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  • The Dominie’s Happy Lot
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The Dominie’s Happy Lot

Walter Wingate

The Dominie is growing grey,
And feth he’s keepit thrang
Wi’ counts an’ spellin’ a’ the day,
And liffies when they’re wrang.
He dauners out at nine o’clock,
He dauners hame at four
Frae twal to ane to eat and smoke
And sae his day is owre!

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon –
A’ Saturday at gowf to play,
And aye the pay gaun on!

When winter days are cauld and dark,
And dykes are deep wi’ snaw,
And bairns are shivern’ owre their wark,
He shuts the shop at twa;
And when it comes to Hogmanay,
And fun comes roarin’ ben,
And ilka dog maun tak’ a day,
The Dominie tak’s ten!

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon
To stop the mill whene’er you will,
And aye the pay gaun on!

And when Inspectors gi’e a ca’
He tak’s them roun’ to dine,
And aye the upshot o’ it a –
‘”The bairns are daein’ fine!”
And sae the “Board” come smirkin’ roun’
Wi’ prizes in their haun’;
And syne it’s frae the end o’ June
Until the Lord kens whan!

Oh! Leezie, Leezie, fine and easy
Is a job like yon
Sax weeks to jaunt and gallivant,
And aye the pay gaun on!


Walter Wingate

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20th century poems corruption early 20th century poems everyday life jobs portraits Scots Scots teachers
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Walter Wingate1865 - 1918

Poet and schoolmaster, Walter Wingate was the author of 'The Sair Finger', the much-loved recitation piece about the wean with the skelf in his pinkie (child with a splinter in his little finger!).
More about Walter Wingate

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