 | Poems And Songs |  |
111
THE DOMINIE'S OE.
The Dominie's sel',
He was grey, thin, and bel',
And lang frae his cheek had fled youth's rosy glow;
A dark sparkling ee,
Like the robin's, had he,
And like him in this was the Dominie's Oe.
But she had saft locks o' the hazel's ain broon,
That ne'er in forced ringlets waved wantonly roon,
But aye in smooth braids, that fu' brawly could show
How humble and mild was the Dominie's Oe.
He was grey, thin, and bel',
And lang frae his cheek had fled youth's rosy glow;
A dark sparkling ee,
Like the robin's, had he,
And like him in this was the Dominie's Oe.
But she had saft locks o' the hazel's ain broon,
That ne'er in forced ringlets waved wantonly roon,
But aye in smooth braids, that fu' brawly could show
How humble and mild was the Dominie's Oe.
The Dominie's voice
Had nae need to sound twice
To lay the air-castles o' schule-callans low,
Sae sonorous and stern—
'Twas the dread o' ilk bairn—
Far different frae that o' the Dominie's Oe.
Her voice was as sweet as the laverock's at dawn,
That through the grey mist cheers his mate on the lawn;
Sae rich when she sang—when she spak aye sae low—
Ilk bairn liked to crack wi' the Dominie's Oe.
Had nae need to sound twice
112
Sae sonorous and stern—
'Twas the dread o' ilk bairn—
Far different frae that o' the Dominie's Oe.
Her voice was as sweet as the laverock's at dawn,
That through the grey mist cheers his mate on the lawn;
Sae rich when she sang—when she spak aye sae low—
Ilk bairn liked to crack wi' the Dominie's Oe.
In the Dominie's life
Ups and downs had been rife,
Romance circling round him wi' strange checkering flow;
Better times he had seen,
And far puirer had been,
Though nane heard the tale but the Dominie's Oe.
She kent in what fancies the auld man took pride,
What memories to harp on, what themes to avoid,
To chase away sadness and charm away woe;
And sweet was the task to the Dominie's Oe.
Ups and downs had been rife,
Romance circling round him wi' strange checkering flow;
Better times he had seen,
And far puirer had been,
Though nane heard the tale but the Dominie's Oe.
She kent in what fancies the auld man took pride,
What memories to harp on, what themes to avoid,
To chase away sadness and charm away woe;
And sweet was the task to the Dominie's Oe.
113
In the Dominie's chair,
When at e'en he sat there,
Enjoying the bliss slippered ease can bestow,
On the lines of his face
Sober lair had chief place,
As learnedly and kindly he cracked wi' his Oe.
How happy was she when a blithe thing he said!
How sweet were the smiles round her dimples that played!
But fast fell her tears when he spak o' that woe
That left him alane in the world wi' his Oe.
When at e'en he sat there,
Enjoying the bliss slippered ease can bestow,
On the lines of his face
Sober lair had chief place,
As learnedly and kindly he cracked wi' his Oe.
How happy was she when a blithe thing he said!
How sweet were the smiles round her dimples that played!
But fast fell her tears when he spak o' that woe
That left him alane in the world wi' his Oe.
In the Dominie's heart
Preyed ae care which nae art,
Nae wiles o' the maiden, could soothe or o'erthrow,
“Life's sand's running fast—
When the last grain hath past,
In a' the wide worl' wha'll befriend my sweet Oe?”
Puir man! he ne'er dreamed that a secret she had—
That far owre the sea thrave her ain faithfu' lad—
Until his return brang a love-worthy jo,
Wi' comfort for life to the Dominie's Oe.
Preyed ae care which nae art,
Nae wiles o' the maiden, could soothe or o'erthrow,
“Life's sand's running fast—
When the last grain hath past,
In a' the wide worl' wha'll befriend my sweet Oe?”
Puir man! he ne'er dreamed that a secret she had—
That far owre the sea thrave her ain faithfu' lad—
Until his return brang a love-worthy jo,
Wi' comfort for life to the Dominie's Oe.
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