Educating Father
At nicht when bairns their hamework dae,
Paw's adult evenin' ploys begin.
Whit things he learns – the easy way -
just sittin' still, and listenin' in.
He never lets on – disnae dare -
that 'dates' tae him wis maistly bluff.
Bit noo imbibes wi' studious care
1066 an' a' that stuff.


There's fractions, that he used tae dread;
Geography, wi' names o' toons,
an' bits o lear the teacher's said,
on figures, facts and famous loons.
He's grasped the rudiments at last
o' grammar, French and English lore.
Gets on wi' spellin awful fast
(a thing he couldna' dae before!).
“The schules a' richt”, he says tae maw,
“oor kids are comin on ye see.
There's makin's here o' scholars braw.
Jist look at whit it's done fur me!”