Scottish Poetry Selection
- The Bachelor
The Bachelor
I ance had some bachelor frien's
To join in a walk or a blether;
But now, with their wives and their weans,
They're tied like a dog to a tether!Douce John, o' the fishin' aye keen,
Was first to be laid on the shutter?
And now ne'er a flee meets his een
But them that he picks from the butter!And Sandy, whase lang souple leg
Passed milestanes in twenties, when single,
Sin' e'er he got yokit wi' Meg
Ye'll scarce gar him steer frae the ingle!And Tam, that ilk bog would explore,
Wee weeds frae the glaur ever bringin',
Has turned his botanical lore
To growin' the turnip and ingan!And Patey, the bachelor born,
His life o' contentment's been ruein'?
He's gaun tae be marriet the morn;
A widow, it seems, he's been wooin'.What think ye? The body cam' roun'
Some gratis advice to supply me,
And mentioned a lass in the town
I micht get persuaded to try me!"Man's duty," he argues, "is clear?
To licht up the conjugal taper;"
But feth! they'll be early asteer
That see me at ony sic caper!Meaning of unusual words:
blether=idle chatter
weans=children
douce=gentle
sin' e'er=since ever
yokit=yoked
ilk=every
glaur=mud
ingan-onion
sic=such
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
