Poems and Songs of Robert Burns

by Robert Burns

  Again thou usher'st in the day

  My Mary from my soul was torn.

  O Mary! dear departed shade!

  Where is thy place of blissful rest?

  See'st thou thy lover lowly laid?

  Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast?

  That sacred hour can I forget,

  Can I forget the hallow'd grove,

  Where, by the winding Ayr, we met,

  To live one day of parting love!

  Eternity will not efface

  Those records dear of transports past,

  Thy image at our last embrace,

  Ah! little thought we 'twas our last!

  Ayr, gurgling, kiss'd his pebbled shore,

  O'erhung with wild-woods, thickening green;

  The fragrant birch and hawthorn hoar,

  'Twin'd amorous round the raptur'd scene:

  The flowers sprang wanton to be prest,

  The birds sang love on every spray;

  Till too, too soon, the glowing west,

  Proclaim'd the speed of winged day.

  Still o'er these scenes my mem'ry wakes,

  And fondly broods with miser-care;

  Time but th' impression stronger makes,

  As streams their channels deeper wear,

  My Mary! dear departed shade!

  Where is thy blissful place of rest?

  See'st thou thy lover lowly laid?

  Hear'st thou the groans that rend his breast?

  Epistle To Dr. Blacklock

  Ellisland, 21st Oct., 1789.

  Wow, but your letter made me vauntie!

  And are ye hale, and weel and cantie?

  I ken'd it still, your wee bit jauntie

  Wad bring ye to:

  Lord send you aye as weel's I want ye!

  And then ye'll do.

  The ill-thief blaw the Heron south!

  And never drink be near his drouth!

  He tauld myself by word o' mouth,

  He'd tak my letter;

  I lippen'd to the chiel in trouth,

  And bade nae better.

  But aiblins, honest Master Heron

  Had, at the time, some dainty fair one

  To ware this theologic care on,

  And holy study;

  And tired o' sauls to waste his lear on,

  E'en tried the body.

  But what d'ye think, my trusty fere,

  I'm turned a gauger-Peace be here!

  Parnassian queans, I fear, I fear,

  Ye'll now disdain me!

  And then my fifty pounds a year

  Will little gain me.

  Ye glaikit, gleesome, dainty damies,

  Wha, by Castalia's wimplin streamies,

  Lowp, sing, and lave your pretty limbies,

  Ye ken, ye ken,

  That strang necessity supreme is

  'Mang sons o' men.

  I hae a wife and twa wee laddies;

  They maun hae brose and brats o' duddies;

  Ye ken yoursels my heart right proud is-

  I need na vaunt

  But I'll sned besoms, thraw saugh woodies,

  Before they want.

  Lord help me thro' this warld o' care!

  I'm weary sick o't late and air!

  Not but I hae a richer share

  Than mony ithers;

  But why should ae man better fare,

  And a' men brithers?

  Come, Firm Resolve, take thou the van,

  Thou stalk o' carl-hemp in man!

  And let us mind, faint heart ne'er wan

  A lady fair:

  Wha does the utmost that he can,

  Will whiles do mair.

  But to conclude my silly rhyme

  (I'm scant o' verse and scant o' time),

  To make a happy fireside clime

  To weans and wife,

  That's the true pathos and sublime

  Of human life.

  My compliments to sister Beckie,

  And eke the same to honest Lucky;

  I wat she is a daintie chuckie,

  As e'er tread clay;

  And gratefully, my gude auld cockie,

  I'm yours for aye.

  Robert Burns.

  The Five Carlins

  An Election Ballad.

  tune-"Chevy Chase."

  There was five Carlins in the South,

  They fell upon a scheme,

  To send a lad to London town,

  To bring them tidings hame.

  Nor only bring them tidings hame,

  But do their errands there,

  And aiblins gowd and honor baith

  Might be that laddie's share.

  There was Maggy by the banks o' Nith,

  A dame wi' pride eneugh;

  And Marjory o' the mony Lochs,

  A Carlin auld and teugh.

  And blinkin Bess of Annandale,

  That dwelt near Solway-side;

  And whisky Jean, that took her gill,

  In Galloway sae wide.

  And auld black Joan frae Crichton Peel,^1

  O' gipsy kith an' kin;

  Five wighter Carlins were na found

  The South countrie within.

  To send a lad to London town,

  They met upon a day;

  And mony a knight, and mony a laird,

  This errand fain wad gae.

  O mony a knight, and mony a laird,

  This errand fain wad gae;

  But nae ane could their fancy please,

  O ne'er a ane but twae.

  The first ane was a belted Knight,

  Bred of a Border band;^2

  And he wad gae to London town,

  Might nae man him withstand.

  And he wad do their errands weel,

  And meikle he wad say;

  And ilka ane about the court

  Wad bid to him gude -day.

  [Footnote 1: Sanquhar.]

  [Footnote 2: Sir James Johnston of Westerhall.]

