 | Annie Weir and Other Poems |  |
81
A MOTHER'S WAIL.
Oh, Jamie, Jamie, let me greet,
Your kindness cheers nae mair;
I canna dry my tears at will,
Nor frae me fling my care.
I ken your ain heart's sad, for she
Was sunshine in your e'e;
But yours is but a father's love,
And ye maun bear wi' me.
Your kindness cheers nae mair;
I canna dry my tears at will,
Nor frae me fling my care.
I ken your ain heart's sad, for she
Was sunshine in your e'e;
But yours is but a father's love,
And ye maun bear wi' me.
Oh, Jamie, let me greet—my heart
Is sad as sorrow's sel';
It seems but yesterday our tears
On Willie's cauld face fell.
We thocht our lot was hard when Death
Ae bairn had taen awa';
But, oh! it's muckle harder noo,
When we hae nane ava.
Is sad as sorrow's sel';
It seems but yesterday our tears
On Willie's cauld face fell.
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Ae bairn had taen awa';
But, oh! it's muckle harder noo,
When we hae nane ava.
Had Heaven been pleased to warn us
O' the blow that was to fa',
And, lichtly leanin', let her dwine,
As Willie dwined awa',
We micht hae schooled our hearts to bide
The fate we couldna flee,
And waited, wi' a patient grief,
To close our darling's e'e:
O' the blow that was to fa',
And, lichtly leanin', let her dwine,
As Willie dwined awa',
We micht hae schooled our hearts to bide
The fate we couldna flee,
And waited, wi' a patient grief,
To close our darling's e'e:
But, oh! without a gloamin',
Fell bereavement's gloom at last—
Wi' scarce a rustle o' its wings
Awa' her spirit passed.
Though hopefu' seemed her cheek's new bloom
And hale her e'e's blithe licht,
'Twas but the clearness o' the sky
When fa's the April blicht.
Fell bereavement's gloom at last—
Wi' scarce a rustle o' its wings
Awa' her spirit passed.
Though hopefu' seemed her cheek's new bloom
And hale her e'e's blithe licht,
'Twas but the clearness o' the sky
When fa's the April blicht.
83
She wasna like anither bairn,
Whase prattlin's nocht but din;
For there was wisdom in her words,
Far, far her years aboon.
And whiles sic startlin' things she speired,
That in my heart I've sain,—
An angel, watchin' owre our souls,
Is speakin' in my wean.
Whase prattlin's nocht but din;
For there was wisdom in her words,
Far, far her years aboon.
And whiles sic startlin' things she speired,
That in my heart I've sain,—
An angel, watchin' owre our souls,
Is speakin' in my wean.
And ance wi' sparklin' een she sat,
And at the lift gazed lang,
And speired, when I nae sang could hear,
“Wha sings that bonny sang?”
And yet, alas! we saw nae sign;
For hard were we to learn
That a' our love would fail to shield
Frae death our only bairn.
And at the lift gazed lang,
And speired, when I nae sang could hear,
“Wha sings that bonny sang?”
And yet, alas! we saw nae sign;
For hard were we to learn
That a' our love would fail to shield
Frae death our only bairn.
She aye was at my foot, Jamie,
And whiles I fashed awee,
When, maybe at my thrangest time,
She grat to get my knee.
And butt and ben, and oot and in,
To toddle was her pride—
The dear wee lamb! she couldna bear
To leave her mither's side.
And whiles I fashed awee,
When, maybe at my thrangest time,
She grat to get my knee.
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To toddle was her pride—
The dear wee lamb! she couldna bear
To leave her mither's side.
Oh, Jamie, twa lang days I've watched
Her wee white face in vain;
My longing brings nae warmth—her smile
Will ne'er return again.
'Twas some sad solace on her brow
At times to lay my hauns;
But bleak will be the morning,
On a bairnless hearth that dawns.
Her wee white face in vain;
My longing brings nae warmth—her smile
Will ne'er return again.
'Twas some sad solace on her brow
At times to lay my hauns;
But bleak will be the morning,
On a bairnless hearth that dawns.
She'll lie in Willie's grave, Jamie:
Oh! come nae soon awa',
But wait and smooth the turf, and drap
A tear aboon the twa;
For if, as weel they may, they should
Unseen be lingering near,
'Twill cheer them even in heaven to mind
Their father's parting tear.
Oh! come nae soon awa',
But wait and smooth the turf, and drap
A tear aboon the twa;
For if, as weel they may, they should
Unseen be lingering near,
'Twill cheer them even in heaven to mind
Their father's parting tear.
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