The Twa Herds: Or, The Holy Tulzie. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAAAAA BBBCBC CCCDCD BBBBBB EEEBEB BBBDBD CCCBCB FFFDFD BBBDBD BCBBBB BBBGBG HIJACA KLLMLM CCCDCD AAAAAA AAABAB AAANAL| O a' ye pious godly flocks | A |
| Weel fed on pastures orthodox | A |
| Wha now will keep you frae the fox | A |
| Or worrying tykes | A |
| Or wha will tent the waifs and crocks | A |
| About the dykes | A |
| - | |
| The twa best herds in a' the wast | B |
| That e'er ga'e gospel horn a blast | B |
| These five and twenty simmers past | B |
| O dool to tell | C |
| Ha'e had a bitter black out cast | B |
| Atween themsel | C |
| - | |
| O Moodie man and wordy Russell | C |
| How could you raise so vile a bustle | C |
| Ye'll see how New Light herds will whistle | C |
| And think it fine | D |
| The Lord's cause ne'er got sic a twistle | C |
| Sin' I ha'e min' | D |
| - | |
| O sirs whae'er wad ha'e expeckit | B |
| Your duty ye wad sae negleckit | B |
| Ye wha were ne'er by lairds respeckit | B |
| To wear the plaid | B |
| But by the brutes themselves eleckit | B |
| To be their guide | B |
| - | |
| What flock wi' Moodie's flock could rank | E |
| Sae hale and hearty every shank | E |
| Nae poison'd sour Arminian stank | E |
| He let them taste | B |
| Frae Calvin's well ay clear they drank | E |
| O sic a feast | B |
| - | |
| The thummart wil' cat brock and tod | B |
| Weel kend his voice thro' a' the wood | B |
| He smelt their ilka hole and road | B |
| Baith out and in | D |
| And weel he lik'd to shed their bluid | B |
| And sell their skin | D |
| - | |
| What herd like Russell tell'd his tale | C |
| His voice was heard thro' muir and dale | C |
| He kend the Lord's sheep ilka tail | C |
| O'er a' the height | B |
| And saw gin they were sick or hale | C |
| At the first sight | B |
| - | |
| He fine a mangy sheep could scrub | F |
| Or nobly fling the gospel club | F |
| And New Light herds could nicely drub | F |
| Or pay their skin | D |
| Could shake them o'er the burning dub | F |
| Or heave them in | D |
| - | |
| Sic twa O do I live to see't | B |
| Sic famous twa should disagreet | B |
| An' names like villain hypocrite | B |
| Ilk ither gi'en | D |
| While New Light herds wi' laughin' spite | B |
| Say neither's liein' | D |
| - | |
| An' ye wha tent the gospel fauld | B |
| There's Duncan deep and Peebles shaul | C |
| But chiefly thou apostle Auld | B |
| We trust in thee | B |
| That thou wilt work them hot and cauld | B |
| Till they agree | B |
| - | |
| Consider Sirs how we're beset | B |
| There's scarce a new herd that we get | B |
| But comes frae mang that cursed set | B |
| I winna name | G |
| I hope frae heav'n to see them yet | B |
| In fiery flame | G |
| - | |
| Dalrymple has been lang our fae | H |
| M'Gill has wrought us meikle wae | I |
| And that curs'd rascal call'd M'Quhae | J |
| And baith the Shaws | A |
| That aft ha'e made us black and blae | C |
| Wi' vengefu' paws | A |
| - | |
| Auld Wodrow lang has hatch'd mischief | K |
| We thought ay death wad bring relief | L |
| But he has gotten to our grief | L |
| Ane to succeed him | M |
| A chield wha'll soundly buff our beef | L |
| I meikle dread him | M |
| - | |
| And mony a ane that I could tell | C |
| Wha fain would openly rebel | C |
| Forbye turn coats amang oursel | C |
| There's Smith for ane | D |
| I doubt he's but a grey nick quill | C |
| An' that ye'll fin' | D |
| - | |
| O a' ye flocks o'er a' the hills | A |
| By mosses meadows moors and fells | A |
| Come join your counsel and your skills | A |
| To cow the lairds | A |
| And get the brutes the powers themsels | A |
| To choose their herds | A |
| - | |
| Then Orthodoxy yet may prance | A |
| And Learning in a woody dance | A |
| And that fell cur ca'd Common Sense | A |
| That bites sae sair | B |
| Be banish'd o'er the sea to France | A |
| Let him bark there | B |
| - | |
| Then Shaw's and Dalrymple's eloquence | A |
| M'Gill's close nervous excellence | A |
| M'Quhae's pathetic manly sense | A |
| And guid M'Math | N |
| Wi' Smith wha thro' the heart can glance | A |
| May a' pack aff | L |
Robert Burns
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation