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The Thresher's weary flinging-tree
The lee-lang day had tired me;
And whan the day had clos'd his ee,
Far i' the west,
Ben i' the spence, right pensylie,
I gaed to rest.
The lee-lang day had tired me;
And whan the day had clos'd his ee,
Far i' the west,
Ben i' the spence, right pensylie,
I gaed to rest.
There, lanely, by the ingle-cheek,
I sat, and e'ed the spewin reek,
That fill'd wi' hoast-provoking smeek
The auld clay-biggin;
And heard the restless rattons squeek
About the riggin.
I sat, and e'ed the spewin reek,
That fill'd wi' hoast-provoking smeek
The auld clay-biggin;
And heard the restless rattons squeek
About the riggin.
A' in this motty, misty clime,
I backwards mus'd on wastet time,
How I had spent my youthfu' prime,
And done naething,
But stringing blethers up in rime,
For fools to sing.
I backwards mus'd on wastet time,
How I had spent my youthfu' prime,
And done naething,
But stringing blethers up in rime,
For fools to sing.
Had I to gude advice but harkit,
I might by this hae led a market,
Or struttet in a bank, and clarkit.
My cash-account;
While here, half-mad, half-fed, half-sarkit,
Is a th' amount.
I might by this hae led a market,
Or struttet in a bank, and clarkit.
My cash-account;
While here, half-mad, half-fed, half-sarkit,
Is a th' amount.
I started, mutt'ring, blockhead! coof!
And heav'd on high my waukit loof,
To swear by a' yon starry roof,
Or some rash aith,
That I, henceforth wad be rhyme-proof
To my last breath—
And heav'd on high my waukit loof,
To swear by a' yon starry roof,
Or some rash aith,
That I, henceforth wad be rhyme-proof
To my last breath—
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