Delphi Complete Works of Robert Burns (Illustrated) (Delphi Poets Series) (82 page)
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Authors: Robert Burns
526.
The Dumfries Volunteers (Song)
Tune
— “Push about the Jorum.”
DOES haughty Gaul invasion threat?
Then let the louns beware, Sir;
There’s wooden walls upon our seas,
And volunteers on shore, Sir:
The Nith shall run to Corsincon,
5
And Criffel sink in Solway,
Ere we permit a Foreign Foe
On British ground to rally!
We’ll ne’er permit a Foreign Foe
On British ground to rally!
10
O let us not, like snarling curs,
In wrangling be divided,
Till, slap! come in an unco loun,
And wi’ a rung decide it!
Be Britain still to Britain true,
15
Amang ourselves united;
For never but by British hands
Maun British wrangs be righted!
No! never but by British hands
Shall British wrangs be righted!
20
The Kettle o’ the Kirk and State,
Perhaps a clout may fail in’t;
But deil a foreign tinkler loun
Shall ever ca’a nail in’t.
Our father’s blude the Kettle bought,
25
And wha wad dare to spoil it;
By Heav’ns! the sacrilegious dog
Shall fuel be to boil it!
By Heav’ns! the sacrilegious dog
Shall fuel be to boil it!
30
The wretch that would a tyrant own,
And the wretch, his true-born brother,
Who would set the Mob aboon the Throne,
May they be damn’d together!
Who will not sing “God save the King,”
35
Shall hang as high’s the steeple;
But while we sing “God save the King,”
We’ll ne’er forget THE PEOPLE!
But while we sing “God save the King,”
We’ll ne’er forget THE PEOPLE!
40
527.
Address to the Woodlark (Song)
Tune
— “Loch Erroch Side.”
O STAY, sweet warbling woodlark, stay,
Nor quit for me the trembling spray,
A hapless lover courts thy lay,
Thy soothing, fond complaining.
Again, again that tender part,
5
That I may catch thy melting art;
For surely that wad touch her heart
Wha kills me wi’ disdaining.
Say, was thy little mate unkind,
And heard thee as the careless wind?
10
Oh, nocht but love and sorrow join’d,
Sic notes o’ woe could wauken!
Thou tells o’ never-ending care;
O’speechless grief, and dark despair:
For pity’s sake, sweet bird, nae mair!
15
Or my poor heart is broken.
528.
Tune
— “Aye wauken O.”
Chorus
— Long, long the night,
Heavy comes the morrow
While my soul’s delight
Is on her bed of sorrow.
CAN I cease to care?
5
Can I cease to languish,
While my darling Fair
Is on the couch of anguish?
Long, long, &c.
Ev’ry hope is fled,
10
Ev’ry fear is terror,
Slumber ev’n I dread,
Ev’ry dream is horror.
Long, long, &c.
Hear me, Powers Divine!
15
Oh, in pity, hear me!
Take aught else of mine,
But my Chloris spare me!
Long, long, &c.
529.
How cruel are the parents (Song)
Altered from an old English song.
Tune
— “John Anderson, my jo.”
HOW cruel are the parents
Who riches only prize,
And to the wealthy booby
Poor Woman sacrifice!
Meanwhile, the hapless Daughter
5
Has but a choice of strife;
To shun a tyrant Father’s hate —
Become a wretched Wife.
The ravening hawk pursuing,
The trembling dove thus flies,
10
To shun impelling ruin,
Awhile her pinions tries;
Till, of escape despairing,
No shelter or retreat,
She trusts the ruthless Falconer,
15
And drops beneath his feet.
530.
Yonder pomp of costly fashion (Song)
Air
— “Deil tak the wars.”
MARK yonder pomp of costly fashion
Round the wealthy, titled bride:
But when compar’d with real passion,
Poor is all that princely pride.
Mark yonder, &c. (
four lines repeated
).
5
What are the showy treasures,
What are the noisy pleasures?
The gay, gaudy glare of vanity and art:
The polish’d jewels’ blaze
May draw the wond’ring gaze;
10
And courtly grandeur bright
The fancy may delight,
But never, never can come near the heart.
But did you see my dearest Chloris,
In simplicity’s array;
15
Lovely as yonder sweet opening flower is,
Shrinking from the gaze of day,
But did you see, &c.
O then, the heart alarming,
And all resistless charming,
20
In Love’s delightful fetters she chains the willing soul!
Ambition would disown
The world’s imperial crown,
Ev’n Avarice would deny,
His worshipp’d deity,
25
And feel thro’ every vein Love’s raptures roll.
531.
Twas na her bonie blue e’e (Song)
Tune
— “Laddie, lie near me.”
‘TWAS na her bonie blue e’e was my ruin,
Fair tho’ she be, that was ne’er my undoin’;
‘Twas the dear smile when nae body did mind us,
‘Twas the bewitching, sweet, stown glance o’ kindness:
‘Twas the bewitching, sweet, stown glance o’ kindness.
5
Sair do I fear that to hope is denied me,
Sair do I fear that despair maun abide me,
But tho’ fell fortune should fate us to sever,
Queen shall she be in my bosom for ever:
Queen shall she be in my bosom for ever.
10
Chloris, I’m thine wi’ a passion sincerest,
And thou hast plighted me love o’ the dearest!
And thou’rt the angel that never can alter,
Sooner the sun in his motion would falter:
Sooner the sun in his motion would falter.
15
532.
Their groves o’ sweet myrtle (Song)
Tune
— “Humours of Glen.”
THEIR groves o’ sweet myrtle let Foreign Lands reckon,
Where bright-beaming summers exalt the perfume;
Far dearer to me yon lone glen o’ green breckan,
Wi’ the burn stealing under the lang, yellow broom.
Far dearer to me are yon humble broom bowèrs
5
Where the blue-bell and gowan lurk, lowly, unseen;
For there, lightly tripping, among the wild flowèrs,
A-list’ning the linnet, aft wanders my Jean.
Tho’ rich is the breeze in their gay, sunny valleys,
And cauld Caledonia’s blast on the wave;
10
Their sweet-scented woodlands that skirt the proud palace,
What are they? — the haunt of the Tyrant and Slave.
The Slave’s spicy forests, and gold-bubbling fountains,
The brave Caledonian views wi’ disdain;
He wanders as free as the winds of his mountains,
15
Save Love’s willing fetters — the chains of his Jean.
533.
Forlorn, my love, no comfort here (Song)
Air
— “Let me in this ae night.”
FORLORN, my Love, no comfort near,
Far, far from thee, I wander here;
Far, far from thee, the fate severe,
At which I most repine, Love.
Chorus.
— O wert thou, Love, but near me!
5
But near, near, near me,
How kindly thou wouldst cheer me,
And mingle sighs with mine, Love.
Around me scowls a wintry sky,
Blasting each bud of hope and joy;
10
And shelter, shade, nor home have I;
Save in these arms of thine, Love.
O wert thou, &c.
Cold, alter’d friendship’s cruel part,
To poison Fortune’s ruthless dart —
15
Let me not break thy faithful heart,
And say that fate is mine, Love.
O wert thou, &c.
But, dreary tho’ the moments fleet,
O let me think we yet shall meet;
20
That only ray of solace sweet,
Can on thy Chloris shine, Love!
O wert thou, &c.