Poem by Robert Burns

The Highland Widow’s Lament

OH! I am come to the low countrie,
  Och-on, och-on, och-rie!
Without a penny in my purse,
  To buy a meal to me.

It was nae sae in the Highland hills,
  Och-on, och-on, och-rie!
Nae woman in the country wide
  Sea happy was as me.

For then I had a score o’ kye,
  Och-on, och-on, och-rie!
Feeding on yon hills so high,
  And giving milk to me.

And there I had three score o’ yowes,
  Och-on, och-on, och-rie!
Skipping on yon bonnie knowes,
  And casting woo’ to me.

I was the happiest of the clan,
  Sair, sair may I repine;
For Donald was the brawest lad,
  And Donald he was mine.

Till Charlie Stewart cam at last,
  Sae far to set us free;
My Donald’s arm was wanted then,
  For Scotland and for me.

Their waefu’ fate what need I tell,
  Right to the wrang did yield:
My Donald and his country fell
  Upon Culloden field.

Oh! I am come to the low countrie,
  Och-on, och.on, och-rie!
Nae woman in the world wide
  Sae wretched now as me.

1. I Gaed a Waefu' Gate Yestreen
2. Blythe Was She
3. Farewell to Ballochmyle
4. Lines Written under the Picture of Miss Burns
5. Young Jamie, Pride of A’ the Plain

Print

3069 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version