Selkirk 13th May 1787
Auld chuckie Reekie 's sair distrest,
Down droops her ance weel-burnish'd crest,
Nae joy her bonie buskit nest
Can yield ava;
Her darling bird that she loes best,
Willie 's awa. —

O Willie was a witty wight,
And had o' things an unco slight;
Auld Reekie ay he keepit tight,
And trig and braw:
But now they'll busk her like a fright,
Willie 's awa. —

The stiffest o' them a' he bow'd,
The bauldest o' them a' he cow'd,
They durst nae mair than he allow'd,
That was a law:
We've lost a birkie weel worth gowd,
Willie 's awa. —

Now gawkies, tawpies, gowks and fools,
Frae colleges and boarding-schools,
May sprout like simmer puddock-stools
In glen or shaw;
He wha could brush them down to mools
Willie 's awa. —

The brethren o' the commerce-chaumer
May mourn their loss wi' doolfu' clamour;
He was a dictionar and grammar
Amang them a':
I fear they'll now mak mony a stammer,
Willie 's awa. —

Nae mair we see his levee door
Philosophers and Poets pour,
And toothy Critics by the score
In bloody raw;
The Adjutant of a' the core
Willie 's awa. —

Now worthy Greg'ry's latin face,
Tytler's and Greenfield's modest grace,
Mckenzie, Stuart, such a brace
As Rome ne'er saw;
They a' maun meet some ither place,
Willie 's awa. —

Poor Burns — even Scotch Drink canna quicken,
He cheeps like some bewilder'd chicken,
Scar'd frae its minnie and the cleckin
By hoodie-craw:
Grief's gien his heart an unco kickin,
Willie 's awa. —

Now ev'ry sour-mou'd, girnin blellum,
And Calvin's folk are fit to fell him;
Ilk self-conceited, critic skellum
His quill may draw;
He wha could brawlie ward their bellum
Willie 's awa. —

Up wimpling, stately Tweed I've sped,
And Eden scenes on chrystal Jed,
And Ettrick banks now roaring red
While tempests blaw;
But ev'ry joy and pleasure 's fled,
Willie 's awa. —

May I be Slander's common speech;
A text for Infamy to preach;
And lastly, streekit out to bleach
In winter snaw
When I forget thee, Willie Creech,
Tho' far awa! —

May never wicked Fortune touzle him,
May never wicked men bamboozle him,
Until a pow as auld 's Methusalem
He canty claw:
Then to the blessed, new Jerusalem
Fleet-wing awa. — .