The Linkin' Laddie
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The Linkin' Laddie - meaning Summary
Loss and Regret in Brief
The speaker laments a sexual encounter that cost her maidenhood and now leaves her ashamed and uncertain how to name the man. She asserts her known reputation at home as the "linkin' laddie," implying a contrast between her previous standing and current vulnerability. The tone mixes sorrow, reproach, and social anxiety: she regrets having trusted or been willing, and curses those who might have encouraged the situation. The short poem centers on loss—personal, reputational, and moral—and the speaker's isolation after a wound to her honor.
Read Complete AnalysesWaes me that e'er I made your bed! Waes me that e'er I saw ye! For now I've lost my maidenhead, An' I ken na how they ca' ye. My name's weel kend in my ain countrie, They ca' me the linkin' laddie; An' ye had na been as willing as I, Shame fa' them wad e'er hae bade ye.
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