Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, COLIN DUNLAP, by SANDY RODGER



Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

COLIN DUNLAP, by                    
First Line: We're muckle obliged to ye, colin dunlap
Last Line: Is the prayer o' your weel-wisher, colin dunlap.
Subject(s): Hero And Leander


WE'RE muckle obliged to ye, Colin Dunlap,
We're muckle obliged to ye, Colin Dunlap,
Ye're truly a worthy auld patriot chap,
To enlighten you're country sae, Colin Dunlap.

Ye patronise lear, and ye propagate light,
To guide erring man in the way that is right;
Ne'er under a bushel your candle you clap,
But let it lowe openly, Colin Dunlap.

A burning and shining light close by the Clyde,
Illuming the country around, far an' wide;
Ye bleeze like a beacon upon a hill-tap --
A general benefit, Colin Dunlap.

Frank Jeffrey, and Chambers, and Brougham, and so forth,
Diffuse their cheap tracts to enlighten the earth;
Mony thanks to the chiels for this praiseworthy stap;
But mony mae thanks to you -- Colin Dunlap.

Your light unto me has been better than theirs;
For aye when in Glasgow at markets or fairs,
And daundering hame rather light in the tap,
Ye're a lamp to my feet, worthy Colin Dunlap.

The burns and the bog-holes, the dubs and the dykes,
The howes and the humplocks, the sheuchs and the sykes,
And ilk thing 'gainst whilk my heid I might rap,
Ye help me to shun them a', Colin Dunlap.

Even spunkie himsel' is nae bogle to me,
When owre moor and moss I march hameward wi' glee;
Wi' my stick in my neive, in my noddle a drap,
Cheer'd onward by thee, my guide, Colin Dunlap.

The sun I'd like weel, gin the sun wad bide still,
But then ilka nicht he slides doon yont the hill,
Like a plump ruddy carle gaun to tak' his bit nap,
But you ne'er forsake us sae, Colin Dunlap.

Na, waur! ilka winter he's aff and awa',
Like our fine bloods to Italy shunning the snaw,
Scarce deigning a blink owre a hoary hill-tap,
But you're ever wi' us, kind Colin Dunlap.

The moon does fu' weel when the moon's in the lift,
But, oh, the loose limmer tak's mony a shift,
Whyles here, and whyles there, and whyles under a hap;
But your's is the steady light, Colin Dunlap.

Na, mair! -- like true friendship, the mirker the night,
The mair you send out your vast volume o'light; --
When sackcloth and ashes the heavens enwrap,
'Tis then you're maist kind to us, Colin Dunlap.

The day and the night unto you are the same,
For still ye spread oot you're braid sheet o'red flame;
When this weary warld soundly tak's its bit nap,
You sleep not, you slumber not, Colin Dunlap.

The folks about Glasgow may brag o'their gas,
Whilk, just like a' glaring things pleases the mass;
Gin they're pleased wi't themsel's I'll ne'er snarl nor snap,
Quite contented wi' you, friendly Colin Dunlap.
Ay, aften I'm muckle behauden to you,
While wauchlin' alang between sober an' fu';
Wi' a stoiter to this side, to that side a stap,
Ye show me the gate aye, kind Colin Dunlap.

Gin neighbouring farmers felt gratefu' like me,
They'd club a' thegither, a present to gie --
A massy punch-bowl, wi' a braw mounted cap,
To the man that befriends them aye, Colin Dunlap.

I ken for mysel' that a gift I intend --
To ane that sae aften has proved my guid friend --
O' a braw braid blue bonnet, wi' strawberry tap,
To be worn aye on New'r-days by Colin Dunlap.

I canna weel reckon how lang ye hae shined,
But I'm sure its as lang as my mither has mind;
And in a' that lang while there has ne'er been a gap
In your body o'light, canty Colin Dunlap.

O lang may ye shine to enlighten us here,
And when ye depart to some new unknown sphere,
That to shine on mair glorious may still be your hap,
Is the prayer o' your weel-wisher, Colin Dunlap.





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