Poems And Songs :: :: University of Virginia Library

There ance was woe at oor fireside,
And want as weel as woe;
Sair, sair we toiled, but ne'er had ought
But poortith for't to show:
For John was unco foolish then,
And aft for weeks, I ween,
Wad traik wi' worthless men, and ne'er
Cam' sober hame at e'en.

But noo there's joy at oor fireside,
And though we yet toil sair,
We've pleasure wi' oor wark, for thrift
Gangs haun' in haun' wi' care.
For John is turned a wiser man,
He's what he aye should been.

And wadna for a worl' come ought
But sober hame at e'en.

There ance were scenes at oor fireside
That bairns should never see,
When I forgat to houp, and feared
The warst that weel might be.
But oh! it's unco hard to houp
When Want's before us seen—
Sic want as needna be, if men
Cam' sober hame at e'en.

But noo there's peace at oor fireside,
Sic peace as angels lo'e,
For aye oor transient clouds o' care
Bright houps are blinkin' through.
The bairns are blithe, and John ne'er sits
Wi' red remorsefu' een,
As aft he sat, when he by chance
Cam' sober hame at e'en.

We often wish at oor fireside,
That a' the worl' micht see
How happy folks that never drink
Around the hearth may be.
And oh! that a' the worl' were blithe
As I hae ever been,
Through a' the years that John has aye
Come sober hame at e'en.