At The Beginning of The Ceevil War in America
Frien’ Jonathan, tak’ gude advice, an’ fast as eer ye dow,
Fling doon the lunt o’ ceevil war, pit oot the eerie lowe
That scowthers, wi’ its hatefu’ heat, your vera hert an’ saul;
Ye’ve gather’t sticks tae beat the bleeze, sae water’t till its caul’.
There’s muckle cry an’ little woo in a’ your fechtin’ wark;
Ye dinna like a crackit croon, nor yet a bloody sark;
Tae tyne your trade, tae tyne your gear, an’ spill your bluid forby,
Ye canna thole, sae jist gae hame an’ fling the rifle by.
I guess the new Palmetto flag, an’ eke the Stripes an’ Stars,
On Crimean or Italian plains, or rebel Indian wars,
Wad waver’t in your ‘prentice haun, ye blusterin’ haveral chiel;
If ye maun fecht, just fecht at hame, ye maunna gang a-fiel’.
Wow, man, your in an awfu’ mess; what outget sall ye hae?
The hill Difficulty’s afore, an’ ye maun speel the brae;
Ye’ll naither pay, nor fecht, nor ‘gree, but wow your gude o’ bragging—
Far better cut the finger aff than aye tae hae it wagging.
‘Twixt North and South, that ill-matcht pair, there’s nocht but aggravation,
Sae, e’er ye ding a’ things tae rack, gar mak a separation;
The South they’ll keep the negro slave—they like the chain and collar—
The North tae trade, an’ rug, an’ reive, an’ pouch the michty dollar.
(Janet Hamilton)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, War & Peace Poems, Business & Commerce Poems, Advices Poems, America PoemsBased on Keywords: difficulty, prentice, eer, caul, haun, maunna, fechtin, crimean, speel, bleeze, palmetto