Out of the gulf into the glory, Father, my soul cries out to be lifted. Dark is the woof of my dismal story, Thorough thy sun-warp stormily drifted!– Out of the gulf into the glory, Lift me, and save my story. I have done many things merely shameful; I am a man ashamed, my father! […]

A fresh young voice that sings to me So often many a simple thing, Should surely not unanswered be By all that I can sing. Dear voice, be happy every way A thousand changing tones among, From little child’s unfinished lay To angel’s perfect song. In dewy woods–fair, soft, and green Like morning woods are […]

I cannot write old verses here, Dead things a thousand years away, When all the life of the young year Is in the summer day. The roses make the world so sweet, The bees, the birds have such a tune, There’s such a light and such a heat And such a joy this June, One […]

Annie she’s dowie, and Willie he’s wae: What can be the matter wi’ siccan a twae, For Annie she’s fair as the first o’ the day, And Willie he’s honest and stalwart and gay? Oh, the tane has a daddy is poor and is proud, And the tither a minnie that cleiks at the goud […]

O lassie ayont the hill, Come ower the tap o’ the hill, Come ower the tap wi’ the breeze o’ the hill, Bidena ayont the hill! I’m needin ye sair the nicht, For I’m tired and sick o’ mysel. A body’s sel ‘s the sairest weicht: O lassie, come ower the hill! Gien a body […]

Oh! the bonny, bonny dell, whaur the yorlin sings, Wi’ a clip o’ the sunshine atween his wings; Whaur the birks are a’ straikit wi’ fair munelicht, And the brume hings its lamps by day and by nicht; Whaur the burnie comes trottin ower shingle and stane Liltin bonny havers til ‘tsel its lane; And […]

I. “Bonny lassie, rosy lassie, Ken ye what is care? Had ye ever a thought, lassie, Made yer hertie sair?” Johnnie said it, Johnnie seekin Sicht o’ Mally’s face, Keekin i’ the hedge o’ holly For a thinner place. “Na,” said Mally, pawky smilin, “Nought o’ care ken I; Gien I meet the gruesome carline, […]

I like ye weel upo Sundays, Nannie, I’ yer goon and yer ribbons and a’; But I like ye better on Mondays, Nannie, Whan ye’re no sae buskit and braw. For whan we’re sittin sae douce, Nannie, Wi’ the lave o’ the worshippin fowk, That aneth the haly hoose, Nannie, Ye micht hear a moudiwarp […]

Whan Andrew frae Strathbogie gaed The lift was lowerin dreary, The sun he wadna raise his heid, The win’ blew laich and eerie. In’s pooch he had a plack or twa– I vow he hadna mony, Yet Andrew like a linty sang, For Lizzie was sae bonny! O Lizzie, Lizzie, bonny lassie! Bonny, saucy hizzy! […]

Ane by ane they gang awa; The getherer gethers grit and sma’: Ane by ane maks ane and a’! Aye whan ane sets doon the cup Ane ahint maun tak it up: A’ thegither they will sup! Golden-heidit, ripe, and strang, Shorn will be the hairst or lang: Syne begins a better sang!

As I was walkin on the strand, I spied ane auld man sit On ane auld black rock; and aye the waves Cam washin up its fit. His lips they gaed as gien they wad lilt, But o’ liltin, wae’s me, was nane! He spak but an owercome, dreary and dreigh, A burden wha’s sang […]

There cam a man to oor toon-en’, And a waesome carl was he, Snipie-nebbit, and crookit-mou’d, And gleyt o’ a blinterin ee. Muckle he spied, and muckle he spak, But the owercome o’ his sang, Whatever it said, was aye the same:– There’s nane o’ ye a’ but’s wrang! Ye’re a’ wrang, and a’ wrang, […]

The wind it blew, and the ship it flew, And it was “Hey for hame!” But up an’ cried the skipper til his crew, “Haud her oot ower the saut sea faem.” Syne up an’ spak the angry king: “Haud on for Dumferline!” Quo’ the skipper, “My lord, this maunna be– I‘m king on this […]

Up cam the tide wi’ a burst and a whush, And back gaed the stanes wi’ a whurr; The king’s son walkit i’ the evenin hush, To hear the sea murmur and murr. Straucht ower the water slade frae the mune A glimmer o’ cauld weet licht; Ane o’ her horns rase the water abune, […]

I. There was John Gordon an’ Archibold, An’ a yerl’s twin sons war they; Quhan they war are an’ twenty year auld They fell oot on their ae birthday. “Turn ye, John Gordon, nae brither to me! Turn ye, fause an’ fell! Or doon ye s’ gang, as black as a lee, To the muckle […]

“O lat me in, my bonny lass! It’s a lang road ower the hill, And the flauchterin snaw begud to fa’ On the brig ayont the mill!” “Here’s nae change-hoose, John Munro!” “I’ll ken that to my cost Gien ye gar me tak the hill the nicht, Wi’ snaw o’ the back o’ frost! But […]

The Man says: Laverock i’ the lift, Hae ye nae sang-thrift, ‘At ye scatter ‘t sae heigh, and lat it a’ drift? Wasterfu laverock! Dinna ye ken ‘At ye hing ower men Wha haena a sang or a penny to spen? Hertless laverock! But up there you, I’ the bow o’ the blue, Haud skirlin […]

Sweep up the flure, Janet; Put on anither peat. It’s a lown and a starry nicht, Janet, And nowther cauld nor weet. It’s the nicht atween the Sancts and Souls Whan the bodiless gang aboot; And it’s open hoose we keep the nicht For ony that may be oot. Set the cheirs back to the […]

The Deil’s forhooit his ain, his ain! The Deil’s forhooit his ain! His bairns are greitin in ilka neuk, For the Deil’s forhooit his ain. The Deil he tuik his stick and his hat, And his yallow gluves on he drew: “The coal’s sae dear, and the preachin sae flat. And I canna be aye […]

I.–THIS SIDE AN’ THAT. The rich man sat in his father’s seat– Purple an’ linen, an’ a’thing fine! The puir man lay at his yett i’ the street– Sairs an’ tatters, an’ weary pine! To the rich man’s table ilk dainty comes, Mony a morsel gaed frae’t, or fell; The puir man fain wud hae […]