Page:Beauties of Burn's poems.pdf/107

( 107 )

Let husky Wheat the haughs adorn,
And Aits set up their awnie horn,
And Pease and Beans, at e'en and morn,
Perfume the plain,
Leeze me on thee, John Barleycorn,
Thou king o' grain.

On thee aft Scotland chows her cood,
In souple scones, the wale o' food;
Or tumblin in the boiling flood
Wi' kail and beef;
But when thou pours thy strong heart' blood,
There thou shines chief.

Food fills the wame, and keeps us livin,
Tho' life's a gift no worth receiving,
When heavy dragg'd wi' pine and grievin:
But oil'd by thee,
The wheels o' life gae down-hill scrievin
Wi' rattlin glee.

Thou clears the head o' doited Lair:
Thou cheers the heart o' drooping Care;
Thou strings the nerves o' Labour sair,
At's weary toil;
Thou ev'n brightens dark Despair
Wi' gloomy smile.

Aft, clad in massy siller weed,
Wi' Gentles thou erects thy head,
Yet humbly kind, in time of need,
The poor man's wine;
His wee drap parritch, or his bread,
Thou kitchens fine.