Poem by Hector Macneill

* * *

'Lassie wi' the gowden hair,
Silken snood, and face sae fair;
Lassie wi' the yellow hair,
    Think nae to deceive me!
Lassie wi' the gowden hair,
Flattering smile, and face sae fair;
Fare ye weel! for never mair
    Johnie will believe ye!
O no! Mary bawn, Mary bawn, Mary bawn,
O no! Mary bawn, ye'll nae mair deceive me!

Smiling; twice ye made me troo;
Twice -- (poor fool!) I turn'd to woo;
Twice, fause maid! ye brak your vow,
    Now I've sworn to leave ye!
Twice, fause maid! ye brak your vow,
Twice, poor fool! I've learn'd to rue--
Come ye yet to mak me troo?
    Thrice ye'll ne'er deceive me!
No! no! Mary bawn, Mary bawn, Mary bawn!
O no! Mary bawn, thrice ye'll ne'er deceive me.

Mary saw him turn to part;
Deep his words sank in her heart ;--
Soon the tears began to start--
    'Johnie, will ye leave me!'
Soon the tears began to start,
Grit and gritter grew his heart!--
'Yet ae word before we part,
    Luve cou'd ne'er deceive ye!
O no! Johnie dow, Johnie dow, Johnie dow,
O no! Johnie dow -- luve cau'd ne'er deceive ye.'

Johnie took a parting keek,
Saw the tears hap owre her cheek!
Pale she stood, but coudna speak!--
    Mary's cur'd o' smiling.
Johnie took anither keek--
'Beauty's rose has left her cheek!--
Pale she stands, and canna speak.
    This is nae beguiling.
O no! Mary bawn, Mary bawn, dear Mary bawn,
No, no! Mary bawn -- Luve has nae beguiling.

1. On Admiral Lord Nelson's Sending in the Hour of Victory, a Flag of Truce to Stop the Further Effusion
2. Mally Aiken, An Old Song Revived
3. Tammy's Courtship
4. My Love's in Germany
5. On the Death of Lieut. Gen. Sir Ralph Abercromby. Killed at the Battle of Alexandria, in Egypt, Marc

Print

1128 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version