Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WINTER, by JANET HAMILTON Poet's Biography First Line: Loud blaw the wild an' wintry win's Last Line: To help puir, needfu' workin' men. Alternate Author Name(s): Hamilton, Janet Thompson Subject(s): Winter | ||||||||
LOUD blaw the wild an' wintry win's, Wi' eerie howl an' angry thud, Wi' blatterin' rain, an' rattlin' hail, Loud roarin' thro' the naked wud. The driftin' rack o' laigh-hung clouds Is drivin' ower the murky lift; The day is dune ere weel begun, Syne comes the e'enin's cheerfu' thrift. Red rows the burn frae bank to brae; The dowie banks are screenge't and bare; The flow'ris are deid, the birdies dumb There's no a cheep in a' the air. The lea is wallow't, bleach't, an' bare; The leafless thorn is red wi' haws; An' on the fiel's o' brairdin' wheat Comes souffin' doun the hungry craws. Thro' driftin' snaw an' blashie sleet Puir bodies wade, an' grue, an' grane; Then comes the white-pow'd warlock frost, An' a' he touches turns to stane. The curlers ply the "roarin' play," An' rinks are made, an' wagers ta'en; An' loch an' muir are ringin' roun' Wi' echoes o' the curlin' stane. At lown dyke backs the cowrin' nowte Ha'e biel't them frae the sleety blast That soops frae doon the snaw-tapp't hills A hafflins thaw is come at last. O! wae's me for the fo'k that dree Cauld poortith an' her mony waes, Wha seldom, e'en in winter time, Are fill't wi' meat, or hap't wi' claes Ha'e scarce a spunk o' fire to warm Their chitterin' bairnies' fingers red; Ha'e ne'er a shoe to fend their feet, An' scarce a blanket on the bed; A wee drap parritch, naething mair, But taties an' a pickle saut; A wee bit bread at orra times, But nocht that comes o' beef or maut. O! I ha'e ken'dI ken e'en now O' hames to whilk a mither's care Has brocht contentment wi' sic lot For mither's love, an' God's, war there! O ye wha ha'e o' warl's gear Mair than ye need or wish to spen'! Let Winter's cauld juist warm yer hearts To help puir, needfu' workin' men. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LOOKING EAST IN THE WINTER by JOHN HOLLANDER WINTER DISTANCES by FANNY HOWE WINTER FORECAST by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN AT WINTER'S EDGE by JUDY JORDAN CHAMBER MUSIC: 34 by JAMES JOYCE A BALLAD FOUNDED ON A REAL INCIDENT WHICH OCCURED IN HIGH LIFE by JANET HAMILTON |
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