Robert Burns

Adam Armour’s Prayer

Gude pity me, because I’m little! 
For though I am an elf o’ mettle, 
An’ can, like ony wabster’s shuttle, 
            Jink there or here, 
Yet, scarce as lang’s a gude kail-whittle, 
            I’m unco queer. 

An’ now Thou kens our waefu’ case; 
For Geordie’s jurr we’re in disgrace, 
Because we stang’d her through the place, 
            An’ hurt her spleuchan; 
For whilk we daurna show our face 
            Within the clachan. 

An’ now we’re dern’d in dens and hollows, 
And hunted, as was William Wallace, 
Wi’ constables-thae blackguard fallows, 
            An’ sodgers baith; 
But Gude preserve us frae the gallows, 
            That shamefu’ death! 

Auld grim black-bearded Geordie’s sel’ – 
O shake him owre the mouth o’ hell! 
There let him hing, an’ roar, an’ yell 
            Wi’ hideous din, 
And if he offers to rebel, 
            Then heave him in. 

When Death comes in wi’ glimmerin blink, 
An’ tips auld drucken Nanse the wink, 
May Sautan gie her doup a clink 
            Within his yett, 
An’ fill her up wi’ brimstone drink, 
            Red-reekin het. 

Though Jock an’ hav’rel Jean are merry – 
Some devil seize them in a hurry, 
An’ waft them in th’ infernal wherry 
    Straught through the lake, 
An’ gie their hides a noble curry 
            Wi’ oil of aik! 

As for the jurr-puir worthless body! 
She’s got mischief enough already; 
Wi’ stanged hips, and buttocks bluidy 
            She’s suffer’d sair; 
But, may she wintle in a woody, 
            If she wh-e mair!