A Word o’ Advice
Lloyd-George an’ Haldane hae had a cast-oot,
I dinna weel ken what it’s a’ been aboot;
I houp it is feenished; we canna afford
At this creetical time tae hae ony discord.
Oor country’s at war and the need is fu’ great
Tae staun a’ thegither for Freedom an’ State;
The slacker’s resources, likewise profiteer’s,
At this time o’ the day we maun jist commandeer.
Employers o’ labour an’ dealers in grain,
Ne’er let country’s need be yer ain selfish gain;
Siller’s no everything, that ye maun ken;
Let honour come first in yer dealins wi’ men.
Workers wha win by the sweat o’ your broo
A leevin’ wi’ pick, hammer, shovel, or ploo,
Strike na the noo—’tis the enemy’s gain—
Try some ither wey tae come intae yer ain.
Let’s remember the brave lads we hae at the front;
For you and for me they are bearin’ the brunt;
An’ dae a’ we can tae keep up their herts,
At least let them see we are playin’ oor pairts.
If men o’ a’ parties my advice will but tak’
We’ll sune hae the foe on the braid o’ his back;
A bonnie new era we’ll then usher in,
And wi’ militarism for ever be dune.
In oor lanely wee clachan there leeved a young chiel
Wha had never been far frae his faither’s ain biel;
His manners wad lead ye tae think he was saft,
An’ e’en tae believe there were wairps in the waft.
‘Mang his mates he was aye made the butt for the jest,
An’ they tried mony methods his courage tae test;
But Jock’s even temper they never could rile,
He answered a’ gibes wi’ a braid sunny smile.
When war was declared an’ the King called for men
Frae the city, the county, the mountain, an’ glen,
O’ the flo’er o’ the clachan he got a guid stock,
Strange! naebody ever yince thocht aboot Jock.
Then Jock disappeared frae the clachan yae day,
Tae the nearest recruit shop he’d hastened away;
An’ the neist time we saw him we gat quite a shock,
For a braw sodger-laddie they’d made oot o’ Jock.
An’ noo he’s awa’ tae the famed Dardanelles,
An’ we’re prood o’ the lad, for he’s yin o’ oorsel’s,
If he’s spared tae come thro’ nae surprise it will be
If for valour he’s wearin’ the bonnie V.C.