Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MARRY FOR LOVE, by SANDY RODGER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MARRY FOR LOVE, by                    
First Line: When I and my jenny thegither were tied
Last Line: Wha married for love, and wha wrought for siller?
Subject(s): Love; Marriage; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


WHEN I and my Jenny thegither were tied,
We had but sma' share o' the world between us;
Yet lo'ed ither weel, and had youth on our side,
And strength and guid health were abundantly gi'en us;
I warsled and toil'd through the fair and the foul,
And she was right carefu' o' what I brought till her,
For aye we had mind o' the canny auld rule,
"Marry for love, and work for siller."

Our bairns they cam' thick -- we were thankfu' for that,
For the bit and the brattie cam' aye alang wi' them;
Our pan we exchanged for a guid muckle pat,
And somehow or ither, we aye had to gi'e them.
Our laddies grew up, and they wrought wi' mysel',
Ilk ane gat as buirdly and stout as a miller,
Our lasses they keepit us trig aye, and hale,
And now we can count a bit trifle o' siller.

But I and my Jenny are baith wearin' down,
And our lads and our lasses hae a' gotten married;
Yet see, we can rank wi' the best i' the town,
Though our noddles we never too haughtily carried.
And mark me -- I've now got a braw cockit hat,
And in our civic building am reckon'd a pillar;
Isna THAT a bit honour for ane to get at,
Wha married for love, and wha wrought for siller?





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