle To J. Lapraik
Second Epistle To J. Lapraik is a poem by Robert Burns. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
