A Poet’s Welcome to His Bastart Wean

THOU'S welcome, Wean! Mishanter fa' me,
If thoughts o' thee, or yet thy Mamie,
Shall ever daunton me or awe me,
My bonie lady,
Or if I blush when thou shalt ca' me
Tyta or daddie.------

Tho' now they ca' me Fornicator,
And tease my name in kintra clatter,
The mair they talk, I'm kend the better;
E'en let them clash!
An auld wife's tongue's a feckless matter
To gie ane fash.------

Welcome! My bonie, sweet, wee Dochter!
Tho' ye come here a wee unsought for;
And tho' your comin' I hae fought for,
Baith Kirk and Queir;
Yet, by my faith, ye're no unwrought for,
That I shall swear!

Wee image o' my bonie Betty,
As fatherly I kiss and daut thee,
As dear and near my heart I set thee
Wi' as gude will,
As a' the priests had seen me get thee
That's out o' hell.------

Sweet fruit o' mony a merry dint,
My funny toil is now a' tint;
Tho ye come to the warld asklent,
Which fools may scoff at,
In my last plack your part's be in't
The better half o't.------

Tho' I should be the waur bestead,
Thou's be as braw and bienly clad,
And thy young years as nicely bred
Wi' education,
As ony brat o' Wedlock's bed,
In a' thy station.------

[Lord grant that thou may aye inherit
Thy Mither's looks an’ gracfu’ merit;
An' thy poor, worthless Daddie's spirit,
Without his failins!
'Twad please me mair to see thee heir it
Than stockit mailens!]

For if thou be, what I wad hae thee,
And tak the counsel I shall gie thee,
I'll never rue my trouble wi' thee,
The cost nor shame o't,
But be a loving Father to thee,
And brag the name o't.------