WHEN whins had tint their gowden bloom, an' fields nae mair look'd cheerie, An' 'mang the woods, in fitfu' thuds, rose winter's prelude drearie, To drive the langsome nicht awa', across the muir we stappit, To yon laich biggin' near the law, that snug wi' thack was happit. Auld Johnnie in the muckle chair was aye fu' blythe to see us, An' Bell, wi' kindly, couthie air, soon seats apiece did gie us. The big snuff-mill was handit roun', an' naethin' was sae pleasin' To Johnnie than when Taddy's broun did set us callans sneezin'. Syne wad he tell us langsyne cracks, that did ilk fancy tickle, 'Bout ploughin', thrashin', theekin' stacks, an' wieldin' o' the sickle; Hoo he at fairs an' markets baith did cudgel menseless cowpers, Or put to flicht sic ill-bred graith as turbulent lan'-loupers. But whaur's the group o' younkers gay that aft round Johnnie's ingle, 'Neath sacred friendship's warmest ray, in bygane days did mingle? Some to the muckle toon ha'e gane to dree life's weary battle, Whaur commerce, leagued wi' lusty gain, maintains an endless brattle; While ithers 'neath far distant skies, to keep life's wheels in motion, Howk whaur the precious nugget lies, in lands beyond the ocean. But let them be whaure'er they may, their thochts will aften wander To the lov'd scenes o' youth's bright day, an' on their pleasures ponder. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE TO THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY by SIDNEY LANIER DOMESDAY BOOK: ARCHIBALD LOWELL by EDGAR LEE MASTERS MY LIGHT WITH YOURS by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: J. MILTON MILES by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |