Delphi Complete Works of Robert Burns (Illustrated) (Delphi Poets Series)
Page 51
WE grant they’re thine, those beauties all,
So lovely in our eye;
Keep them, thou eunuch, Cardoness,
For others to enjoy!
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
477.
Epigram on Dr. Babington’s looks
is expressed in the Rev. Dr. Babington’s very looks.
THAT there is a falsehood in his looks,
I must and will deny:
They tell their Master is a knave,
And sure they do not lie.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
478.
Epigram on a Suicide
EARTH’D up, here lies an imp o’ hell,
Planted by Satan’s dibble;
Poor silly wretch, he’s damned himsel’,
To save the Lord the trouble.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
479.
Epigram on a Swearing Coxcomb
HERE cursing, swearing Burton lies,
A buck, a beau, or “Dem my eyes!”
Who in his life did little good,
And his last words were “Dem my blood!”
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
480.
Epigram on an Innkeeper (“The Marquis”)
HERE lies a mock Marquis, whose titles were shamm’d,
If ever he rise, it will be to be damn’d.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
481.
Epigram on Andrew Turner
IN se’enteen hunder’n forty-nine,
The deil gat stuff to mak a swine,
An’ coost it in a corner;
But wilily he chang’d his plan,
An’ shap’d it something like a man, 5
An’ ca’d it Andrew Turner.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
482.
Pretty Peg, my dearie (Song)
AS I gaed up by yon gate-end,
When day was waxin’ weary,
Wha did I meet come down the street,
But pretty Peg, my dearie!
Her air sae sweet, an’ shape complete, 5
Wi’ nae proportion wanting,
The Queen of Love did never move
Wi’ motion mair enchanting.
Wi’ linkèd hands we took the sands,
Adown yon winding river; 10
Oh, that sweet hour and shady bower,
Forget it shall I never!
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
483.
Esteem for Chloris
AH, Chloris, since it may not be,
That thou of love wilt hear;
If from the lover thou maun flee,
Yet let the friend be dear.
Altho’ I love my Chloris mair 5
Than ever tongue could tell;
My passion I will ne’er declare —
I’ll say, I wish thee well.
Tho’ a’ my daily care thou art,
And a’ my nightly dream, 10
I’ll hide the struggle in my heart,
And say it is esteem.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
484.
Saw you my dear, my Philly (Song)
Tune— “When she cam’ ben she bobbit.”
O SAW ye my Dear, my Philly?
O saw ye my Dear, my Philly,
She’s down i’ the grove, she’s wi’ a new Love,
She winna come hame to her Willy.
What says she my dear, my Philly? 5
What says she my dear, my Philly?
She lets thee to wit she has thee forgot,
And forever disowns thee, her Willy.
O had I ne’er seen thee, my Philly!
O had I ne’er seen thee, my Philly! 10
As light as the air, and fause as thou’s fair,
Thou’s broken the heart o’ thy Willy.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
485.
How lang and dreary is the night (Song)
HOW lang and dreary is the night
When I am frae my Dearie;
I restless lie frae e’en to morn
Though I were ne’er sae weary.
Chorus. — For oh, her lanely nights are lang! 5
And oh, her dreams are eerie;
And oh, her window’d heart is sair,
That’s absent frae her Dearie!
When I think on the lightsome days
I spent wi’ thee, my Dearie; 10
And now what seas between us roar,
How can I be but eerie?
For oh, &c.
How slow ye move, ye heavy hours;
The joyless day how dreary: 15
It was na sae ye glinted by,
When I was wi’ my Dearie!
For oh, &c.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
486.
Inconstancy in love (Song)
Tune— “Duncan Gray.”
LET not Woman e’er complain
Of inconstancy in love;
Let not Woman e’er complain
Fickle Man is apt to rove:
Look abroad thro’ Nature’s range, 5
Nature’s mighty Law is change,
Ladies, would it not seem strange
Man should then a monster prove!
Mark the winds, and mark the skies,
Ocean’s ebb, and ocean’s flow, 10
Sun and moon but set to rise,
Round and round the seasons go.
Why then ask of silly Man
To oppose great Nature’s plan?
