The Keekin Glass
written in 1791
The Keekin Glass - meaning Summary
Mocking Age and Reflection
In this short, taunting poem the speaker answers an insult by turning it back on the attacker. Using Scots diction, the speaker recalls being called a grotesque name and replies that the other person only saw their own likeness when they peered into the keekin' glass. The poem compresses a verbal riposte and a moment of self-revelation into a few lines, combining ridicule and irony: the attempted insult exposes the insulter rather than the intended victim.
Read Complete AnalysesHow daur ye ca' me 'Howlet-face', Ye blear-e'ed, wither'd spectre? Ye only spied the keekin' glass, An' there ye saw your picture.
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