Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
III. Loves BeginningsBehave yoursel before folk
Alexander Rodger (17841846)B
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
And dinna be sae rude to me,
As kiss me sae before folk.
It wouldna give me meikle pain,
Gin we were seen and heard by nane,
To tak’ a kiss, or grant you ane;
But gudesake! no before folk.
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Behave yoursel’ before folk,—
Whate’er you do when out o’ view,
Be cautious aye before folk!
And what a great affair they ’ll mak’
O’ naething but a simple smack,
That ’s gi’en or ta’en before folk.
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Behave yoursel’ before folk,—
Nor gi’e the tongue o’ old and young
Occasion to come o’er folk.
As ony modest lass should be;
But yet it doesna do to see
Sic freedom used before folk.
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Behave yoursel’ before folk,—
I ’ll ne’er submit again to it;
So mind you that—before folk!
It may be sae—I dinna care—
But ne’er again gar’t blush so sair
As ye hae done before folk.
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Nor heat my cheeks wi’ your mad freaks,
But aye be douce before folk!
Sic tales, I doubt, are a’ deceit;—
At ony rate, it ’s hardly meet
To prie their sweets before folk.
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Behave yoursel’ before folk,—
Gin that ’s the case, there ’s time and place,
But surely no before folk!
That I should suffer to be kissed,
Gae get a license frae the priest,
And mak’ me yours before folk!
Behave yoursel’ before folk,
Behave yoursel’ before folk,—
And when we ’re ane, baith flesh and bane,
Ye may tak’ ten—before folk!