The Gaberlunzie's Walk Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD EBFBGDFBHBIJKK J AKCLEM LCNC CCOCFCLCCJK J OCN LOCOOOPQEEJJCCRREEOO NNSTCCOOCCCOOOOOEECC OOCCOOJJJOO J| The Laird is dead the laird is dead | A |
| An' dead is cousin John | B |
| His henchmen ten an' his sax merrie men | C |
| Forbye the steward's son | D |
| - | |
| - | |
| An' his ain guid gray that he strode sae gay | E |
| When hunt was up an' on | B |
| An' the win' blew fair an' the grews pu'd sair | F |
| An' dawn was on Maol don | B |
| An' the skeigh steeds neigh'd an' the slot hounds bay'd | G |
| An' up gaed the mornin' sun | D |
| An' awa' gaed the deer wi' the merrie men's cheer | F |
| Awa' owre the auld Maol don | B |
| An' awa' wi' a shout ran the rabble an' the rout | H |
| An' awa' rode cousin John | B |
| Wi' his horn his horn thro' the merry merry morn | I |
| His hunter's horn sae shrill | J |
| An' 't was 'Ho heigho hereawa' | K |
| Hereawa' hereawa' | K |
| Ho heigho hereawa' ' | - |
| A' roun' the hill | J |
| - | |
| - | |
| Walie walie they're a' gane dead | A |
| A' owre the seas an' awa' | K |
| The laird an' his men the sax an' the ten | C |
| They gaed to fight and to fa' | L |
| An' walie an' wae an' hech the weary day | E |
| The laird is dead an' a' | M |
| - | |
| - | |
| A' in ae grave by the margent o' the wave | L |
| Thegither they lay doun | C |
| Sax feet deep where dead men sleep | N |
| A' i' the faeman's grun' | C |
| - | |
| - | |
| Foremost i' the van wi' his bagpipes i' his han' | C |
| The steward's ae braw son | C |
| An' next the young laird gin the guid Lord had spared | O |
| A' as he led them on | C |
| Wi' his bonnie brow bare an' his lang fair hair | F |
| An' his bluidy braid sword drawn | C |
| An' hard by his chief that in life was sae lief | L |
| In death cam cousin John | C |
| Wi' his horn his horn thro' the merry merry morn | C |
| His hunter's horn sae shrill | J |
| When 't was 'Ho heigho hereawa' | K |
| Hereawa' hereawa' ' | - |
| Ho heigho hereawa' ' | - |
| A' roun' the hill | J |
| - | |
| - | |
| Gin ony uphauld the young Laird lies cauld | O |
| An' cauld lies cousin John | C |
| Sax feet deep as dead men sleep | N |
| A' i' the faeman's grun ' | - |
| A' in ae grave by the margent o' the wave | L |
| Where doun they lay that day | O |
| Wi' the henchmen ten an' the sax merrie men | C |
| Ask the gaberlunzie gray | O |
| Step an' step step an' step gaed the gaberlunzie gray | O |
| Faint an lame wi' empty wame he hirples on his way | O |
| Step an' step step an' step an' owre the hill maun he | P |
| His head is bent his pipe is brent he has na a bawbee | Q |
| Step an' step step an' step he totters thro' the mirk | E |
| He hears the fox amang the cocks the houlet by the kirk | E |
| Step an' step step an' step an' as he climbs the hill | J |
| The auld auld moon is gaun doun the nicht grows cauld an' still | J |
| The breathin' kye aroun' him lie the ingle light is gane | C |
| He wakes the yowes amang the knowes an' still he gangs his lane | C |
| His slow steps rouse the blethrin' grouse the peewit fa's an' squeals | R |
| The nicht goat bleats amang the peats an' still he speils an' speils | R |
| Step an' step step an' step an' up the craigie stark | E |
| An' mony a stane ane after ane gangs snirtlin' doun the dark | E |
| Step an' step step an' step that gaberlunzie gray | O |
| A' win's seem tint far far ahint as he gangs on his way | O |
| He hears the burn amang the fern he hears the stoatie cheep | N |
| He hears the rustle an' flit an' fussle as the kae shifts her roost in her sleep | N |
| Step an' step step an' step he gangs wi' troubled breath | S |
| He feels the silence a' aboon he feels the warl beneath | T |
| Wheet an' wheet about his feet the startit mousie ran | C |
| An' as he gaes his riskin' claes aye gar him start an' stan' | C |
| An' as he stan's wi' knotted han's an' leans his chitterin' head | O |
| He hears the sod his steps have trod a tirlin' to his tread | O |
| An' crisp foot fa' an' sibblin sma' o' stealthy cony crappin' | C |
| An' click o' bat aboon his hat like fairy fingers snappin' | C |
| An' ilka yird that ticked an' stirred where swairdie there is nae | C |
| As elfin shools the tittlin' mools gar'd rinkle doun the brae | O |
| An' safter soun' alang the groun' the grass taps thro' an' thro' | O |
| Gin owre the fiel's the wee bit chiel's were dealin' out the dew | O |
| Step an' step step an' step an' hech his freezin' bluid | O |
| He gaes into the silence as ane gaes into a wood | O |
| The mair the height mair still the nicht an' faster did he gang | E |
| Step an' step an' then a step an' he listens hard an' lang | E |
| He listens twice he listens thrice but why he disna ken | C |
| His cauld skin skeared an' clipped his beard he stops an' lists agen | C |
| There's somethin' creepin' thro' his banes there's somethin' stirs his hair | O |
| 'Tis mair than use he canna choose he listens ten times mair | O |
| He pits his pack fra his auld back he sits him on a stane | C |
| His eyelids fa' he gapes his jaw an' harks wi' might an' main | C |
| The mair he list the mair uprist his gray locks wi' affright | O |
| Till ilka hair that he might wear was stiff an' stark upright | O |
| His sick heart stops the low moon drops the nicht is eerie chill | J |
| Wi' sudden shout the dead cry out like hunters at a kill | J |
| Full cry full cry the win's sweep by a horn a horn is shrill | J |
| An' 'tis 'Ho heigho hereawa' | O |
| Hereawa' hereawa' | O |
| Ho heigho hereawa' ' | - |
| A' roun' the hill | J |
Sydney Thompson Dobell
(1)
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