Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THIS SIDE AN' THAT, by GEORGE MACDONALD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THIS SIDE AN' THAT, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: The rich man sat in his father's seat
Last Line: Wi' the dogs I' this side, the angels o' that.
Subject(s): Wealth; Riches; Fortunes


A GODLY BALLANT.

THE rich man sat in his father's seat --
Purple an' linen, and a' thing fine!
The puir man lay at his gate i' the street --
Sairs an' tatters, an' weary pine!

To the rich man's table ilk dainty comes;
Mony a morsel gaed frae't, or fell;
The puir man fain wad hae dined on the crumbs,
But whether he got them I canna tell.

Servants quate, saft-fittit, an' stoot,
Stan' by the rich man's curtain'd doors;
Maisterless dogs that rin about,
Cam to the puir man an' lickit his sores.

The rich man dee'd, an' they buried him gran';
In linen fine his body they wrap;
But the angels tuik up the beggar man,
An' laid him doon in Abraham's lap.

The guid upo' this side, the ill upo' that --
Sic was the rich man's waesome fa';
But his brithers they eat, an' they drink, an' they chat,
An' carena a straw for their father's ha'.

The trowth's the trowth, think what ye will;
An' some they kenna what they wad be at;
But the beggar man thocht he did no that ill,
Wi' the dogs i' this side, the angels o' that.





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