Broadside ballad entitled 'We Are Brethren A''

Transcription

We Are Brethren A'.

PRICE ONE PENNY.

Copies can be had in Poet's Box, 80 London St., Glasgow

TUNE?Original.

A happy bit hame this auld world would be,
If men, when they're here, could mak' shift to agree,
An ilk say to his neighbour in cottage an' ha',
Come, gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

I ken na why ane wi' anither should fight,
When to 'gree would mak' a' body cosy an' right,
When men meet wi' men, 'tis the best way of a'
To say, gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

My coat is a coarse ane, an' yours may be fine,
An' I maun drink water, while ye may drink wine;
But we baith ha'e a leal heart unspotted to show,
Sae, gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

The knave ye wad scorn, the unfaithfu' deride,
Ye wad stand like a rock wi' the truth on your side,
Sae wad I, an' nought else wad I value a straw,
Then gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

Ye wad scorn to do fausely by woman or man,
I haud by the right aye, as weel as I can,
We are ane in our joys, our affections, an' a',
Come gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

Your mither has lo'ed you as mithers can lo'e,
And mine has done for me what mithers can do,
We are ane, high an' low, an' we shouldna be twa,
Sae gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

We love the summer day, sunny and fair,
Hame ! oh, how we love it, an' a' that are there
Frae the pure air of heaven the same life we draw,
Sae, gi'e me your hand?we are brethren a'.

Frail shakin' auld age will soon come o'er us baith,
An' creeping alang at his back will be death;
Syne into the same mither-yird we will fa',
Come, gi'e me your hand we are brethren a'.

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