Notes: In this poem Robert Burns compares his life to the mouse's. It contains the well known phrase in the English language "The best laid schemes O' mice and men....." The American author, John Steinbeck, used this poem as the title of his book "Of Mice and Men."

Wee sleekit , cowrin timorous beastie
O’ what a panic’s in thy breastie
Thou need na start awa sae hastie
    Wi’ bickering brattle
I wad be laith tae run and chase thee
    Wi’ murdering pattle

I’m truly sorry man’s dominion
Has broken nature’s social union,
And justifies that ill opinion
    Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion
    An fellow mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave
'    S a sma' request:
I'll get a blessin' wi' the lave,
    And never miss't!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
Its silly wa's the win's are strewin':
And naething, now, to big a new ane,
    O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin'
    Baith snell an' keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare and waste
An' weary winter comin' fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
    Thou thought to dwell,
Till, crash! the cruel coulter past
    Out thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou's turned out, for a' thy trouble,
    But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble
    An' cranreuch cauld!

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ mice and men
    Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but promis’d joy!

Still thou art blessed compared wi me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och I backward cast my e’e
    On prospects drear!
An forward, though I canna see
     I guess and fear!

Click the wee man to go Home to Mutiny Records
Live Dates / The Music Albums / Purchase either of the albums / Weddings /  The Mutineers  / OOR Tours
Links1 / Links2 / Links3