1799 Poem, Samuel Thomson, ‘The Hawk and Weazle’

Author: Samuel Thomson

Date: 1799

Source: Poem: ‘The Hawk and Weazle’, from New Poems, on a variety of different subjects by Samuel Thomson (Belfast: Doherty & Simms, 1799)

Comments: Samuel Thomson (1766–1816) from Lyles Hill near Templepatrick in South Antrim was the editor of the ‘Poets’ Corner’ in the Belfast United Irishman newspaper Northern Star until the paper was closed down in 1797. He exchanged poems with, and visited, Robert Burns, and published three books containing Ulster-Scots poetry — in 1793, 1799 and 1806. An account of his life and poetry can be found in the Introduction to The Country Rhymes of Samuel Thomson, by Philip Robinson and Ernest Scott (Belfast, 1992).

Doc. ref. no.: USLS/TB/Poetry/1700-1799/032

THE HAWK AND WEAZLE.

To town ae morn, as Lizie hie’d,

To sell a pickle yarn,

A wanton Whiteret she espy’d,

A sportin at a cairn.

Alang the heath beskirted green,

It play’d wi monie a wheel:

She stood and dighted baith her een,

An’ thought it was the Diel

She saw at freaks!

Her doubts, howe’er were soon dismiss’d

A gled cam whist’ling by,

And seiz’d the weazle: — ere it wist,

’Twas halfway at the sky.

But soon the goss grew feeble like,

And syne began to fa’,

Till down he daded on a dyke,

His thrapple ate in twa;

Let him snuff that.

The weazle aff in triumph walks,

An’ left the bloodless glutton,

A warning sad to future hawks

That grien for weazle’s mutton.

Thus reprobates, that spitefu’ cross,

Decree their nibour’s ruin,

Are aften forc’d, like foolish goss,

To drink o’ their ain brewin’,

And just it is.

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