Classic and Contemporary Poetry
RHYMES FOR THE TIMES: 4. 1865, by JANET HAMILTON Poet's Biography First Line: Juist noo there are mony wha rin to an' fro Last Line: To the body?then what for the soul an' for heaven? Alternate Author Name(s): Hamilton, Janet Thompson Subject(s): Labor & Laborers; Money; Reform & Reformers; Work; Workers | ||||||||
JUIST noo there are mony wha rin to an' fro, An' knowledge increases, abune an' below; The yird's like a riddle, pits, tunnels, an' bores, Whaur bodies, like mowdies, by hunners an' scores Are houkin', an' holin', an' blastin' the rocks; An' droonin's an' burnin's, explosions an' shocks, An' a' ither meagries, amang us are rife; Oh, mony's the slain in the battle o' life! It's Mammon we worship, wi' graspin' an' greed, Wi' sailin' an' railin' at telegraph speed, Get gowd oot the ironstane, an' siller frae coal, An' thoosan's on thoosan's draw oot o' ae hole. Wi' oil shale aneath us, an' fire-warks abune, I think we'll tak' lowe, an' bleeze up to the mune. The kintra's contentit an' hale at the heart; That gleg birkie, Gladstone, has weel dune his part; Exchequer's big pouches o' siller are fu', An' mony's the taxes that's dune awa' noo; An' labour's weel paid, an' the flour an' the meal At a wanworthan' sae we micht fen unco weel. Oor Premier has promised to stan' for reform; The Fins an' the Yankees are brewin' a storm, They're swallin' an' frothin' wi' bunkum an' bosh, But they daurna come near oor bit islan' sae cosh. There's a bee in the bannet o' some o' the cloth, The Sabbath's the subject, an' wow but I'm wroth To see the blin' leaders lead blin' men awa', Till into the ditch they baith stummle an' fa'. "The soul is immortal," tak' that for a text, "The body is perishin'," tak' for the next; To whilk o' the twa shou'd the Sabbath be given? To the body?then what for the soul an' for heaven? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFTER WORKING SIXTY HOURS AGAIN FOR WHAT REASON by HICOK. BOB DAY JOB AND NIGHT JOB by ANDREW HUDGINS BIXBY'S LANDING by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON BUILDING WITH STONE by ROBINSON JEFFERS LINES FROM A PLUTOCRATIC POETASTER TO A DITCH-DIGGER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS IN CALIFORNIA: MORNING, EVENING, LATE JANUARY by DENISE LEVERTOV A BALLAD FOUNDED ON A REAL INCIDENT WHICH OCCURED IN HIGH LIFE by JANET HAMILTON |
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