Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, JOHN GRUMLIE, by ALLAN CUNNINGHAM


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

JOHN GRUMLIE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: John grumlie swore by the light o' the moon
Last Line: And ye maun bide at hame.


John Grumlie swore by the light o' the moon
And the green leaf on the tree
That he could dae more wark in a day
Than his wife could dae in three.
His wife rose up in the morning
Wi' cares and troubles enow:
John Grumlie, bide at hame, John,
And I'll gae haud the plow.
Singing fal de lal lal de ral fal
Fal lal lal lal lal la
John Grumlie, bide at hame, John,
And I'll gae haud the plow.
First ye maun dress your children fair,
And put them a' in their gear,
And ye maun turn the maut, John,
Or else ye'll spoil the beer.
And ye maun reel the tweel, John,
That I span yesterday,
And ye maun ca' in the hens, John,
Else they'll a' lay away.
Oh, he did dress his children fair,
And he put them a' in their gear,
But he forgot to turn the maut
And so he spoiled the beer.
And he sang aloud as he ruled the tweel
That his wife span yesterday,
But he forgot to put up the hens,
And the hens a' laid away.
The hawkit crummie loot down nae milk,
He kirned, nor butter gat,
And a' gaed wrang and nocht gaed richt,
He danced wi' rage and grat.
Then up he ran to the heid o' the knowe
Wi' mony a wave and shout --
She heard him as she heard him not,
And steered the stots about.
John Grumlie's wife cam' hame at e'en
And laughed as she'd been mad,
When she saw the house in siccan a plight
And John sae glum and sad.
Quo' he, I gie up my housewife's kep,
I'll be nae mair guidwife.
Indeed, quo she, I'm weel content,
Ye may keep it the rest o' your life.
The deil be in that, quo' surly John,
I'll do as I've done before.
Wi' that the gudewife took up a stoot rung,
And John made aff to the door.
Stop, stop, gude wife, I'll haud my tongue,
I ken I'm sair to blame,
But henceforth I maun mind the plow,
And ye maun bide at hame.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net