BETTY MACBLAINE

A guid freen rid oot this wee poem tae ma last weekend. Its fae:

BALLADS OF DOWN by GEORGE FRANCIS SAVAGE-ARMSTRONG - 1901

BETTY MACBLAINE

Betty MacBlaine is a sonsie wee lass,

An' her een ir as blue as the Bay uv Ardglass,

An' her cheeks ir as rosy as epples in rain —

A sonsie bit lassie is Betty MacBlaine.  

She's dimplit an' smooth, an' she's lithe as a roe.

Her buzzom 's as white as the bloom o' the sloe,

Her erms ir like merble wi' nivver a stain —

A temptin' wee hizzie is Betty MacBlaine.

Her waist is sae sma' an' sae roon' that yer han'

Is iwermair langin' its girdle tae span;

Sae nate is her fut an' her ankle sae clane

Ye're nivver but glintin' at Betty MacBlaine.

Her hair is as dark as the shaddas o' trees;

Whun she loosens its ribbons it fa's tae her knees;

She niwer cud axe fur a favour in vain —

A wheedlin' wee clippie is Betty MacBlaine.

A kin'ly wee buddy is Betty MacBlaine;

If ye met her at e'en in a loanin' alane,

An' gied her a kiss, she wud niwer complain —

Och, a kin'Iy wee buddy is Betty MacBlaine.

If ye gied her yin kiss on her rosy smooth cheek,

She'd wait fur anither yin, modest an' meek,

An' niwer say na if ye 'd kiss her again —

A leesome wee hizzie is Betty MacBlaine.

She's pleesant tae talk wi', she's lively o' wit;

It's sweeter than roses aside her tae sit —

Guid troth, she's a treasure! But sma'd be the gain

O' the mon that wud merry ye, Betty MacBlaine!

Ay, Gude help the falla that tak's her tae wife!

She'd jist be a worrit the 'hale uv his life;

She maun hae her pleesure, whas'ivver the pain

An' a fickle wee hizzie is Betty MacBlaine.

She'd still hae her luvers that cudnae withstan'

The glance uv her een an' the touch uv her han',

An' the ring on her finger wud nivver restrain

The flitterin' fancies o' Betty MacBlaine;

Till someyin wud Aether her mair than the rest, —

Mair craft in his tongue an' mair guile in his breast, —

An' awa' she wud canter tae Laplan' or Spain,

An' her guid-mon might whustle fur Betty Mac-

Blaine !

Note the rest of this collection can be read at http://www.archive.org/stream/balladsofdown00savaiala/balladsofdown00savaiala_djvu.txt