Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, WHICH ANE, by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

WHICH ANE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Which ane, an' which ane
Last Line: Which sall it be?
Alternate Author Name(s): Johnson Of Boone, Benj. F.
Subject(s): Faith; Sailing & Sailors; Belief; Creed


WHICH ane, an' which ane,
An' which ane for thee? --
Here thou hast thy vera choice
An' which sall it be? --
Ye hae the Holy Brither,
An' ye hae the Scholarly;
An', last, ye hae the butt o' baith --
Which sall it be?

Ane's oot o' Edinborough,
Wi' the Beuk an' Gown;
An' ane's came frae Cambridge;
An' ane frae scaur an' down:
An' Deil tak the hindmaist!
Sae the test gaes roun':
An' here ye hae the lairdly twa,
An' ane frae scaur an' down.

Yon's Melancholy --
An' the pipes a-skirlin' --
Gangs limp an' droopet,
Like a coof at hirlin', --
Droopet aye his lang skirts
I' the wins unfurlin';
Yon's Melancholy --
An' the pipes a-skirlin'!

Which ane, an' which ane,
An' which ane for thee? --
Here thou hast thy vera choice:
An' which sall it be? --
Ye hae the Holy Brither,
An' ye hae the Scholarly;
An', last, ye hae the butt o' baith --
Which sall it be?

Elbuck ye'r bag, mon!
An' pipe as ye'd burst!
Can ye gie's a waur mon
E'en than the first? --
Be it Meister Wisemon,
I' the classics versed,
An' a slawer gait yet
E'en than the first?

Then gie us Merriment:
Loose him like a linnet
Teeterin' on a bloomin' spray --
We ken him i' the minute, --
Twinklin' is ane ee asklent,
Wi' auld Clootie in it --
Auld Sawney Lintwhite,
We ken him i' the minute!

An' which ane, an' which ane,
An' which ane for thee? --
For thou shalt hae thy vera choice,
An' which sall it be? --
Ye hae the Holy Brither,
An' ye hae the Scholarly;
A' last, ye hae the butt o' baith --
Which sall it be?





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