Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
Ballade of the Royal Game of Golf
(EAST FIFE)
1THERE are laddies will drive ye a ba'
2To the burn frae the farthermost tee;
3But ye mauna think driving is a',
4Ye may heel her, and send her ajee,
5Ye may land in the sand or the sea;
6And ye're dune, sir, ye're no worth a preen,
7Tak' the word that an auld man 'll gie,
8Tak' aye tent to be up on the green!
9The auld folk are crouse, and they craw
10That their putting is pawky and slee;
11In a bunker they're nae gude ava',
12But to girn, and to gar the sand flee.
13And a lassie can putt -- ony she, --
14Be she Maggy, or Bessie, or Jean;
15But a cleek-shot's the billy for me,
16Tak' aye tent to be up on the green!
17I hae play'd in the frost and the thaw,
18I hae play'd since the year thirty-three,
19I hae play'd in the rain and the snaw,
20And I trust I may play till I dee;
21And I tell ye the truth and nae lee,
22For I speak o' the thing I hae seen --
23Tom Morris, I ken, will agree --
24Tak' aye tent to be up on the green!
ENVOY
25Prince, faith you're improving a wee,
26And, Lord, man! they tell me you're keen;
27Tak' the best o' advice that can be,
28Tak' aye tent to be up on the green!
Notes
1] ba': ball.
2] burn: brook.
tee: place at which a golf hole begins.
4] heel: hit with the back end of the club-head, nearest the golfer.
ajee: crookedly.
6] preen: pin.
8] "Always be sure to hit onto the putting green."
9] auld: old.
crouse: crabby.
craw: crow.
10] pawky and slee: artful and sly.
11] ava': at all.
12] girn: snarl.
gar: make.
15] cleek: long iron club.
billy: fellow.
17] thaw: melt.
23] Tom Morris: early multiple Open champion (and greenskeeper) from St. Andrew's.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: The Poetical Works of Andrew Lang, ed. Mrs. Lang, 4 vols. (London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1923): II, 73-74. British Library 011645.ee.47
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: RPO 2001
Recent editing: 2:2002/2/20
Rhyme: ababcdcd
Other poems by Andrew Lang