We’ll be constant while we can — 15
You can be no more, you know.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
487.
The Lover’s Morning Salute to his Mistress
Tune— “Deil tak the wars.”
SLEEP’ST thou, or wak’st thou, fairest creature?
Rosy morn now lifts his eye,
Numbering ilka bud which Nature
Waters wi’ the tears o’ joy.
Now, to the streaming fountain, 5
Or up the heathy mountain,
The hart, hind, and roe, freely, wildly-wanton stray;
In twining hazel bowers,
Its lay the linnet pours,
The laverock to the sky 10
Ascends, wi’ sangs o’ joy,
While the sun and thou arise to bless the day.
Phoebus gilding the brow of morning,
Banishes ilk darksome shade,
Nature, gladdening and adorning; 15
Such to me my lovely maid.
When frae my Chloris parted,
Sad, cheerless, broken-hearted,
The night’s gloomy shades, cloudy, dark, o’ercast my sky:
But when she charms my sight, 20
In pride of Beauty’s light —
When thro’ my very heart
Her burning glories dart;
‘Tis then—’tis then I wake to life and joy!
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
488.
The Winter of Life (Song)
BUT lately seen in gladsome green,
The woods rejoic’d the day,
Thro’ gentle showers, the laughing flowers
In double pride were gay:
But now our joys are fled 5
On winter blasts awa;
Yet maiden May, in rich array,
Again shall bring them a’.
But my white pow, nae kindly thowe
Shall melt the snaws of Age; 10
; My trunk of eild, but buss or beild,
Sinks in Time’s wintry rage.
Oh, Age has weary days,
And nights o’ sleepless pain:
Thou golden time, o’ Youthfu’ prime, 15
Why comes thou not again!
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
489.
Behold, my love, how green the groves (Song)
Tune— “My lodging is on the cold ground.”
BEHOLD, my love, how green the groves,
The primrose banks how fair;
The balmy gales awake the flowers,
And wave thy flowing hair.
The lav’rock shuns the palace gay, 5
And o’er the cottage sings:
For Nature smiles as sweet, I ween,
To Shepherds as to Kings.
Let minstrels sweep the skilfu’ string,
In lordly lighted ha’: 10
The Shepherd stops his simple reed,
Blythe in the birken shaw.
The Princely revel may survey
Our rustic dance wi’ scorn;
But are their hearts as light as ours, 15
Beneath the milk-white thorn!
The shepherd, in the flowery glen;
In shepherd’s phrase, will woo:
The courtier tells a finer tale,
But is his heart as true! 20
These wild-wood flowers I’ve pu’d, to deck
That spotless breast o’ thine:
The courtiers’ gems may witness love,
But, ‘tis na love like mine.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
490.
The charming month of May (Song)
Tune— “Daintie Davie.”
IT was the charming month of May,
When all the flow’rs were fresh and gay.
One morning, by the break of day,
The youthful, charming Chloe —
From peaceful slumber she arose, 5
Girt on her mantle and her hose,
And o’er the flow’ry mead she goes —
The youthful, charming Chloe.
Chorus. — Lovely was she by the dawn,
Youthful Chloe, charming Chloe, 10
Tripping o’er the pearly lawn,
The youthful, charming Chloe.
The feather’d people you might see
Perch’d all around on every tree,
In notes of sweetest melody 15
They hail the charming Chloe;
Till, painting gay the eastern skies,
The glorious sun began to rise,
Outrival’d by the radiant eyes
Of youthful, charming Chloe. 20
Lovely was she, &c.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
491.
Lassie wi’ the Lint-white Locks (Song)
Tune— “Rothiemurchie’s Rant.”
Chorus. — Lassie wi’the lint-white locks,
Bonie lassie, artless lassie,
Wilt thou wi’ me tent the flocks,
Wilt thou be my Dearie, O?
NOW Nature cleeds the flowery lea, 5
And a’ is young and sweet like thee,
O wilt thou share its joys wi’ me,
And say thou’lt be my Dearie, O.
Lassie wi’ the, &c.
The primrose bank, the wimpling burn, 10
The cuckoo on the milk-white thorn,
The wanton lambs at early morn,
Shall welcome thee, my Dearie, O.
