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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BRAID CLAITH, by ROBERT FERGUSSON Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Ye wha are fain to hae your name Last Line: O' gude braid claith. Alternate Author Name(s): Ferguson, Robert Subject(s): Clothing & Dress | |||
YE wha are fain to hae your name Wrote in the bonny book of fame, Let merit nae pretension claim To laurel'd wreath, But hap ye weel, baith back and wame, In gude Braid Claith. He that some ells o' this may fa', An' slae black hat on pow like snaw, Bids bauld to bear the gree awa', Wi' a' this graith, Whan bienly clad wi' shell fu' braw O' gude Braid Claith. Waesuck for him wha has nae fek o't! For he's a gowk they're sure to geck at. A chield that ne'er will be respekit While he draws breath, Till his four quarters are bedeckit Wi' gude Braid Claith. On Sabbath-days the barber spark, Whan he has done wi' scrapin wark Wi' siller broachie in his sark, Gangs trigly, faith! Or to the Meadows or the Park, In gude Braid Claith. Weel might ye trow, to see them there, That they to shave your haffits bare, Or curl an' sleek a pickle hair, Wud be right laith, Whan pacing wi' a gawsy air In gude Braid Claith. If ony mettled stirrah grien For favour frae a lady's ein, He mauna care for being seen Before he sheath His body in a scabbard clean O' gude Braid Claith. For, gin he come wi' coat thread-bare, A feg for him she winna care, But crook her bony mou' fu' sair, An' scald him baith. Wooers shou'd ay their travel spare Without Braid Claith. Braid Claith lends fouk an unco heese, Makes mony kail-worms butter-flees, Gies mony a doctor his degrees For little skaith: In short, you may be what you please Wi' gude Braid Claith. For thof ye had as wise a snout on, As Shakespeare or Sir Isaac Newton, Your judgment fouk wud hae a doubt on, I'll tak' my aith, Till they cou'd see ye wi' a suit on O' gude Braid Claith. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DRESSING MY DAUGHTERS by MARK JARMAN IT'S HARD TO KEEP A CLEAN SHIRT CLEAN by JUNE JORDAN ODE TO A DRESSMAKER'S DUMMY by DONALD JUSTICE THE RED SHIRT by PHILIP LEVINE THE THINGS IN BLACK MEN?ÇÖS CLOSETS by E. ETHELBERT MILLER THE DAFT DAYS by ROBERT FERGUSSON A DRINK ECLOGUE: LANDLADY, BRANDY AND WHISKY by ROBERT FERGUSSON |
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