Scottish Poetry Selection
- A Hen's a Hen For a' That
In this amusing parody of Burns' poem "A Man's a Man For a' That" an anonymous poet seems to admire the hen and her eggs instead of mankind.
A Hen's a Hen For a' That
Is there wha at his mornin' meal
Eats ham an' egg an' a' that,
An' yet wha winna say an' feel
A hen's a hen for a' that?
For a' that an' a' that,
Its intaed strut an' a' that,
Its kecklin' neb an' skelly e'e,
A hen's a hen for a' that.What though it scarts amang the strae,
Eats tattie-skins an' a' that,
An' canna sing as sang-birds dae,
A hen's a hen for a' that.
For a' that an' a' that,
Their flicht an' sang an' a' that,
The common hen, though e'er sae plain,
Is Queen o' birds for a' that.Ye see yon quackin', spune-faced bird,
Wi' wabbit feet an' a' that,
That waddles gravely through the yird?
It's but a deuk for a' that.
For a' that an' a' that,
It's gracefu' neck an' a' that,
Though it can soom whaur hens wad droon,
A hen's a hen for a' that.The cock at sicht o' mornin' licht
May hail the dawn an' a' that,
But tae lay an egg's abune his micht,
Gude faith, he canna craw that.
For a' that an' a' that,
His kame an' spurs an' a' that,
Though at us oot his neck he shoot,
He'll get it thrawed for a' that.Then let us pray the price we pay
For eggs may fa' an' a' that:
That hens may multiply an' lay
Tae earn oor praise an' a' that.
For a' that an' a' that,
Its want o' wit an' a' that,
We'll owre the earth proclaim its worth,
An' keep a hen for a' that.Meaning of unusual words:
winna=will not
intaed=having toes turned inwards - or hen-toed!
kecklin' neb an' skelly e'e=cackling nose and squint eye (though a keckler is a hen!)
scarts=scratch
tattie-skins=potato skins
wabbit=webbed
deuk=duck
soom=swim
kame=comb
thrawed=wrung
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
