Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, WHA'S MY NEIBOR!, by GEORGE MACDONALD


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WHA'S MY NEIBOR!, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Doon frae jerus'lem a traveller took
Last Line: But wha am I neibor till?
Subject(s): Neighbors


DOON frae Jerus'lem a traveller took
The laigh road to Jericho;
It had an ill name an' mony a crook,
It was lang an unco howe.

Oot cam the robbers, an' fell on the man,
An' knockit him on the heid,
Took a' whauron they could lay their han',
An' left him nakit for deid.

By cam a minister o' the kirk:
"A sair mishanter," he cried;
"Wha kens whaur the villains may lirk?
I'se haud to the ither side."

By cam an elder o' the kirk,
Like a young horse he shied;
"Fie! there's a bonnie morning's wark!"
An' he sprang to the ither side.

By came ane gaed to the wrang kirk;
Douce he trotted alang;
"Puir body!" he cried, an' wi' a yerk,
Aff o' his cuddy he sprang.

He ran to the body, an' turn'd it owre:
"There's life i' the man," he cried;
He wasna ane to stan' an' glow'r,
Nor haud to the ither side.

He doctor'd his wounds an' heised him on
To the back o' the beastie douce;
An' held him on, till a weary man,
He langt at the half-way hoose.

He ten'd him a' nicht, an' at dawn o' day:
"Landlord, latna him lack;
Here's auchteen pence, an' ony mair outlay,
I'll settle as I come back."

Sae nae mair, neibors, say na the word,
Wi' hert aye arguin' an' chill;
Wha is the neibor to me, O Lord?
But wha am I neibor till?





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