Prince Charlie an’ I, we war chased owre the sea
Wi naething but conscience for glory.
An’ here I drew sawrd, when the land wad be free,
An’ was whipped tae a hole as a Tory.
When the Bonny Blue Flag was flung tae the breeze,
I girded mysel’ tae defend it:
They warstled me down tae my hands an’ my knees
An’ flogged my auld backbane tae bend it.
Sae the deil wan the fights, an’ wrang hauds the ground,
But God an’ mysel’ winna bide it.
I had strength in my airm yet for many a round
An’ purpose in plenty tae guide it.
I been banished an’ whipped an’ warstled an’ flogged
(I belang tae the Democrat party),
But in gaein’ owre quagmires I hae na been bogged
An’ am still on my legs, hale an’ hearty!
MODERN ENGLISH VERSION by JS
Prince Charles and I were chased over the sea
With nothing but conscience for our glory.
There I drew sword so the land would be free,
But was beaten and stopped by a Royal Tory.
When St Andrew’s true flag was loosed in the breeze
I armed myself to defend it:
They beat me down onto my hands and knees
And flogged my old backbone to bend it.
So that devil won the fight and now holds the ground
But God, and myself, will not stand it.
I had strength in my arm to fight a new round
And a purposeful mind to guide it.
I’ve been banished and whipped and fought and flogged
I belong to the democratic party
But in going through mire I have never been bogged
And I’m still on my feet, hale and hearty.
(John Charles McNeill)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Success Poems, Purposes PoemsBased on Keywords: flogged, democrat, hauds, bogged, airm, belang, quagmires, gaein