|
Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PENNY-A-YARD, by WILLIAM MCQUEEN (1841-) First Line: There's an auld wizzen'd figure Last Line: Penny-a-yard! Etc. | |||
THERE'S an auld wizzen'd figure That crawls alang the street, Wi' a coul upon his head, And wi' bauchles on his feet; He keeps ayont the kerb, And he croons until himsel', But the words come soughing saft, Like the echoes doon a well -- Penny-a-yard! penny-a-yard! Only a penny! penny-a-yard! Owre his shouthers and his duds Hang the proceeds o' his craft, Shining bricht against the rags, Like a ray on cob-webb'd laft, Fa'ing through a colour'd winnock; And they clink a treble part, To the low yet quaint refrain That seems welling from his heart; -- Penny-a-yard! etc. In half-text, upon his sleeve Preen'd, are words will mak' ye quail Gin ye're squeamish; for wi' stumpy He's a desperate haun to rail, At everything and ocht, In big words he canna spell; And he sweers some awfu' sweers When he's fou and disna' sell. Penny-a-yard! etc. For he drinks, the body, whyles -- 'Deed, as often as he can, Jist to prove he's no a beast, But a reasonable man. A thing micht else be dooted, As ye watch him creep alang, Dark and thrawn, unkempt and crooket, Tearing fiercely at his sang. Penny-a-yard! etc. He's a sair forfoughten body Even at the very best; He's a bit o' Auld St. Mungo If a bit o' an auld pest; And there's mony fouks wad miss him Should he cease to snooze alang Wi' his chains and wi' his pliers, And the burden o' his sang. Penny-a-yard! etc. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOHNNY'S GOT A BAWBEE by WILLIAM MCQUEEN (1841-) THE INN AT LOCH RANZA by WILLIAM MCQUEEN (1841-) THE STURDY BEGGAR by WILLIAM MCQUEEN (1841-) THE EARTH-CHILD IN THE GRASS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD THE ARABIAN SHAWL by KATHERINE MANSFIELD MY PRETTY ROSE TREE, FR. SONGS OF EXPERIENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE MARIA WENTWORTH by THOMAS CAREW A SHROPSHIRE LAD: 35 by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN A SPINNING SONG by JOHN FRANCIS O'DONNELL CHRISTMAS AT SEA by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON THE MERCHANT OF VENICE; A LEGEND OF ITALY by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM |
|