Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume I. Of Home: of Friendship. 1904. | | | | Poems of Home: I. About Children | | Willie Winkie | | William Miller (1810–1872) |
| | | WEE WILLIE WINKIE rins through the town, | |
| Up stairs and doon stairs, in his nicht-gown, | |
| Tirlin’ at the window, cryin’ at the lock, | |
| “Are the weans in their bed?—for it ’s now ten o’clock.” | |
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| Hey, Willie Winkie! are ye comin’ ben? | 5 |
| The cat ’s singin’ gay thrums to the sleepin’ hen, | |
| The doug ’s speldered on the floor, and disna gie a cheep; | |
| But here ’s a waukrife laddie, that winna fa’ asleep. | |
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| Ony thing but sleep, ye rogue:—glow’rin’ like the moon, | |
| Rattlin’ in an airn jug wi’ an airn spoon, | 10 |
| Rumblin’, tumblin’ roun’ about, crawin’ like a cock, | |
| Skirlin’ like a kenna-what—wauknin’ sleepin’ folk! | |
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| Hey, Willie Winkie! the wean ’s in a creel! | |
| Waumblin’ aff a bodie’s knee like a vera eel, | |
| Ruggin’ at the cat’s lug, and ravellin’ a’ her thrums: | 15 |
| Hey, Willie Winkie!—See, there he comes! | |
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| Wearie is the mither that has a storie wean, | |
| A wee stumpie stoussie, that canna rin his lane, | |
| That has a battle aye wi’ sleep, before he ’ll close an ee; | |
| But a kiss frae aff his rosy lips gies strength anew to me. | 20 | | | |
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