Robert Burns: How To Know Him Part 10

Fair and lovely as thou art, Thou hast stown my very heart; [stolen]

I can die--but canna part, My bonnie dearie.

AFTON WATER

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise; My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds thro' the glen, Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon th.o.r.n.y den, Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear, I charge you disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills, Far mark'd with the courses of clear winding rills; There daily I wander as noon rises high, My flocks and my Mary's sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below, Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow; There oft as mild Ev'ning weeps over the lea, The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me. [birch]

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides, And winds by the cot where my Mary resides; How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave, As gathering sweet flow'rets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes, Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays; My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

THE BLUE-EYED La.s.sIE

I gaed a waefu' gate yestreen, [went, road last night]

A gate, I fear, I'll dearly rue; I gat my death frae twa sweet een, [got, eyes]

Twa lovely een o' bonnie blue.

'Twas not her golden ringlets bright, Her lips like roses wat wi' dew, [wet]

Her heaving bosom lily-white; It was her een sae bonnie blue.

She talk'd, she smil'd, my heart she wyl'd, [beguiled]

She charm'd my soul I wist na how; And aye the stound, the deadly wound, [pang]

Came frae her een sae bonnie blue. [from]

But 'spare to speak, and spare to speed'-- She'll aiblins listen to my vow: [perhaps]

Should she refuse, I'll lay my dead [death]

To her twa een sae bonnie blue.

BONNIE LESLEY

O saw ye bonnie Lesley As she gaed o'er the border? [went]

She's gane, like Alexander, To spread her conquests farther.

To see her is to love her, And love but her for ever; For Nature made her what she is, And never made anither!

Thou art a queen, fair Lesley, Thy subjects, we before thee: Thou art divine, fair Lesley, The hearts o' men adore thee.

The Deil he could na scaith thee, [harm]

Or aught that wad belang thee; He'd look into thy bonnie face, And say, 'I canna wrang thee.'

The Powers aboon will tent thee; [above, guard]

Misfortune sha'na steer thee; [shall not disturb]

Thou'rt like themselves sae lovely, That ill they'll ne'er let near thee.

Return again, fair Lesley, Return to Caledonie!

That we may brag we hae a la.s.s There's nane again sae bonnie. [no other]

La.s.sIE WI' THE LINT-WHITE LOCKS

La.s.sie wi' the lint-white locks, [flaxen]

Bonnie la.s.sie, artless la.s.sie, Wilt thou wi' me tent the flocks? [watch]

Wilt thou be my dearie, O?

Now nature cleeds the flowery lea, [clothes]

And a' is young and sweet like thee; O wilt thou share its joys wi' me, And say thou'lt be my dearie, O.

The primrose bank, the wimpling burn, [winding]

The cuckoo on the milk-white thorn, The wanton lambs at early morn Shall welcome thee, my dearie, O.

And when the welcome simmer-shower Has cheer'd ilk drooping little flower, [every]

We'll to the breathing woodbine bower At sultry noon, my dearie, O.

When Cynthia lights, wi' silver ray, The weary shearer's hameward way. [reaper's]

Thro' yellow waving fields we'll stray, And talk o' love, my dearie, O.

And when the howling wintry blast Disturbs my la.s.sie's midnight rest; Enclasped to my faithfu' breast, I'll comfort thee, my dearie, O.

MONTGOMERIE'S PEGGY

Altho' my bed were in yon muir, Amang the heather, in my plaidie, Yet happy, happy would I be, Had I my dear Montgomerie's Peggy.

When o'er the hill beat surly storms, And winter nights were dark and rainy, I'd seek some dell, and in my arms I'd shelter dear Montgomerie's Peggy.

Were I a Baron proud and high, And horse and servants waiting ready, Then a' 't wad gie o' joy to me, [it would give]

The sharin't wi' Montgomerie's Peggy.

THE LEA-RIG

When o'er the hill the eastern star Tells bughtin-time is near, my jo; [folding-]

And owsen frae the furrow'd field [oxen]

Return sae dowf and wearie O; [dull]

Down by the burn, where scented birks Wi' dew are hanging clear, my jo, [sweetheart]

I'll meet thee on the lea-rig, [gra.s.sy ridge]

My ain kind dearie O. [own]

In mirkest glen, at midnight hour, [darkest]

I'd rove, and ne'er be eerie O, [scared]

If thro' that glen I gaed to thee, [went]

My ain kind dearie O.