Lassie wi’ the, &c.
And when the welcome simmer shower 15
Has cheer’d ilk drooping little flower,
We’ll to the breathing woodbine bower,
At sultry noon, my Dearie, O.
Lassie wi’ the, &c.
When Cynthia lights, wi’ silver ray, 20
The weary shearer’s hameward way,
Thro’ yellow waving fields we’ll stray,
And talk o’ love, my Dearie, O.
Lassie wi’ the, &c.
And when the howling wintry blast 25
Disturbs my Lassie’s midnight rest,
Enclasped to my faithfu’ breast,
I’ll comfort thee, my Dearie, O.
Lassie wi’ the, &c.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
492.
Dialogue Song — Philly and Willy
Tune— “The Sow’s tail to Geordie.”
He. O PHILLY, happy be that day,
When roving thro’ the gather’d hay,
My youthfu’ heart was stown away,
And by thy charms, my Philly.
She. O Willy, aye I bless the grove 5
Where first I own’d my maiden love,
Whilst thou did pledge the Powers above,
To be my ain dear Willy.
Both. For a’ the joys that gowd can gie,
I dinna care a single flie; 10
The { lad lass } I love’s the { lad lass } for me,
And that’s my ain dear { Willy. Philly. }
He. As songsters of the early year,
Are ilka day mair sweet to hear,
So ilka day to me mair dear 15
And charming is my Philly.
She. As on the brier the budding rose,
Still richer breathes and fairer blows,
So in my tender bosom grows
The love I bear my Willy. 20
Both. For a’ the joys, &c.
He. The milder sun and bluer sky
That crown my harvest cares wi’ joy,
Were ne’er sae welcome to my eye
As is a sight o’ Philly. 25
She. The little swallow’s wanton wing,
Tho’ wafting o’er the flowery Spring,
Did ne’er to me sic tidings bring,
As meeting o’ my Willy.
Both. For a’ the joys, &c. 30
He. The bee that thro’ the sunny hour
Sips nectar in the op’ning flower,
Compar’d wi’ my delight is poor,
Upon the lips o’ Philly.
She. The woodbine in the dewy weet, 35
When ev’ning shades in silence meet,
Is nocht sae fragrant or sae sweet
As is a kiss o’ Willy.
Both. For a’ the joys, &c.
He. Let fortune’s wheel at random rin, 40
And fools may tine and knaves may win;
My thoughts are a’ bound up in ane,
And that’s my ain dear Philly.
She. What’s a’ the joys that gowd can gie?
I dinna care a single flie; 45
The lad I love’s the lad for me,
And that’s my ain dear Willy.
Both. For a’ the joys, &c.
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
493.
Contented wi’ little, and cantie wi’ mair (Song)
Tune— “Lumps o’ Puddin’.”
CONTENTED wi’ little, and cantie wi’ mair,
Whene’er I forgather wi’ Sorrow and Care,
I gie them a skelp as they’re creeping alang,
Wi’ a cog o’ gude swats and an auld Scottish sang.
Chorus. — Contented wi’ little, &c. 5
I whiles claw the elbow o’ troublesome thought;
But Man is a soger, and Life is a faught;
My mirth and gude humour are coin in my pouch,
And my Freedom’s my Lairdship nae monarch dare touch.
Contented wi’ little, &c. 10
A townmond o’ trouble, should that be may fa’,
A night o’ gude fellowship sowthers it a’:
When at the blythe end o’ our journey at last,
Wha the deil ever thinks o’ the road he has past?
Contented wi’ little, &c. 15
Blind Chan
ce, let her snapper and stoyte on her way;
Be’t to me, be’t frae me, e’en let the jade gae:
Come Ease, or come Travail, come Pleasure or Pain,
My warst word is: “Welcome, and welcome again!”
Contented wi’ little, &c. 20
Chronological List of Poems
Alphabetical List of Poems
494.
Farewell thou stream that winding flows (Song)
Air— “Nansie’s to the greenwood gane.”
FAREWELL, thou stream that winding flows
Around Eliza’s dwelling;
O mem’ry! spare the cruel thoes
Within my bosom swelling.