Delphi Complete Works of Robert Burns (Illustrated) (Delphi Poets Series) (42 page)
Read Delphi Complete Works of Robert Burns (Illustrated) (Delphi Poets Series) Online
Authors: Robert Burns
206.
Clarina, Mistress of my Soul (Song)
CLARINDA, mistres of my soul,
The measur’d time is run!
The wretch beneath the dreary pole
So marks his latest sun.
To what dark cave of frozen night
5
Shall poor Sylvander hie;
Depriv’d of thee, his life and light,
The sun of all his joy?
We part — but by these precious drops,
That fill thy lovely eyes,
10
No other light shall guide my steps,
Till thy bright beams arise!
She, the fair sun of all her sex,
Has blest my glorious day;
And shall a glimmering planet fix
15
My worship to its ray?
207.
I’m O’er Young to Marry yet (Song)
Chorus.
— I’m o’er young, I’m o’er young,
I’m o’er young to marry yet;
I’m o’er young, ‘twad be a sin
To tak me frae my mammy yet.
I AM my mammny’s ae bairn,
5
Wi’ unco folk I weary, sir;
And lying in a man’s bed,
I’m fley’d it mak me eerie, sir.
I’m o’er young, &c.
My mammie coft me a new gown,
10
The kirk maun hae the gracing o’t;
Were I to lie wi’ you, kind Sir,
I’m feared ye’d spoil the lacing o’t.
I’m o’er young, &c.
Hallowmass is come and gane,
15
The nights are lang in winter, sir,
And you an’ I in ae bed,
In trowth, I dare na venture, sir.
I’m o’er young, &c.
Fu’ loud an’ shill the frosty wind
20
Blaws thro’ the leafless timmer, sir;
But if ye come this gate again;
I’ll aulder be gin simmer, sir.
I’m o’er young, &c.
208.
To the Weaver’s gin ye go (Song)
MY heart was ance as blithe and free
As simmer days were lang;
But a bonie, westlin weaver lad
Has gart me change my sang.
Chorus.
— To the weaver’s gin ye go, fair maids,
5
To the weaver’s gin ye go;
I rede you right, gang ne’er at night,
To the weaver’s gin ye go.
My mither sent me to the town,
To warp a plaiden wab;
10
But the weary, weary warpin o’t
Has gart me sigh and sab.
To the weaver’s, &c.
A bonie, westlin weaver lad
Sat working at his loom;
15
He took my heart as wi’ a net,
In every knot and thrum.
To the weaver’s, &c.
I sat beside my warpin-wheel,
And aye I ca’d it roun’;
20
But every shot and evey knock,
My heart it gae a stoun.
To the weaver’s, &c.
The moon was sinking in the west,
Wi’ visage pale and wan,
25
As my bonie, westlin weaver lad
Convoy’d me thro’ the glen.
To the weaver’s, &c.
But what was said, or what was done,
Shame fa’ me gin I tell;
30
But Oh! I fear the kintra soon
Will ken as weel’s myself!
To the weaver’s, &c.
209.
Tune
— “M’Pherson’s Rant.”
FAREWELL, ye dungeons dark and strong,
The wretch’s destinie!
M’Pherson’s time will not be long
On yonder gallows-tree.
Chorus.
— Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,
5
Sae dauntingly gaed he;
He play’d a spring, and danc’d it round,
Below the gallows-tree.
O, what is death but parting breath?
On many a bloody plain
10
I’ve dared his face, and in this place
I scorn him yet again!
Sae rantingly, &c.
Untie these bands from off my hands,
And bring me to my sword;
15
And there’s no a man in all Scotland
But I’ll brave him at a word.
Sae rantingly, &c.
I’ve liv’d a life of sturt and strife;
I die by treacherie:
20
It burns my heart I must depart,
And not avengèd be.
Sae rantingly, &c.
Now farewell light, thou sunshine bright,
And all beneath the sky!
25
May coward shame distain his name,
The wretch that dares not die!
Sae rantingly, &c.
210.
Tune
— “An gille dubh ciar-dhubh.”
STAY my charmer, can you leave me?
Cruel, cruel to deceive me;
Well you know how much you grieve me;
Cruel charmer, can you go!
Cruel charmer, can you go!
5
By my love so ill-requited,
By the faith you fondly plighted,
By the pangs of lovers slighted,
Do not, do not liave me so!
Do not, do not leave me so!
10
211.
WHAT will I do gin my Hoggie die?
My joy, my pride, my Hoggie!
My only beast, I had nae mae,
And vow but I was vogie!
The lee-lang night we watch’d the fauld,
5
Me and my faithfu’ doggie;
We heard nocht but the roaring linn,
Amang the braes sae scroggie.
But the houlet cry’d frau the castle wa’,
The blitter frae the boggie;
10
The tod reply’d upon the hill,
I trembled for my Hoggie.
When day did daw, and cocks did craw,
The morning it was foggie;
An unco tyke, lap o’er the dyke,
15
And maist has kill’d my Hoggie!
212.
Raving Winds Around her Blowing (Song)
Tune
— “M’Grigor of Roro’s Lament.”
I composed these verses on Miss Isabella M’Leod of Raza, alluding to her feelings on the death of her sister, and the still more melancholy death of her sister’s husband, the late Earl of Loudoun, who shot himself out of sheer heart-break at some mortifications he suffered, owing to the deranged state of his finances. —
R. B.,
1791.
RAVING winds around her blowing,
Yellow leaves the woodlands strowing,
By a river hoarsely roaring,
Isabella stray’d deploring —
“Farewell, hours that late did measure
5
Sunshine days of joy and pleasure;
Hail, thou gloomy night of sorrow,
Cheerless night that knows no morrow!
“O’er the past too fondly wandering,
On the hopeless future pondering;
10
Chilly grief my life-blood freezes,
Fell despair my fancy seizes.
“Life, thou soul of every blessing,
Load to misery most distressing,
Gladly how wouldlI resign thee,
15
And to dark oblivion join thee!”
213.
Up in the Morning Early (Song)
CAULD blaws the wind frae east to west,
The drift is driving sairly;
Sae loud and shill’s I hear the blast —
I’m sure it’s winter fairly.
Chorus.
— Up in the morning’s no for me,
5
Up in the morning early;
When a’ the hills are covered wi’ snaw,
I’m sure it’s winter fairly.
The birds sit chittering in the thorn,
A’ day they fare but sparely;
10
And lang’s the night frae e’en to morn —
I’m sure it’s winter fairly.
Up in the morning’s, &c.
214.
How Long and Dreary is the Night (Song)
HOW long and dreary is the night,
When I am frae my dearie!
I sleepless lie frae e’en to morn,
Tho’ I were ne’er so weary:
I sleepless lie frae e’en to morn,
5
Tho’ I were ne’er sae weary!
When I think on the happy days
I spent wi’ you my dearie:
And now what lands between us lie,
How can I be but eerie!
10
And now what lands between us lie,
How can I be but eerie!
How slow ye move, ye heavy hours,
As ye were wae and weary!
It was na sae ye glinted by,
15
When I was wi’ my dearie!
It was na sae ye glinted by,
When I was wi’ my dearie!