SecondEpistletoDavie

secondepistletodavie

abrotherpoet

auldneibour,

i'mthreetimesdoublyo'eryourdebtor,

foryourauld-farrant,frien'lyletter;

tho'imaunsay'tidoubtyeflatter,

yespeaksaefair;

formypuir,silly,rhyminclatter

somelessmaunsair.

halebeyourheart,halebeyourfiddle,

langmayyourelbuckjinkdiddle,

tocheeryouthro'thewearywiddle

o'war'lycares;

tillbarins'barinskindlycuddle

yourauldgreyhairs.

butdavie,lad,i'mredye'reglaikit;

i'mtauldthemuseyehaenegleckit;

an,gifit'ssae,yesudbylickit

untilyefyke;

sichaun'sasyousudne'erbefaikit,

behain'twhalike.

forme,i'monparnassus'brink,

rivinthewordstogarthemclink;

whilesdazedwi'love,whilesdazedwi'drink,

wi'jadsormasons;

an'whiles,butayeowrelate,ithink

brawsoberlessons.

ofa'thethoughtlesssonso'man,

commen'tomethebardieclan;

exceptitbesomeidleplan

o'rhyminclink,

thedevilhaet,—thatisudban—

theyeverthink.

naethought,naeview,naeschemeo'livin,

naecarestogieusjoyorgrievin,

butjustthepouchieputtheneivein,

an'whileought'sthere,

then,hiltie,skiltie,wegaescrievin',

an'fashnaemair.

leezemeonrhyme!it'sayeatreasure,

mychief,amaistmyonlypleasure;

athame,a-fiel',atwark,orleisure,

themuse,poorhizzie!

tho'roughan'raplochbehermeasure,

she'sseldomlazy.

haudtothemuse,mydaintiedavie:

thewarl'mayplayyoumonyashavie;

butforthemuse,she'llneverleaveye,

tho'e'ersaepuir,

na,eventho'limpinwi'thespavie