Poem by Robert Burns

Had I the Wyte

HAD I the wyte, had I the wyte,
  Had I the wyte? she bade me!
She watch’d me by the hie-gate side,
  And up the loan she shaw’d me;
And when I wadna venture in,
  A coward loon she ca’d me:
Had kirk and state been in the gate,
  I lighted when she bade me.

Sae craftilie she took me ben,
  And bade me make nae clatter;
‘For our ramgunshoch glum gudeman
  Is out and owre the water:’
Whae’er shall say I wanted grace,
  When I did kiss and daut her,
Let him be planted in my place,
  Syne say I was the fautor.

Could I for shame, could I for shame,
  Could I for shame refused her?
And wadna manhood been to blame,
  Had I unkindly used her?
He clawed her wi’ the ripplin-kame,
  And blae and bluidy bruised her;
When sic a husband was frae hame,
  What wife but had excused her?

I dighted ay her een sae blue,
  And bann’d the cruel randy;
And weel I wat her willing mou’
Was e’en like sugar-candy.
At gloamin-shot it was I trow,
  I lighted on the Monday;
But I cam through the Tysday’s dew,
  To wanton Willie’s brandy.

1. I Gaed a Waefu' Gate Yestreen
2. Blythe Was She
3. Gala Water
4. Stay My Charmer
5. Farewell to Ballochmyle

Print

2682 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version