Johnie Lad, Cock up your Beaver by Robert Burns
Johnie first comes to town with a blue bonnet lacking its crown, but later acquires a hat and feather. The speaker urges him to cock his hat boldly and proposes crossing the border to confront someone and teach them better behaviour.
By Robert Burns · Genre: Lyric Poetry · 106 words
First lines
When first my brave Johnie lad came to this town, / He had a blue bonnet that wanted the crown; / But now he has gotten a hat and a feather, / Hey, brave Johnie lad, cock up your beaver!
Cock up your beaver, and cock it fu' sprush, / We'll over the border, and gie them a brush; / There's somebody there we'll teach better behaviour, / Hey, brave Johnie lad, cock up your beaver!
Genres
- Lyric Poetry — Two rhymed four-line stanzas address Johnie directly and repeat an exhortation to cock his hat.
Tags
headwear · bravado · border crossing · confrontation
What this Textopian page supports
Johnie Lad, Cock up your Beaver is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry
- Length: 106 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
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