Spare Me

WHAT
fair and narrow,
dungeon cave,

The picture of thy mind.
art thou, brave;
were but fools,
Not one of them a knave.

Bright thy line, sire!
So ran the way,
And ended in a mire.

Spare me
let me live:

I ask no kindness at thy hand,
For thou hast none to give.


(Blackout of 422. Epigrams against the Earl of Galloway by Robert Burns)