The Norton Anthology of English literature. Volume 2

14 4 / ROBER T BURN S 210But ere the key-stane she could make, The fient a tail she had to shake! For Nannie, far before the rest, Hard upon noble Maggie prest, And flew at Tam wi' furious ettle;0 But little wist she Maggie's mettle� 215 Ae spring brought off her master hale,� But left behind her ain gray tail: The carlin claught� her by the rump, And left poor Maggie scarce a stump.7 intent whole clutched Now, wha this tale o' truth shall read, 220 Ilk man and mother's son, take heed: Whene'er to drink you are inclin'd, Or cutty-sarks run in your mind, Think, ye may buy the joys o'er dear, Remember Tam o' Shanter's mare. 1790 1791

Such a parcel of rogues in a nation

Fareweel to a' our Scotish fame, Fareweel our ancient glory; Fareweel even to the Scotish name, Sae fam'd in martial story! 5 Now Sark rins� o'er the Solway sands, runs And Tweed rins to the ocean, To mark whare England's province stands,. Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!

What force or guile could not subdue, 10 Thro' many warlike ages, Is wrought now by a coward few, For hireling traitors' wages. The English steel we could disdain, Secure in valor's station; 15 But English gold has been our bane, Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!

O would, or I had seen the day That treason thus could sell us, My auld grey head had lien in clay, 20 Wi' BRUCE and loyal WALLACE!' But pith and power,0 till my last hour, with all my strength I'll mak this declaration; We're bought and sold for English gold, Such a parcel of rogues in a nation!

1792

7. I.e., she had no tail left at all. 1. For Bruce and Wallace, see the notes to the next poem.

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A RED, RED ROSE / 145

Robert Bruce's March to Bannockburn1

[SCOTS, WHA HAE]

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace2 bled, Scots, wham Bruce has aften led, Welcome to your gory bed,�

Or to victorie.�

5 Now's the day, and now's the hour; See the front o' battle lour; See approach proud Edward's power,

Chains and Slaverie.�

Wha will be a traitor-knave? 10 Wha can fill a coward's grave? Wha sae base as be a Slave? �Let him turn and flie:�

Wha for Scotland's king and law, Freedom's sword will strongly draw, 15 Free-man stand, or Free-man fa', Let him follow me.�

By Oppression's woes and pains! By your Sons in servile chains! We will drain our dearest veins,

20 But they shall be free!

Lay the proud Usurpers low! Tyrants fall in every foe! Liberty's in every blow!

Let us Do�or Die!!!

1793 1794,1815

A Red, Red Rose1

O my Luve's like a red, red rose, That's newly sprung in June; O my Luve's like the melodie That's sweetly played in tune.

5 As fair art thou, my bonie lass, So deep in luve am I;

1. Burns's words are set to the old tune to which, the fact that songs like these, transmitted aurally, it was said, Robert Bruces Scottish army had were more likely than compositions in other modes marched when it went to battle against the English to slip past the scrutiny of a censorious govern- invaders in 1314. This marching song is at once a ment, historical reconstruction and an anthem for the 2. Sir William Wallace (ca. 1272-1305), the great Revolutionary 1790s. Burns's turn to songwriting Scottish warrior in the wars against the English. in these last few years of his life might, the critic 1. Like many of Burns's lyrics, this one incorpo- Marilyn Butler has suggested, have had to do with rates elements from several current folk songs.

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14 6 / ROBER T BURN S And I will love thee still, my Dear, Till a' the seas gang dry. 10Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear, And the rocks melt wi' the sun: O I will love thee still, my Dear, While the sands o' life shall run. 15And fare thee weel, my only Luve! And fare thee weel, a while! And I will come again, my Luve, Tho' it were ten thousand mile! 1794 1796

Song: For a' that and a' that1

Is there, for honest Poverty That hangs his head, and a' that; The coward-slave, we pass him by, We dare be poor for a' that! 5 For a' that, and a' that, Our toils obscure, and a' that, The rank is but the guinea's stamp,0 inscription on a coin The Man's the gowd� for a' that. gold

What though on hamely fare we dine, 10 Wear hodden grey,2 and a' that. Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine, A Man's a Man for a' that. For a' that, and a' that, Their tinsel show, and a' that; 15 The honest man, though e'er sae poor, Is king o' men for a' that.

Ye see yon birkie0 ca'd a lord, fellow Wha struts, and stares, and a' that, Though hundreds worship at his word, 20 He's but a cooP for a' that. dolt For a' that, and a' that, His ribband, star and a' that, The man of independant mind, He looks and laughs at a' that.

25 A prince can mak a belted knight, A marquis, duke, and a' that; But an honest man's aboon� his might, above Guid faith he mauna fa' that!3

1. This song was set to a dance tune, known as 2. A coarse cloth of undyed wool. Lady Macintosh's Reel, that Burns had drawn on 3. Must not claim that. for previous songs.

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