 | Poems and Essays of a Miscellaneous Character on Subjects of General Interest |  |
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What's a' the din? is Jonathan gane gyte?What ails the fallow, that he'll growl an' flyte,
An' shake his neive across the wide Atlantic,
Wi' glunchin' broo, an' mony a senseless antic?
Ne'er fash your thoom wi' us, my Yankee billy—
Thae blusterin' havers mak' ye unco silly;
Tak' tent, my man, ye're needfu' o' a skelpin',
For, gudeness kens, ye're never o'er the yelpin'.
Steek up your gab, ye wild, camstrarie laddie,
Nae mair yaff yaffin' at your British daddie;
I think ye micht hae ither tow tae tease,
When baith the North and South are in a bleeze.
A fleesome sight, atweel, tae a' the warl'—
Wi' friens that wish ye weel ye soudna quarrel—
For Britain, frae her cozie islan' dwallin',
Will naither mak' nor meddle wi' ye, callan.
Ye're no that unco steive in limb an' lith;
Ye're scrimpit baith in courage, sense, an' pith;
Langsyne ye gat yer legs out o'er the harrows,
Sin'syne ye think ye hae nae mony marrows.
But len' yer lugs, and dinna bounce and bark—
Ye needna tear your hair nor rive your sark—
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They'd gart ye keep your place an' cou't your pride.
Your sangs o' liberty are bosh an' tee-dum;
It wad be better baith for you an' freedom
If ye had ne'er cut up the auld connection,
Nor snool't tae democratic mob direction.
Ye'll ne'er hae peace until ye get a king—
A coup d' etat for you's the vera thing;
There's Nap. the Third, wha whamel't bluidy France,
An' hauds her doon—had ane like him the chance,
He'd grip the reins, wi' bit an' bridle haud ye,
An' should ye rear or kick, he'd whip an' daud ye.
An' gif ye maun be sodgers, he will learn ye—
But ye'll needs dae his biddin', min' I warn ye;
For fock that canna guide nor rule themsel',
Should hae a ruler strong, an' stern, an' snell.
| Poems and Essays of a Miscellaneous Character on Subjects of General Interest | |