Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, <br />O, what a panic's in thy breastie! <br />Thou need na start awa sae hasty, <br />Wi' bickering brattle! <br />I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee <br />Wi' murd'ring pattle! <br /> <br />I'm truly sorry man's dominion, <br />Has broken nature's social union, <br />An' justifies that ill opinion, <br />What makes thee startle <br />At me, thy poor, earth-born companion, <br />An' fellow-mortal! <br /> <br />I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve; <br />What then? poor beastie, thou maun live! <br />A daimen icker in a thrave <br />'S a sma' request; <br />I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, <br />An' never miss't! <br /> <br />Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin! <br />It's silly wa's the win's are strewin! <br />An' naething, now, to big a new ane, <br />O' foggage green! <br />An' bleak December's winds ensuin, <br />Baith snell an' keen! <br /> <br />Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste, <br />An' weary winter comin fast, <br />An' cozie here, beneath the blast, <br />Thou thought to dwell - <br />Till crash! the cruel coulter past <br />Out thro' thy cell. <br /> <br />That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble, <br />Has cost thee mony a weary nibble! <br />Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble, <br />But house or hald, <br />To thole the winter's sleety dribble, <br />An' cranreuch cauld! <br /> <br />But Mousie, thou art no thy lane, <br />In proving foresight may be vain; <br />The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men <br />Gang aft agley, <br />An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, <br />For promis'd joy! <br /> <br />Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me; <br />The present only toucheth thee: <br />But och! I backward cast my e'e, <br />On prospects dreaer! <br />An' forward, tho' I canna see, <br />I guess an' fear!<br /><br />Robert Burns<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-a-mouse/
