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.