 | Poems by the late John Bethune |  |
SELFISHNESS.
Since first I set a fit on earth—
And mony a ane I've paidled,
Between auld Cupar toun and Perth,
Unbridled and unsaddled—
And mony a ane I've paidled,
Between auld Cupar toun and Perth,
Unbridled and unsaddled—
236
Whare'er I set my waefu' face
Upon the land that bore me,
The sisters, Greed and Selfishness,
Were trottin' aye before me.
Upon the land that bore me,
The sisters, Greed and Selfishness,
Were trottin' aye before me.
Trig active maidens baith appear'd,
And aften I hae seen them
Wi' Justice, an auld cripple carle,
Jog, jogging on between them.
And aften I hae seen them
Wi' Justice, an auld cripple carle,
Jog, jogging on between them.
His breeks were threadbare, and the knees
Were worn to perfect tatters;
His coat was plaister'd owre wi' grease,
And dow'd as ony hatter's.
Were worn to perfect tatters;
His coat was plaister'd owre wi' grease,
And dow'd as ony hatter's.
His shoon were weighty wooden clogs,
Through mony a mire they'd broden—
He lost his sword, his dirk, his brogues,
As far back as Culloden;
Through mony a mire they'd broden—
He lost his sword, his dirk, his brogues,
As far back as Culloden;
And bits of paper, ca'd “The Laws,”
Were now his last protection,
And aft he quoted verse and clause,
And chapter, page, and section;
Were now his last protection,
And aft he quoted verse and clause,
And chapter, page, and section;
His bannet braid hung owre his neck,
Sair sloutch'd, and scuff'd, and cloutit;
His back was bow'd, and like to break,
And low the body loutit.
Sair sloutch'd, and scuff'd, and cloutit;
His back was bow'd, and like to break,
And low the body loutit.
He stagger'd on between them twa,
And sair the limmers jogg'd him—
And aye when he was like to fa',
They elbow'd him, and flogg'd him;
And sair the limmers jogg'd him—
237
They elbow'd him, and flogg'd him;
And then the weigh-bauk in his hand,—
On week-day, or on Sunday,
Which ne'er a minute still did stand—
Jow'd sair at ilka jundy.
On week-day, or on Sunday,
Which ne'er a minute still did stand—
Jow'd sair at ilka jundy.
But though they kept him on his feet,
Yet nae gudewill they bore him;
And aye when they desired to meet,
They reakit round before him:
Yet nae gudewill they bore him;
And aye when they desired to meet,
They reakit round before him:
And though they were so near a-kin
In their refined embraces,
They aften clutch'd and peel'd the skin
Frae ane anither's faces.
In their refined embraces,
They aften clutch'd and peel'd the skin
Frae ane anither's faces.
Nor did the carle 'scape frae scaith
In the familiar grapple;
For aft the headstrong limmers, baith,
Were rivin' at his thrapple.
In the familiar grapple;
For aft the headstrong limmers, baith,
Were rivin' at his thrapple.
And ilka ane, baith man and wife,
Whae'er has heard or seen them,
Declares he leads an awfu' life,
O' tear an' wear between them.
Whae'er has heard or seen them,
Declares he leads an awfu' life,
O' tear an' wear between them.
| Poems by the late John Bethune | |