A Change O' Deils

Violet Jacob 1863 – 1946



"A change o' deils is lichtsome." -
Scots Proverb.
  
  
My Grannie spent a merry youth,
She niver wantit for a joe,
An gin she tell't me aye the truth,
Richt little was't she kent na o'.
  
An' whiles afore she gae'd awa'
To bed her doon below the grass,
Says she, "Guidmen I've kistit twa,
But a change o' deils is lichtsome, lass!"
  
Sae dinna think to maister me,
For Scotland's fu' o' brawlike chiels,
And aiblins ither folk ye'll see
Are fine an' pleased to change their deils.
  
Aye, set yer bonnet on yer heid,
An' cock it up upon yer bree,
O' a' yer tricks ye'll hae some need
Afore ye get the best o' me!
  
Sma' wark to fill yer place I'd hae,
I'll seek a sweethe'rt i' the toon,
Or cast my he'rt across the Spey
An' tak' some pridefu' Hieland loon.
  
I ken a man has hoose an' land,
His airm is stoot, his een are blue,
A ring o' gowd is on his hand,
An' he's a bonnier man nor you!
  
But hoose an' gear an' land an' mair,
He'd gie them a' to get the preen
That preened the flowers in till my hair
Beside the may-bush yestre'en.
  
Jist tak' you tent, an' mind forbye,
The braw guid sense my Grannie had,
My Grannie's dochter's bairn am I,
And a change o' deils is lichtsome, lad!
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:17 min read
4

Quick analysis:

Scheme AX BCBC DEDE AEFE XFXA XGXG HIHI JXJG XKXK
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,163
Words 244
Stanzas 9
Stanza Lengths 2, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Violet Jacob

Violet Jacob (1 September 1863 – 9 September 1946) was a Scottish writer, now known especially for her historical novel Flemington and for her poetry, mainly in Scots. more…

All Violet Jacob poems | Violet Jacob Books

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