Grannie Grey Pow Poem by Alexander Anderson

Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Fetch the bairnies in;
Bring them frae the Scaur Heid,
Where they mak' sic din.
Chase them frae the washin' pool,
Thrang at skippin' stanes—
Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Gather hame the weans.


Bring in Rab to get him wash'd,
Weel I ken the loon
Canna dae unless he be
Dirt frae fit to croon.
Tam and Wull are just the same,
For a' I tak' sic pains—
Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Gather hame the weans.


Fetch my ain wee Jeanie in,
Mammy's pet o' a';
Jamie, wha aye slips aboot,
And speaks nae much ava.
Bring them to their cosie bed,
There to rest their banes—
Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Gather hame the weans.


Here they come; ill Rab is first
Tam an' Wull ahin';
Jamie has wee Jeanie's han',
An' baith begin to rin.
Whaten faces hae they a'—
Dirt laid on in grains!
Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Gather hame the weans.


In they toddle, ane by ane;
Wull, wha's aye the fule,
Quarrels wi' ill Rab aboot
Whase nicht it's for the stule.
Jeanie hunkers at my feet,
While sleep upon her gains—
Auld Granny Grey Pow,
I hae a' my weans.


Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Steek the door fu' ticht,
No a wean, if I can help,
Gangs ower the door this nicht.
There they lie in cosie beds,
The morn's wark in their brains—
Auld Granny Grey Pow,
Bless my sleepin' weans.


Mony a fit we hae to gang,
Mony a care to deave;
Joy an' woe are thread aboot
In the wab we weave.
Let us work it to the en',
So that He who reigns
May whisper, when life's gloamin' comes,
'Gather hame the weans.'