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Gie him strong drink until he wink,That’s sinking in despair;An’ liquor guid to fire his bluid,That’s prest wi’ grief and care:There let him bouse, an’ deep carouse,Wi’ bumpers flowing o’er,Till he forgets his loves or debts,An’ minds his griefs no more. (Solomon’s Proverbs, xxxi. 6, 7.) Let other poets raise a fracas’Bout vines, an’ wines, an’ drucken Bacchus,An’ crabbit … [Read more...] about Scotch Drink, By: Robert Burns

A robe of seeming truth and trustHid crafty Observation;And secret hung, with poison’d crust,The dirk of Defamation: A mask that like the gorget show’d,Dye-varying on the pigeon;And for a mantle large and broad,He wrapt him in Religion.Hypocrisy A-La-Mode Upon a simmer Sunday mornWhen Nature’s face is fair,I walked forth to view the corn,An’ snuff the caller air.The … [Read more...] about The Holy Fair, By: Robert Burns

There was three kings into the east,Three kings both great and high,And they hae sworn a solemn oathJohn Barleycorn should die. They took a plough and plough’d him down,Put clods upon his head,And they hae sworn a solemn oathJohn Barleycorn was dead. But the cheerful Spring came kindly on,And show’rs began to fall;John Barleycorn got up again,And sore surpris’d them … [Read more...] about John Barleycorn, By: Robert Burns

Oppress’d with grief, oppress’d with care,A burden more than I can bear,I set me down and sigh;O life! thou art a galling load,Along a rough, a weary road,To wretches such as I!Dim backward as I cast my view,What sick’ning scenes appear!What sorrows yet may pierce me through,Too justly I may fear!Still caring, despairing,Must be my bitter doom;My woes here shall close ne’erBut … [Read more...] about Despondency: An Ode, By: Robert Burns

The wind blew hollow frae the hills,By fits the sun’s departing beamLook’d on the fading yellow woods,That wav’d o’er Lugar’s winding stream:Beneath a craigy steep, a Bard,Laden with years and meikle pain,In loud lament bewail’d his lord,Whom Death had all untimely ta’en. He lean’d him to an ancient aik,Whose trunk was mould’ring down with years;His locks were bleached white … [Read more...] about Lament for James, Earl of Glencairn, By: Robert Burns