  The neist cam in a Soger youth,^3

  Who spak wi' modest grace,

  And he wad gae to London town,

  If sae their pleasure was.

  He wad na hecht them courtly gifts,

  Nor meikle speech pretend;

  But he wad hecht an honest heart,

  Wad ne'er desert his friend.

  Now, wham to chuse, and wham refuse,

  At strife thir Carlins fell;

  For some had Gentlefolks to please,

  And some wad please themsel'.

  Then out spak mim-mou'd Meg o' Nith,

  And she spak up wi' pride,

  And she wad send the Soger youth,

  Whatever might betide.

  For the auld Gudeman o' London court^4

  She didna care a pin;

  But she wad send the Soger youth,

  To greet his eldest son.^5

  Then up sprang Bess o' Annandale,

  And a deadly aith she's ta'en,

  That she wad vote the Border Knight,

  Though she should vote her lane.

  "For far-off fowls hae feathers fair,

  And fools o' change are fain;

  But I hae tried the Border Knight,

  And I'll try him yet again."

  Says black Joan frae Crichton Peel,

  A Carlin stoor and grim.

  "The auld Gudeman or young Gudeman,

  For me may sink or swim;

  [Footnote 3: Captain Patrick Millar of Dalswinton.]

  [Footnote 4: The King.]

  [Footnote 5: The Prince of Wales.]

  For fools will prate o' right or wrang,

  While knaves laugh them to scorn;

  But the Soger's friends hae blawn the best,

  So he shall bear the horn."

  Then whisky Jean spak owre her drink,

  "Ye weel ken, kimmers a',

  The auld gudeman o' London court,

  His back's been at the wa';

  "And mony a friend that kiss'd his caup
/>   Is now a fremit wight;

  But it's ne'er be said o' whisky Jean-

  We'll send the Border Knight."

  Then slow raise Marjory o' the Lochs,

  And wrinkled was her brow,

  Her ancient weed was russet gray,

  Her auld Scots bluid was true;

  "There's some great folk set light by me,

  I set as light by them;

  But I will send to London town

  Wham I like best at hame."

  Sae how this mighty plea may end,

  Nae mortal wight can tell;

  God grant the King and ilka man

  May look weel to himsel.

  Election Ballad For Westerha'

  tune-"Up and waur them a', Willie."

  The Laddies by the banks o' Nith

  Wad trust his Grace^1 wi a', Jamie;

  But he'll sair them, as he sair'd the King-

  Turn tail and rin awa', Jamie.

  [Footnote 1: The fourth Duke of Queensberry, who supported the proposal that,

  during George III's illness, the Prince of Wales should assume the Government

  with full prerogative.]

  Chorus.-Up and waur them a', Jamie,

  Up and waur them a';

  The Johnstones hae the guidin o't,

  Ye turncoat Whigs, awa'!

  The day he stude his country's friend,

  Or gied her faes a claw, Jamie,

  Or frae puir man a blessin wan,

  That day the Duke ne'er saw, Jamie.

  Up and waur them, &c.

  But wha is he, his country's boast?

  Like him there is na twa, Jamie;

  There's no a callent tents the kye,

  But kens o' Westerha', Jamie.

  Up and waur them, &c.

  To end the wark, here's Whistlebirk,

  Lang may his whistle blaw, Jamie;

  And Maxwell true, o' sterling blue;

  And we'll be Johnstones a', Jamie.

  Up and waur them, &c.

  Prologue Spoken At The Theatre Of Dumfries

  On New Year's Day Evening, 1790.

  No song nor dance I bring from yon great city,

  That queens it o'er our taste-the more's the pity:

  Tho' by the bye, abroad why will you roam?

  Good sense and taste are natives here at home:

  But not for panegyric I appear,

  I come to wish you all a good New Year!

  Old Father Time deputes me here before ye,

  Not for to preach, but tell his simple story:

  The sage, grave Ancient cough'd, and bade me say,

  "You're one year older this important day,"

  If wiser too-he hinted some suggestion,

  But 'twould be rude, you know, to ask the question;

  And with a would-be roguish leer and wink,

  Said-"Sutherland, in one word, bid them Think!"

  Ye sprightly youths, quite flush with hope and spirit,

  Who think to storm the world by dint of merit,

  To you the dotard has a deal to say,

  In his sly, dry, sententious, proverb way!

  He bids you mind, amid your thoughtless rattle,

  That the first blow is ever half the battle;

  That tho' some by the skirt may try to snatch him,

  Yet by the foreclock is the hold to catch him;

  That whether doing, suffering, or forbearing,

  You may do miracles by persevering.

  Last, tho' not least in love, ye youthful fair,

  Angelic forms, high Heaven's peculiar care!

  To you old Bald-pate smoothes his wrinkled brow,

  And humbly begs you'll mind the important-Now!

  To crown your happiness he asks your leave,

  And offers, bliss to give and to receive.

