Poems by James Hyslop ... With a Sketch of his Life, and Notes on his Poems, By the Rev. Peter Mearns |
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| XXIX. | XXIX.
My Grandfather.
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 | Poems by James Hyslop |  |
XXIX.
My Grandfather.
Where Crawick's woodland waters glide
By green hill, glen, an' shaw,
An aged elder I espied
Whose hair was white as snaw.
By green hill, glen, an' shaw,
An aged elder I espied
Whose hair was white as snaw.
His tremblin' limbs had travell'd far,
Far down the vale o' years;
An' thus, 'neath life's declinin' star,
He sang an' shed his tears.
Far down the vale o' years;
An' thus, 'neath life's declinin' star,
He sang an' shed his tears.
“Oh! when shall life's long journey end,
Its troubles, toils, an' woes?
Oh! when shall I lie down in death,
To sleep in sweet repose?
Its troubles, toils, an' woes?
Oh! when shall I lie down in death,
To sleep in sweet repose?
157
“I've battl'd wi' misfortune's blast
For fourscore years an' three,
Worn out wi' age an' waur'd at last;
It's unco hard for me.
For fourscore years an' three,
Worn out wi' age an' waur'd at last;
It's unco hard for me.
“My strength is gane, my money's spent,
My mailin's far ower dear;
An envious neighbour rais'd my rent
Full twenty pounds a year.
My mailin's far ower dear;
An envious neighbour rais'd my rent
Full twenty pounds a year.
“There's some excuse, I dinna dout,
For mony bairns has he;
But wha's he wad ha'e driv'n out
An auld, auld man like me?
For mony bairns has he;
But wha's he wad ha'e driv'n out
An auld, auld man like me?
“Frae Crawick's bonnie woods an' braes
I'd grieve to gang awa,
For there I've seen sweet simmer days
Twice twenty year an' twa.
I'd grieve to gang awa,
For there I've seen sweet simmer days
Twice twenty year an' twa.
“Ilk gow'ny glen an' burnie roun'
I ken them a' by name;
There's no a bush about the toun
But speaks to me o' hame.
I ken them a' by name;
There's no a bush about the toun
But speaks to me o' hame.
“But gang we maun, my Mary dear!
For here we canna stay;
Our wee bit stock o' well-hain'd gear
The rent wad eat away.
For here we canna stay;
Our wee bit stock o' well-hain'd gear
The rent wad eat away.
“Oor bairnies maun ha'e bread an' claes,
An' somethin' I maun hain
To keep thee in thy auld frail days
When I am dead an' gane.
An' somethin' I maun hain
To keep thee in thy auld frail days
When I am dead an' gane.
“My rent to five Drumlanrig Dukes
I've paid wi' meikle pride;
To leave my bonnie native brooks,
It's unco sair to bide.
I've paid wi' meikle pride;
To leave my bonnie native brooks,
It's unco sair to bide.
“Could young Buccleuch, in grief an' tears,
His auldest tenant see,
He wadna grieve my grey-hair'd years,
Nor turn me out to dee.
His auldest tenant see,
He wadna grieve my grey-hair'd years,
Nor turn me out to dee.
158
“Fain wad I gang to young Buccleuch
An' tell my wofu' tale;
But, hoch! I downa travel now;
I'm unco auld an' frail.
An' tell my wofu' tale;
But, hoch! I downa travel now;
I'm unco auld an' frail.
“I canna write to lord or duke,
My learnin's unco sma';
An' nane amang the meikle folk
Will speak for me ava.
My learnin's unco sma';
An' nane amang the meikle folk
Will speak for me ava.
“The lang an' silent hame for me
Must shortly be the grave;
But frae the Duke, afore I dee,
Just ae thing I wad crave:
Must shortly be the grave;
But frae the Duke, afore I dee,
Just ae thing I wad crave:
“That aye by Crawick's bonnie glen
My children may remain,
Wi' rent reduc'd to gar them fen'
When I am dead an' gane.”
My children may remain,
Wi' rent reduc'd to gar them fen'
When I am dead an' gane.”
| Poems by James Hyslop | |