Scottish Poetry Selection
- Our Ain Wee Way
The Scottish belief in the equality of man is best portrayed in the Burns song "A Man's A Man For A' That". But other poets have written on how money and position do not necessarily produce happiness and here is how John Taylor expressed it.
Our Ain Wee Way
Some folk are unco proud an' stiff, an' dignified an" gran',
They look as if they thocht themsel's the cheeny o' the lan',
Puir folk, of course, are only delf, or pig, or common clay,
But we're maybe jist as happy in our ain wee way.They may hae a' that wealth can gi'e, an' treasures rich an' rare, '
An' jist the very finest, aye, to eat an' drink an' wear ;
But though they get the cream o' life, while we get but the whey,
We're maybe jist as happy in our ain wee way.To live within the castle wa's is nice enough, nae doubt,
But the strongest wa' that e'er was built 'll no keep sorrow out;
An' e'en the king himsel' may lack some joys that we have aye,
So we're maybe jist as happy in our ain wee way.I daursay some that keep a coach, an' never walk a bit,
Are often jist as weary as them that gang on fit;
So though our burden's heavy, an' the path o' life is stey,
We're maybe jist as happy in our ain wee way.
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
