525. Song—Had I the wyte she bade me

Read '525. Song—Had I the wyte she bade me' by 'Robert Burns' and provide your summary and literary analysis in the comments section below.

525. Song—Had I the wyte she bade me by Robert Burns

 HAD I the wyte, had I the wyte,
 Had I the wyte? she bade me;
She watch’d me by the hie-gate side,
 And up the loan she shaw’d me.
And when I wadna venture in,
 A coward loon she ca’d me:
Had Kirk an’ State been in the gate,
 I’d lighted when she bade me.


Sae craftilie she took me ben,
 And bade me mak nae clatter;
“For our ramgunshoch, glum gudeman
 Is o’er ayont the water.”
Whae’er shall say I wanted grace,
 When I did kiss and dawte her,
Let him be planted in my place,
 Syne say, I was the fautor.


Could I for shame, could I for shame,
 Could I for shame refus’d her;
And wadna manhood been to blame,
 Had I unkindly used her!
He claw’d her wi’ the ripplin-kame,
 And blae and bluidy bruis’d her;
When sic a husband was frae hame,
 What wife but wad excus’d her!


I dighted aye her e’en sae blue,
 An’ bann’d the cruel randy,
And weel I wat, her willin’ mou
 Was sweet as sugar-candie.
At gloamin-shot, it was I wot,
 I lighted on the Monday;
But I cam thro’ the Tyseday’s dew,
 To wanton Willie’s brandy.

Form: Ballad

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