Poems, on sacred and other subjects and songs, humorous and sentimental: By the late William Watt. Third edition of the songs only--with additional songs |
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GALLOWA' TAM. |
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 | Poems, on sacred and other subjects |  |
111
GALLOWA' TAM.
Young Gallowa' Tam cam' down the glen,
Chapt at the winnock, but durst na come ben;
I gaed to the door and I crackit awee,
And syne frae the nail whipit down the barn key.
Though the kintra misca' him for waur than the de'il,
I ne'er yet saw ought indiscreet in the chiel;
'Tis true, I maun own, he whiles tak's a bit dram,
But that's now nae exception in Gallowa' Tam.
Chapt at the winnock, but durst na come ben;
I gaed to the door and I crackit awee,
And syne frae the nail whipit down the barn key.
Though the kintra misca' him for waur than the de'il,
I ne'er yet saw ought indiscreet in the chiel;
'Tis true, I maun own, he whiles tak's a bit dram,
But that's now nae exception in Gallowa' Tam.
It happen'd that night, that the laird o' the hill
Cam' down to my father to speer the guidwill;
My mither leugh butt, and my mither leugh ben,
And tauld the laird he'd begun at the wrang end.
For a young lassie's fancy no easy gart jee,
When charm'd wi' the blink o' a young laddie's e'e;
The gowk thocht she only was makin' a sham,
But ne'er dreamt o' the wiles o' young Gallowa' Tam.
Cam' down to my father to speer the guidwill;
My mither leugh butt, and my mither leugh ben,
And tauld the laird he'd begun at the wrang end.
For a young lassie's fancy no easy gart jee,
When charm'd wi' the blink o' a young laddie's e'e;
The gowk thocht she only was makin' a sham,
But ne'er dreamt o' the wiles o' young Gallowa' Tam.
The laird is a crabbit and hoyden-gray hash,
Can talk about nocht but his gear and his cash;
The priest's no yet born wha will buckle us twa,
Though my faither should gie me nae tocher ava.
What signifies wealth, if nae pleasure we share?
What signifies wedlock, if love be nae there?
Sae, fareweel to the auld, wither'd, peat-reekit ram,
But aye welcome blithe penniless Gallowa' Tam.
Can talk about nocht but his gear and his cash;
The priest's no yet born wha will buckle us twa,
Though my faither should gie me nae tocher ava.
What signifies wealth, if nae pleasure we share?
What signifies wedlock, if love be nae there?
Sae, fareweel to the auld, wither'd, peat-reekit ram,
But aye welcome blithe penniless Gallowa' Tam.
At rockin', at bridal, at market, or fair,
Nae pleasure had I if young Tam wasna there;
But when he appear'd ilka bosom did jump,
For o' company Tam was the tongue o' the trump.
The hearts o' the lasses he wiles ane and a',
And ilka chiel's spite on his shouthers maun fa';
They may jeer, they may slander, his credit to slam,
But I ne'er think the less o' young Gallowa' Tam.
Nae pleasure had I if young Tam wasna there;
But when he appear'd ilka bosom did jump,
For o' company Tam was the tongue o' the trump.
The hearts o' the lasses he wiles ane and a',
And ilka chiel's spite on his shouthers maun fa';
They may jeer, they may slander, his credit to slam,
But I ne'er think the less o' young Gallowa' Tam.
He dances sae light, and he sings wi' sic glee,
He's wiled in love's fetters mae lasses than me;
He tells me his love wi' sae winnin' an art,
That ilka word fa's like a charm on my heart.
Come weal or come woe, then, come pleasure or pain,
Though faither and mither say—“Lassie, refrain!”
I'll wed wi' the lad that my heart first o'ercam',
And leave fortune to guide me wi' Gallowa' Tam.
He's wiled in love's fetters mae lasses than me;
He tells me his love wi' sae winnin' an art,
That ilka word fa's like a charm on my heart.
Come weal or come woe, then, come pleasure or pain,
Though faither and mither say—“Lassie, refrain!”
I'll wed wi' the lad that my heart first o'ercam',
And leave fortune to guide me wi' Gallowa' Tam.
| Poems, on sacred and other subjects | |