English Poetry II: From Collins to Fitzgerald.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Alexander Ross
337. Wooed and Married and A’
And O, as she dighted her cheeks,
‘Sirs, I’m to be married the-night,
And ha’e neither blankets nor sheets–
Ha’e neither blankets nor sheets,
Nor scarce a coverlet too;
The bride that has a’ thing to borrow,
Has e’en right meikle ado!’
Married and wooed and a’!
And was she na very weel aff
That was wooed and married and a’?
As he cam’ in frae the pleugh,
‘O haud your tongue, my dochter,
And ye’se get gear eneugh.
The stirk stands i’ the tether,
And our braw bawsint yade
Will carry hame your corn:—
What wad ye be at, ye jade?’
‘What, deil, needs a’ this pride?
I hadna a plack in my pouch
That night I was a bride.
My gown was linsey-wolsey,
And ne’er a sark ava;
And ye ha’e ribbons and buskin’s
Mae than ane or twa.’
As he cam’ in wi’ the kye:
‘Puir Willie wad ne’er ha’e ta’en ye
Had he kent ye as weel as I.
For ye’re baith proud and saucy,
And no for a puir man’s wife;
Gin I canna get a better
I’se ne’er tak’ ane i’ my life!’
As she cam’ in frae the byre;
‘Oh, gin I were but married,
It’s a’ that I desire!
But we puir folk maun live,
And do the best we can;
I dinna ken what I should want
If I could get but a man!’