Poems by Robert Nicoll Second edition: with numerous additions, and a memoir of the author |
 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
STANZAS ON THE BIRTHDAY OF BURNS. |
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| V. |
 | Poems by Robert Nicoll |  |
STANZAS ON THE BIRTHDAY OF BURNS.
This is the natal day of him
Who, born in want and poverty,
Burst from his fetters, and arose
The freest of the free,—
Who, born in want and poverty,
Burst from his fetters, and arose
The freest of the free,—
Arose to tell the watching earth
What lowly men could feel and do,—
To show that mighty, Heaven-like souls
In cottage hamlets grew.
What lowly men could feel and do,—
To show that mighty, Heaven-like souls
In cottage hamlets grew.
Burns! thou hast given us a name
To shield us from the taunts of scorn;—
The plant that creeps amid the soil
A glorious flower hath borne.
To shield us from the taunts of scorn;—
The plant that creeps amid the soil
A glorious flower hath borne.
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Before the proudest of the earth
We stand with an uplifted brow;
Like us, thou wast a toil-worn man,
And we are noble now!
We stand with an uplifted brow;
Like us, thou wast a toil-worn man,
And we are noble now!
Inspir'd by thee the lowly hind
All soul-degrading meanness spurns;
Our teacher, saviour, saint, art thou,
Immortal Robert Burns!
All soul-degrading meanness spurns;
Our teacher, saviour, saint, art thou,
Immortal Robert Burns!
| Poems by Robert Nicoll | |