The blood-stain'd roost, and sheep-cote spoil'd, My heart forgets, While pityless the tempest wild Sore on you beats. Now Phoebe, in her midnight reign, When on my ear this plaintive strain, 'Blow, blow, ye winds, with heavier gust! Thau heav'n-illumin'd man on brother man bestows! See stern oppression's iron grip, Or mad ambition's gory hand, Sending, like blood-hounds from the slip, Woe, want, and murder o'er a land! Ev'n in the peaceful rural vale, Truth, weeping, tells the mournful tale, With all the servile wretches in the rear, Whose toil upholds the glittering show, Some coarser substance, unrefin'd, Plac'd for her lordly use thus far, thus vile, below. Where, where is love's fond, tender throe, With lordly honour's lofty brow, The pow'rs you proudly own? Is there, beneath love's noble name, Mark maiden-innocence, a prey Regardless of the tears, and unavailing pray'rs ! O ye! who, sunk in beds of down, Feel not a want but what yourselves create, Stretch'd on his straw he lays himself to sleep, I heard nae mair, for Chanticleer Shook off the pouthery snaw, And hail'd the morning with a cheer, But deep this truth impress'd my mind- The heart benevolent and kind The most resembles God. TO MARY IN HEAVEN. THOU lingering star, with lessening ray, 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 shores 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 memory wakes, And fondly broods with miser care; Time but the' impression deeper 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? TO A MOUSE, On turning her up in her Nest with the Plough, WEE, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, Wi' bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, Wi' murd'ring pattle! I'm truly sorry man's dominion Which makes thee startle At me, thy poor earth-born companion, An' fellow-mortal! I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve; 'S a sma' request: I'll get a blessin wi' the lave, And never miss't! Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin! An' bleak December's winds ensuin, Baith snell and keen! Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste, An' weary winter comin fast, An' cozie here, beneath the blast, Thou thought to dwell, Till crash! the cruel coulter past Out thro' thy cell. That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,' To thole the winter's sleety dribble, An' cranreuch cauld! But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane, An' lea'e us nought but grief and pain, Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me! On prospects drear! An' forward, tho' I canna see, I guess an' fear. TO A MOUNTAIN DAISY, On turning one down with the Plough in April, 1786. WEE, modest, crimson-tipped flow'r, Thou's met me in an evil hour; For I maun crush amang the stoure Thy slender stem; To spare thee now is past my pow'r, Thou bonnie gem. Alas! its no thy neebor sweet, Bending thee 'mang the dewy weet! Wi' speckled breast, When upward-springing, blythe, to greet The purpling east. |