Frien' Tammie, I thocht that I coudna dae better
Than rhyme a bit scrift in reply to yer letter,
Sae I juist bade the Muse lea her trantels ahint her,
An' lilt a bit sang tae Tam Duncan, the Printer.
An' wow she was cadgie an' fidgin' fu' fain,
An' tae skirl the Doric her pipe didna hain;
To half-clippet English I never could stint her,
Mair special whan singin' tae Tammie, the Printer.
Tell Jamie, the Binder, sae cannie an' slee,
Sae quiet wi' the gab, an' sae gleg wi' the e'e,
That his leuks war sae frien'ly, sae truthfu' an' kin',
Whan he last took my haun' I aye min't it sin' syne.
There was nane sae frank-heartit an' free as young Burns
On the braes o' Cairnbroe; through life's trials an' turns
He's foughten his way, an' won up i' the warl,
A younker nae mair, but a blythe buirdly carle.
Ye threesum war welcome yon day at Langloan.
Hoo gleesum an' he'rtsum the time slippet on!
Ye'se be welcome again, sae come whan ye can,
Tae see the aul' wife an' her couthie aul' man.
POSTSCRIPT

Cam' ye frae Hyndford, Carmichael, my man,
For yer name is the name o' the aul' yerl's clan?
Ye'll hae read o' the tulzie an' spillin' o' bluid
'Tween young Lord Carmichael an' Baron Polmood.