  For our sincere, tho' haply weak endeavours,

  With grateful pride we own your many favours;

  And howsoe'er our tongues may ill reveal it,

  Believe our glowing bosoms truly feel it.

  Sketch-New Year's Day [1790]

  To Mrs. Dunlop.

  This day, Time winds th' exhausted chain;

  To run the twelvemonth's length again:

  I see, the old bald-pated fellow,

  With ardent eyes, complexion sallow,

  Adjust the unimpair'd machine,

  To wheel the equal, dull routine.

  The absent lover, minor heir,

  In vain assail him with their prayer;

  Deaf as my friend, he sees them press,

  Nor makes the hour one moment less,

  Will you (the Major's with the hounds,

  The happy tenants share his rounds;

  Coila's fair Rachel's care to-day,

  And blooming Keith's engaged with Gray)

  From housewife cares a minute borrow,

  (That grandchild's cap will do to-morrow,)

  And join with me a-moralizing;

  This day's propitious to be wise in.

  First, what did yesternight deliver?

  "Another year has gone for ever."

  And what is this day's strong suggestion?

  "The passing moment's all we rest on!"

  Rest on-for what? what do we here?

  Or why regard the passing year?

  Will Time, amus'd with proverb'd lore,

  Add to our date one minute more?

  A few days may-a few years must-

  Repose us in the silent dust.

  Then, is it wise to damp our bliss?

  Yes-all such reasonings are amiss!

  The voice of Nature loudly cries,

  And many a message from the skies,

  That something in us never dies:

  That on his frail, uncertain state,

  Hang matters of eternal weight:

  That future life in worlds unknown

  Must take its hue from this alone;

  Whether as heavenly glory bright,

  Or dark as Misery's woeful night.

  Since then, my honour'd first of friends,

  On this poor being all depends,

  Let us th' important now employ,

  And live as those who never die.

  Tho' you, with days and honours crown'd,

  Witness that filial circle round,

  (A sight life's sorrows to repulse,

  A sight pale Envy to convulse),

  Others now claim your chief regard;

  Yourself, you wait your bright reward.

  Scots' Prologue For Mr. Sutherland

  On his Benefit-Night, at the Theatre, Dumfries.

  What needs this din about the town o' Lon'on,

  How this new play an' that new sang is comin?

  Why is outlandish stuff sae meikle courted?

  Does nonsense mend, like brandy, when imported?

  Is there nae poet, burning keen for fame,

  Will try to gie us sangs and plays at hame?

  For Comedy abroad he need to toil,

  A fool and knave are plants of every soil;

  Nor need he hunt as far as Rome or Greece,

  To gather matter for a serious piece;

  There's themes enow in Caledonian story,

  Would shew the Tragic Muse in a' her glory. -

  Is there no daring Bard will rise and tell

  How glorious Wallace stood, how hapless fell?

  Where are the Muses fled that could produce

  A drama worthy o' the name o' Bruce?

  How here, even here, he first unsheath'd the sword

  'Gainst mighty England and her guilty Lord;

  And after mony a bloody, deathless doing,

  Wrench'd his dear country from the jaws of Ruin!

  O for a Shakespeare, or an Otway scene,

  To draw the lovely, hapless Scottish Queen!

  Vain all th' omnipotence of female charms

  'Gainst headlong, ruthless, mad Rebellion's arms:

  She fell, but fell with spirit truly
Roman,

  To glut that direst foe-a vengeful woman;

  A woman, (tho' the phrase may seem uncivil,)

  As able and as wicked as the Devil!

  One Douglas lives in Home's immortal page,

  But Douglasses were heroes every age:

  And tho' your fathers, prodigal of life,

  A Douglas followed to the martial strife,

  Perhaps, if bowls row right, and Right succeeds,

  Ye yet may follow where a Douglas leads!

  As ye hae generous done, if a' the land

  Would take the Muses' servants by the hand;

  Not only hear, but patronize, befriend them,

  And where he justly can commend, commend them;

  And aiblins when they winna stand the test,

  Wink hard, and say The folks hae done their best!

  Would a' the land do this, then I'll be caition,

  Ye'll soon hae Poets o' the Scottish nation

  Will gar Fame blaw until her trumpet crack,

  And warsle Time, an' lay him on his back!

  For us and for our Stage, should ony spier,

  "Whase aught thae chiels maks a' this bustle here?"

  My best leg foremost, I'll set up my brow-

  We have the honour to belong to you!

  We're your ain bairns, e'en guide us as ye like,

  But like good mithers shore before ye strike;

  And gratefu' still, I trust ye'll ever find us,

  For gen'rous patronage, and meikle kindness

  We've got frae a' professions, sets and ranks:

  God help us! we're but poor-ye'se get but thanks.

  Lines To A Gentleman,

  Who had sent the Poet a Newspaper, and offered to continue it free of

  Expense.

  Kind Sir, I've read your paper through,

  And faith, to me, 'twas really new!

  How guessed ye, Sir, what maist I wanted?

  This mony a day I've grain'd and gaunted,