Page:The poetical works of Robert Burns.djvu/107
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THE POEMS OF BURNS.
57
THE AULD FARMER'S NEW-YEAR MORNING SALUTATION TO HIS AULD MARE, MAGGIE,
ON GIVING HER THE ACCUSTOMED RIPP OF CORN TO HANSEL IN THE NEW YEAR.
A guid New-Year I wish thee, Maggie!Hae, there's a ripp to thy auld baggie:Tho' thou's howe-backit, now, an' knaggie,I've seen the day,Thou could hae gane like ony staggieOut-owre the lay.
Tho' now thou's dowie, stiff, an' crazy,An' thy auld hide's as white's a daisie,I've seen thee dappl't, sleek an' glaizie,A bonie gray:He should been tight that daur't to raize thee,Ance in a day.
Thou ance was i' the foremost rank,A filly buirdly, steeve, an' swank,An' set weel down a shapely shank,As e'er tread yird;An' could hae flown out-owre a stank,Like onie bird.
It's now some nine-an'-twenty year,Sin' thou was my guid-father's meere;He gied me thee, o' tocher clear,An' fifty mark;Tho' it was sma', 'twas weel-won gear,An' thou was stark.
When first I gaed to woo my Jenny,Ye then was trottin wi' your minnie:Tho' ye was trickie, slee, an' funnie,Ye ne'er was donsie;But hamely, tawie, quiet, an' cannie,An' unco sonsie.
That day, ye pranc'd wi' muckle pride,When ye bure hame my bonie bride;An' sweet an gracefu' she did ride,Wi' maiden air!Kyle-Stewart I could bragged wide,For sic a pair.
Tho' now ye dow but hoyte and hoble,An' wintle like a saumont-coble,That day ye was a jinker nobleFor heels an' win'!An' ran them till they a' did wauble,Far, far behin'.
When thou an' I were young and skeigh,An' stable-meals at fairs were driegh,How thou wad prance, an' snore, an' skrieighAn' tak the road!Town's-bodies ran, and stood abeigh,An' ca't thee mad.
When thou was corn't, an' I was mellow,We took the road ay like a swallow:At Brooses thou had ne'er a fellow,For pith an' speed;But ev'ry tail thou pay't them hollow,Whare'er thou gaed.
The sma', droop-rumpl't, hunter cattle,Might aiblins waur't thee for a brattle;But sax Scotch miles thou try't their mettle,An' gart them whaizle:Nae whip nor spur, but just a wattleO' saugh or hazel.
Thou was a noble fittie-lan',As e'er in tug or tow was drawn!