The Poetry of Robert Burns Edited by William Ernest Henley and Thomas F. Henderson |
 | I. |
| 2. |
 | III. |
HAD I THE WYTE? |
| IV. |
 | The Poetry of Robert Burns |  |
HAD I THE WYTE?
I
Had I the wyte? had I the wyte?Had I the wyte? she bade me!
She watch'd me by the hie-gate side,
And up the loan she shaw'd me;
150
A coward loon she ca'd me!
Had Kirk and State been in the gate,
I'd lighted when she bade me.
II
Sae craftilie she took me benAnd bade me mak nae clatter:—
‘For our ramgunshoch, glum guidman
Is o'er ayont the water.’
Whae'er shall say I wanted grace
When I did kiss and dawte her,
Let him be planted in my place,
Syne say I was the fautor!
III
Could I for shame, could I for shame,Could I for shame refus'd her?
And wadna manhood been to blame
Had I unkindly used her?
He claw'd her wi' the ripplin-kame,
And blae and bluidy bruis'd her—
When sic a husband was frae hame,
What wife but wad excus'd her!
IV
I dighted ay her een sae blue,An' bann'd the cruel randy,
And, weel I wat, her willin mou'
Was sweet as sugarcandie.
151
I lighted—on the Monday,
But I cam thro' the Tyseday's dew
To wanton Willie's brandy.
| The Poetry of Robert Burns | |