Eddleston Water

I dropped off my car to Luke in Peebles this morning as his is now awaiting a new handbrake and I don't like to think of him driving to Glasgow for the New Year with no handbrake. I think it's possibly not even legal. 
(Of course there was not really any thought of him ever driving his car in that state, I just like drama).

Well, I think I'm going to leave anyone who likes to look at my blips with a Riddle to think on over this New Year festive time, as long as it doesn’t put them off altogether.
I've not written it in any correct grammatical way.


Riddle
Let us look at it quite closely
Tis a very ugly word
And one that makes one shudder
whenever it is heard

It may not be very wicked
It must be always bad
and speaks of sin and suffering
enough to make one mad

They say it is a compound word
and that is very true
and then they decompose it
which of course they're free to do

If, of the dozen letters
we take off the first three
we have the nine remaining
as sad as they can be

For though it seems to make it less
in fact it makes it more
for it takes the brute creation in
which was left out before

Lets see if we can mend it
it's possibly we may
if only we divide it
in some new-fashioned way

instead of three and nine then
lets make it four and eight
you'll say it makes no difference
at least not very great

But only see the consequence!
thats all that need be done
to change this mass of sadness
to unmitigated fun

It clears off swords and pistols
revolvers, bowie knives
and all the horrid weapons
by which men lose their lives

It wakens holier voices-
and now joyfully is heard
the native sound of gladness
compressed into one word

Yes! four and eight my friends!
let that be yours and mine
though all the hosts of demons
rejoice in three and nine.

Happy New Year everyone