10 Aug., 1979. Addressed to Robert Graham, Esq. of Fintry. I call no Goddess to inspire my strains,A fabled Muse may suit a bard that feigns:Friend of my life! my ardent spirit burns,And all the tribute of my heart returns,For boons accorded, goodness ever new,The gifts still dearer, as the giver you.Thou orb of day! […]

Where hae ye been sae braw, lad?Whare hae ye been sae brankie, O?Whare hae ye been sae braw, lad?Cam ye by Killiecrankie, O? Chorus.–An ye had been whare I hae been,Ye wad na been sae cantie, O;An ye had seen what I hae seen,I’ the Braes o’ Killiecrankie, O. I faught at land, I faught […]

Tune–“The Cameronian Rant.” “O cam ye here the fight to shun,Or herd the sheep wi’ me, man?Or were ye at the Sherra-moor,Or did the battle see, man?”I saw the battle, sair and teugh,And reekin-red ran mony a sheugh;My heart, for fear, gaed sough for sough,To hear the thuds, and see the cludsO’ clans frae woods, […]

Chorus.–Awa’ Whigs, awa’!Awa’ Whigs, awa’!Ye’re but a pack o’ traitor louns,Ye’ll do nae gude at a’. Our thrissles flourish’d fresh and fair,And bonie bloom’d our roses;But Whigs cam’ like a frost in June,An’ wither’d a’ our posies.Awa’ Whigs, etc. Our ancient crown’s fa’en in the dust–Deil blin’ them wi’ the stoure o’t!An’ write their names […]

Thou ling’ring star, with lessening ray,That lov’st to greet the early morn,Again thou usher’st in the dayMy 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 […]

I sing of a Whistle, a Whistle of worth,I sing of a Whistle, the pride of the North.Was brought to the court of our good Scottish King,And long with this Whistle all Scotland shall ring. Old Loda, still rueing the arm of Fingal,The god of the bottle sends down from his hall–“The Whistle’s your challenge, […]

Tune–“Failte na Miosg.” Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,The hills of the Highlands for ever I love. Chorus.–My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,My heart’s […]

Tune–“Robaidh dona gorach.” Dear Myra, the captive ribband’s mine,‘Twas all my faithful love could gain;And would you ask me to resignThe sole reward that crowns my pain? Go, bid the hero who has runThro’ fields of death to gather fame,Go, bid him lay his laurels down,And all his well-earn’d praise disclaim. The ribband shall its […]

Whare are you gaun, my bonie lass,Whare are you gaun, my hinnie?She answered me right saucilie,“An errand for my minnie.” O whare live ye, my bonie lass,O whare live ye, my hinnie?“By yon burnside, gin ye maun ken,In a wee house wi’ my minnie.” But I foor up the glen at e’en.To see my bonie […]

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 baithMight be that laddie’s share. There was Maggy by the banks o’ Nith,A dame wi’ pride eneugh;And Marjory […]

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 jauntieWad 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 […]

Tune–“Up and waur them a’, Willie.” The Laddies by the banks o’ NithWad trust his Grace [1] wi a’, Jamie;But he’ll sair them, as he sair’d the King–Turn tail and rin awa’, Jamie. 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 […]

[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 […]

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 […]

[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 […]

[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,To ken what French mischief was brewin;Or what the drumlie […]

[At the close of the contest for representing the Dumfries Burghs, 1790.][Addressed to R. Graham, Esq. of Fintry.] Fintry, my stay in wordly strife,Friend o’ my muse, friend o’ my life,Are ye as idle’s I am?Come then, wi’ uncouth kintra fleg,O’er Pegasus I’ll fling my leg,And ye shall see me try him. But where shall […]

Gane is the day, and mirk’s the night,But we’ll ne’er stray for faut o’ light;Gude ale and bratdy’s stars and moon,And blue-red wine’s the risin’ sun. Chorus.–Then gudewife, count the lawin,The lawin, the lawin,Then gudewife, count the lawin,And bring a coggie mair. There’s wealth and ease for gentlemen,And simple folk maun fecht and fen’;But here […]

I murder hate by flood or field,Tho’ glory’s name may screen us;In wars at home I’ll spend my blood–Life-giving wars of Venus.The deities that I adoreAre social Peace and Plenty;I’m better pleas’d to make one more,Than be the death of twenty. I would not die like Socrates,For all the fuss of Plato;Nor would I with […]

Yestreen I had a pint o’ wine,A place where body saw na;Yestreen lay on this breast o’ mineThe gowden locks of Anna. The hungry Jew in wilderness,Rejoicing o’er his manna,Was naething to my hinny blissUpon the lips of Anna. Ye monarchs, take the East and WestFrae Indus to Savannah;Gie me, within my straining grasp,The melting […]