Poem by John Skinner

The Auld Minister’s Song

[Tune – “Auld Lang Syne.”]

 Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
  	Or friendship e’er grow cauld? 
Should we nae tighter draw the knot, 
  	Aye as we’re growing auld? 
How comes it then, my worthy frien’, 
  	Who used to be sae kin’, 
We dinna for each ither speer, 
  	As we did langsyne?

What though I am some aulder grown, 
  	An’ ablins nae sae gay; 
What though these locks, ance hazel brown, 
  	Are now well mix’d wi’ gray: 
I’m sure my heart nae caulder grows, 
  	But as my years decline, 
Still friendship’s flame as warmly glows 
  	As it did langsyne.

Sae well’s I min’ upo’ the days 
  	That we in youthfu’ pride 
Had used to ramble up the braes 
  	On bonnie Boggie’s side. 
Nae fairies on the haunted green, 
  	Where moonbeams twinkling shine, 
Mair blythely frisk aroun’ their queen, 
  	Than we did langsyne.

Sae well’s I min’ ilk bonny spring 
  	Ye on your harp did play; 
An’ how we used to dance and sing 
  	The livelang simmer’s day. 
If ye hae not forgot the art 
  	To strike that harp divine, 
Ye’ll fin’ I still can play my part, 
  	An’ sing as auld langsyne.

Though ye live on the banks o’ Doun, 
  	And me besooth the Tay, 
Ye well might ride to Faukland town 
  	Some bonny simmer’s day. 
And at that place where Scotland’s king 
  	Aft birl’d the beer and wine, 
Let’s drink, an’ dance, an’ laugh, an’ sing, 
  	An’ crack o’ auld langsyne.

1. John o’ Badenyon
2. The Epistle to Robert Burns from the Author of «Tullochgorum»
3. On Burns’ Address to a Louse
4. Tullochgorum

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