Skip to content

Scottish Poetry Library

Register/Sign in
Shopping Bag Shopping Bag
Bringing people and poems together
  • Home
  • Poetry
    • Poets
    • Poems
    • Makar – National Poet
      • Our Waking Breath: A Poem-letter from Scotland to Ukraine
      • A Woman’s A Woman
      • The story of the Makar – National Poet of Scotland
    • Best Scottish Poems
    • Spiorad an Àite
      Spirit of Place
    • The Trysting Thorns
    • Poetry Ambassadors
      Tosgairean na Bàrdachd
      • Poetry Commissions: Walter Scott 250
        Coimiseanan Bàrdachd: Walter Scott 250
      • Poetry Ambassadors 2021
    • Poetry Ambassadors 2020
    • Posters
    • Podcasts
  • Library
    • Become a borrower
    • Catalogue
    • Collections
    • Ask a librarian
    • Copyright enquiries
  • Learning
    • SQA set texts
    • Learning resources
    • Designing sensory poetry activities
    • Children’s poems in Scots
    • National Poetry Day archive
    • New to poetry?
    • Advice for poets
  • Events
    • What’s On
    • Meeting rooms and venue hire
    • Exhibitions
  • Shop
    • Poetry Highlights
    • Entropie Books
    • Stichill Marigold Press
    • Poems for Doctors, Nurses & Teachers
    • Scottish Poetry
    • Poetry Pamphlet Cards
    • Help
  • About us
    • Our story
    • Our people
    • Jobs
    • Company Papers & Policies
    • Our projects
    • Our building
    • FAQs
    • Find us
  • Support us
    • Become a Friend
    • Donate
  • Blog
Shopping BagShopping Bag
Ask a librarian
  • Home
  • >
  • Poetry
  • >
  • Billy Keys
  • >
  • A Dug, A Dug
Donate Donate icon Ask a Librarian Ask a Librarian icon

A Dug, A Dug

Billy Keys

Hey, daddy, wid yi get us a dug?
A big broon alsatian? Ur a wee white pug,
Ur a skinny wee terrier ur a big fat bull.
Aw, daddy. Get us a dug. Wull ye?        

N whose dug’ll it be when it durties the flerr?
and pees’n the carpet, and messes the sterr?
It’s me ur yur mammy’ll be taen fur a mug.
Away oot an play. Yur no needin a dug.

Bit, daddy! Thur gien thum away
doon therr at the RSPCA.
Yu’ll get wan fur nothing so ye wull.
Aw, daddy. Get us a dug. Wull ye?        

Doon therr at the RSPCA!
Dae ye hink ah’ve goat nothing else tae dae
bit get you a dug that ah’ll huftae mind?
Yur no needin a dug. Ye urny blind!       

Bit, daddy, thur rerr fur guardin the hoose
an thur better’n cats fur catchin a moose,
an wee Danny’s dug gies is barra a pull.
Aw, hey daddy. Get us a dug. Wull ye? 

Dae ye hear im? Oan aboot dugs again?
Ah hink that yin’s goat dugsn the brain.
Ah know whit ye’ll get; a skiten the lug
if ah hear any merr aboot this bliddy dug.         

Bit, daddy, it widnae be dear tae keep
N ah’d make it a basket fur it tae sleep
N ah’d take it fur runs away orr the hull.
Aw, daddy. Get us a dug. Wull ye?        

Ah don’t hink thur’s ever been emdy like you.
Ye could wheedle the twist oot a flaming coarkscrew.
Noo get doon aff mah neck. Ah don’t want a hug.
Awright. That’s anuff. Ah’ll get ye a dug.

Aw, daddy! A dug! A dug! 


Billy Keys

Tags:

dogs pets Scots Scots recitals for children

About this poem

It is worth noting that the RSPCA does not operate in Scotland, which has its own independent organization, the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).

Watch

Share this
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Learn more

Billy Keys

More about Billy Keys

Online Shop

Browse our range of poetry books, cards and gifts in our online shop.
Shop now

Events

Discover our poetry events at the library & online.
Find forthcoming Events
  • Newsletter signup
  • Accessibility
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Scottish Poetry Library
5 Crichton's Close, Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DT
Tel: +44 (0)131 557 2876
© Scottish Poetry Library 2022.
The Scottish Poetry Library is a registered charity (No. SCO23311).
City of Edinburgh logo Green Arts Initiative logo Creative Scotland logo
Scottish Poetry Library