EpistleToHughParker
epistletohughparker
inthisstrangeland,thisuncouthclime,
alandunknowntoproseorrhyme;
wherewordsne'ercross'tthemuse'sheckles,
norlimpitinpoeticshackles:
alandthatprosedidneverviewit,
exceptwhendrunkhestacher'tthro'it;
here,ambush'dbythechimlacheek,
hidinanatmosphereofreek,
ihearawheelthrumi'theneuk,
ihearit—forinvainileuk.
theredpeatgleams,afierykernel,
enhuskedbyafoginfernal:
here,formywontedrhymingraptures,
isitandcountmysinsbychapters;
forlifeandspunklikeitherchristians,
i'mdwindleddowntomereexistence,
wi'naeconversebutgallowa'bodies,
wi'naekenn'dfacebutjennygeddes,
jenny,mypegaseanpride!
dowieshesauntersdownnithside,
andayeawestlinleukshethrows,
whiletearshapo'erherauldbrownnose!
wasitforthis,wi'canniecare,
thouburethebardthroughmanyashire?
athowes,orhillocksneverstumbled,
andlateorearlynevergrumbled?—
ohadipowerlikeinclination,
i'dheezetheeupaconstellation,
tocanterwiththesagitarre,
orlouptheeclipticlikeabar;
orturnthepolelikeanyarrow;
or,whenauldphoebusbidsgood-morrow,
downthezodiacurgetherace,
andcastdirtonhisgodship'sface;
foricouldlaymybreadandkail
he'dne'ercastsautupo'thytail.—
wi'a'thiscareanda'thisgrief,
andsma',sma'prospectofrelief,
andnoughtbutpeatreeki'myhead,
howcaniwritewhatyecanread?—
tarbolton,twenty-fourtho'june,
ye'llfindmeinabettertune;
buttillwemeetandweetourwhistle,
takthisexcusefornaeepistle.
robertburns.