The Five Carlins: An Election Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCB BDAD AEFE GHIH JKLK CMNO NOFP QRCR JMSM AFCF FTUT FJFJ AHAH SKAV JWQX DXQW JBWB OWYW OZSP A2QWQ FB2MC2 BBWB TJWJTHERE was five Carlins in the South | A |
They fell upon a scheme | B |
To send a lad to London town | C |
To bring them tidings hame | B |
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Nor only bring them tidings hame | B |
But do their errands there | D |
And aiblins gowd and honor baith | A |
Might be that laddie's share | D |
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There was Maggy by the banks o' Nith | A |
A dame wi' pride eneugh | E |
And Marjory o' the mony Lochs | F |
A Carlin auld and teugh | E |
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And blinkin Bess of Annandale | G |
That dwelt near Solway side | H |
And whisky Jean that took her gill | I |
In Galloway sae wide | H |
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And auld black Joan frae Crichton Peel | J |
O' gipsy kith an' kin | K |
Five wighter Carlins were na found | L |
The South countrie within | K |
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To send a lad to London town | C |
They met upon a day | M |
And mony a knight and mony a laird | N |
This errand fain wad gae | O |
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O mony a knight and mony a laird | N |
This errand fain wad gae | O |
But nae ane could their fancy please | F |
O ne'er a ane but twae | P |
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The first ane was a belted Knight | Q |
Bred of a Border band | R |
And he wad gae to London town | C |
Might nae man him withstand | R |
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And he wad do their errands weel | J |
And meikle he wad say | M |
And ilka ane about the court | S |
Wad bid to him gude day | M |
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The neist cam in a Soger youth | A |
Who spak wi' modest grace | F |
And he wad gae to London town | C |
If sae their pleasure was | F |
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He wad na hecht them courtly gifts | F |
Nor meikle speech pretend | T |
But he wad hecht an honest heart | U |
Wad ne'er desert his friend | T |
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Now wham to chuse and wham refuse | F |
At strife thir Carlins fell | J |
For some had Gentlefolks to please | F |
And some wad please themsel' | J |
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Then out spak mim mou'd Meg o' Nith | A |
And she spak up wi' pride | H |
And she wad send the Soger youth | A |
Whatever might betide | H |
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For the auld Gudeman o' London court | S |
She didna care a pin | K |
But she wad send the Soger youth | A |
To greet his eldest son | V |
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Then up sprang Bess o' Annandale | J |
And a deadly aith she's ta'en | W |
That she wad vote the Border Knight | Q |
Though she should vote her lane | X |
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For far off fowls hae feathers fair | D |
And fools o' change are fain | X |
But I hae tried the Border Knight | Q |
And I'll try him yet again | W |
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Says black Joan frae Crichton Peel | J |
A Carlin stoor and grim | B |
The auld Gudeman or young Gudeman | W |
For me may sink or swim | B |
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For fools will prate o' right or wrang | O |
While knaves laugh them to scorn | W |
But the Soger's friends hae blawn the best | Y |
So he shall bear the horn | W |
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Then whisky Jean spak owre her drink | O |
Ye weel ken kimmers a' | Z |
The auld gudeman o' London court | S |
His back's been at the wa' | P |
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And mony a friend that kiss'd his caup | A2 |
Is now a fremit wight | Q |
But it's ne'er be said o' whisky Jean | W |
We'll send the Border Knight | Q |
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Then slow raise Marjory o' the Lochs | F |
And wrinkled was her brow | B2 |
Her ancient weed was russet gray | M |
Her auld Scots bluid was true | C2 |
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There's some great folk set light by me | B |
I set as light by them | B |
But I will send to London town | W |
Wham I like best at hame | B |
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Sae how this mighty plea may end | T |
Nae mortal wight can tell | J |
God grant the King and ilka man | W |
May look weel to himsel | J |
Robert Burns
(1)
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