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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TO THE TRON-KIRK BELL, by ROBERT FERGUSSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Wanwordy, crazy, dinsome thing Last Line: Has got his due.' Alternate Author Name(s): Ferguson, Robert Subject(s): Bells | |||
WANWORDY, crazy, dinsome thing, As e'er was fram'd to jow or ring, What gar'd them sic in steeple hing They ken themsel', But weel wat I they couldna bring War sounds frae hell. What de'il are ye? that I should bann, Your neither kin to pat nor pan; Nor ugly pig, nor maister-cann, But weel may gie Mair pleasure to the ear o'man Than stroke o' thee. Fleece merchants may look bald, I trow, Since a' Auld Reikie's childer now Maun stap their lugs wi' teats o' woo, Thy sound to bang, And keep it frae gawn thro' and thro' Wi' jarrin' twang. Your noisy tongue, there's nae abideint: Like scaulding wife's, there is nae guideint: Whan I'm 'bout ony bus'ness eident, It's sair to thole; To deave me, than, ye tak' a pride in't Wi' senseless knoll. O! war I provost o' the town, I swear by a' the pow'rs aboon, I'd bring ye wi' a reesle down; Nor shud you think (Sae sair I'd crack and clour your crown) Again to clink. For whan I've toom'd the muckle cap, An' fain wad fa' owr in a nap, Troth I could doze as soun's a tap, Wer't na for thee, That gies the tither weary chap To waukin me. I dreamt ae night I saw Auld Nick; Quo he, 'this bell o' mine's a trick, A wylie piece o' politic, A cunnin' snare To trap fock in a cloven stick, Ere they're aware. 'As lang's my dautit bell hings there, A' body at the kirk will skair; Quo they, gif he that preaches there Like it can wound, We douna care a single hair For joyfu' sound.' If magistrates wi' me wud' gree, For ay tongue-tackit shud you be, Nor fleg wi' anti-melody Sic honest fock, Whase lugs were never made to dree Thy doolfu' shock. But far frae thee the bailies dwell, Or they wud scunner at your knell, Gie the foul thief his riven bell, And than, I trow, The by-word hads, 'the de'il himsel' Has got his due.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 3. FEEDING THE RABBITS by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG AND WOLF: 4. THE HOUR BETWEEN DOG by LAURE-ANNE BOSSELAAR THE HOURS; FOR INGRID ERHARDT, 1951-1971 by NORMAN DUBIE SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: J. MILTON MILES by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE SPIRE CRANES by DYLAN THOMAS KING DAVID by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET VICTORY BELLS by GRACE HAZARD CONKLING THE BELL by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES BRAID CLAITH by ROBERT FERGUSSON THE DAFT DAYS by ROBERT FERGUSSON A DRINK ECLOGUE: LANDLADY, BRANDY AND WHISKY by ROBERT FERGUSSON |
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