To The Rev. John M'math. Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A BBBCDC EFEDED GGGGGG HIHJJJ GGGKGK GGGJGJ JJJGJG GGGLGL JJJMJN OPPGPG QQQPQP MMMJMJ JJJGJG GGGJGJ GGGDGD NRMPGP| Sept th | A |
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| While at the stook the shearers cow'r | B |
| To shun the bitter blaudin' show'r | B |
| Or in gulravage rinnin' scow'r | B |
| To pass the time | C |
| To you I dedicate the hour | D |
| In idle rhyme | C |
| - | |
| My musie tir'd wi' mony a sonnet | E |
| On gown an' ban' and douse black bonnet | F |
| Is grown right eerie now she's done it | E |
| Lest they should blame her | D |
| An' rouse their holy thunder on it | E |
| And anathem her | D |
| - | |
| I own 'twas rash an' rather hardy | G |
| That I a simple countra bardie | G |
| Shou'd meddle wi' a pack sae sturdy | G |
| Wha if they ken me | G |
| Can easy wi' a single wordie | G |
| Lowse hell upon me | G |
| - | |
| But I gae mad at their grimaces | H |
| Their sighin' cantin' grace proud faces | I |
| Their three mile prayers and hauf mile graces | H |
| Their raxin' conscience | J |
| Whase greed revenge an' pride disgraces | J |
| Waur nor their nonsense | J |
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| There's Gaun miska't waur than a beast | G |
| Wha has mair honour in his breast | G |
| Than mony scores as guid's the priest | G |
| Wha sae abus't him | K |
| An' may a bard no crack his jest | G |
| What way they've use't him | K |
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| See him the poor man's friend in need | G |
| The gentleman in word an' deed | G |
| An' shall his fame an' honour bleed | G |
| By worthless skellums | J |
| An' not a muse erect her head | G |
| To cowe the blellums | J |
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| O Pope had I thy satire's darts | J |
| To gie the rascals their deserts | J |
| I'd rip their rotten hollow hearts | J |
| An' tell aloud | G |
| Their jugglin' hocus pocus arts | J |
| To cheat the crowd | G |
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| God knows I'm no the thing I shou'd be | G |
| Nor am I even the thing I cou'd be | G |
| But twenty times I rather wou'd be | G |
| An atheist clean | L |
| Than under gospel colours hid be | G |
| Just for a screen | L |
| - | |
| An honest man may like a glass | J |
| An honest man may like a lass | J |
| But mean revenge an' malice fause | J |
| He'll still disdain | M |
| An' then cry zeal for gospel laws | J |
| Like some we ken | N |
| - | |
| They take religion in their mouth | O |
| They talk o' mercy grace an' truth | P |
| For what to gie their malice skouth | P |
| On some puir wight | G |
| An' hunt him down o'er right an' ruth | P |
| To ruin straight | G |
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| All hail Religion maid divine | Q |
| Pardon a muse sae mean as mine | Q |
| Who in her rough imperfect line | Q |
| Thus daurs to name thee | P |
| To stigmatize false friends of thine | Q |
| Can ne'er defame thee | P |
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| Tho' blotch'd an' foul wi' mony a stain | M |
| An' far unworthy of thy train | M |
| With trembling voice I tune my strain | M |
| To join with those | J |
| Who boldly daur thy cause maintain | M |
| In spite o' foes | J |
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| In spite o' crowds in spite o' mobs | J |
| In spite of undermining jobs | J |
| In spite o' dark banditti stabs | J |
| At worth an' merit | G |
| By scoundrels even wi' holy robes | J |
| But hellish spirit | G |
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| O Ayr my dear my native ground | G |
| Within thy presbyterial bound | G |
| A candid lib'ral band is found | G |
| Of public teachers | J |
| As men as Christians too renown'd | G |
| An' manly preachers | J |
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| Sir in that circle you are nam'd | G |
| Sir in that circle you are fam'd | G |
| An' some by whom your doctrine's blam'd | G |
| Which gies you honour | D |
| Even Sir by them your heart's esteem'd | G |
| An' winning manner | D |
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| Pardon this freedom I have ta'en | N |
| An' if impertinent I've been | R |
| Impute it not good Sir in ane | M |
| Whase heart ne'er wrang'd ye | P |
| But to his utmost would befriend | G |
| Ought that belang'd ye | P |
Robert Burns
(1)
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