Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, EPISTLES BETWEEN ANDREW GRAY AND ROBERT FERGUSSON: TO R. FERGUSSON, by ANDREW GRAY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

EPISTLES BETWEEN ANDREW GRAY AND ROBERT FERGUSSON: TO R. FERGUSSON, by                    
First Line: Deer r.Ie'en man dip my pen, / but how to write I dinna ken
Last Line: Yours, andrew gray.
Subject(s): Letters; Poetry & Poets; Praise


Deer R. I e'en man dip my pen,
But how to write I dinna ken;
For learning, I got fint a grain,
To tell me how
To write to ony gentleman,
Sic like as you.

How blyth am I whan I do see
A piece o' your fine poetrie,
It gars me laugh fou merrilie,
Because there's nane
That gies sic great insight to me,
As yours itlane.

Trouth, Fergusson, I'm verry shier,
(Therefore I think I need na spier)
That ye dwalt anes abien the mier.
For ye do crack
The very sam way we do here
At Amond back.

Ye've English plain enough nae doubt,
And Latin too, but ye do suit
Your lines, to fock that's out about
'Mang hills and braes:
This is the thing that gars me shout
Sae loud your praise.

Gin ever ye come here awa,
I hope ye'll be sae gude as ca,
For Andrew Gray, at Whistle-ha,
The riddle macker,
About a riglength frae Coolsa,
Just o'er the water.

We's treat ye, lad, for doing sae weel,
Wi bannocks o' guid barley meal,
And wi as mony cabbage kail
As ye can tak:
And twa three chappins o' guid ale,
To gar ye crack.

Whan this ye see, tak up your pen
And write word back to me again:
And fou you are, mind lat me ken
Without delay;
To hear ye're weel, I'll be right fain;
Yours, Andrew Gray.





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