Poems And Songs :: :: University of Virginia Library

Oh, to be near thee,
My bonny dearie!
Sunning my heart in the warmth o' thy smile,
Dauting thee freely,
Ne'er mair to leave thee,
Ne'er mair to leave thee for war's weary toil.

Youth's dream is past noo,
Blawn is Fame's blast noo,
What's a' the glory that's fa'en to my share?
I'm wounded and weary,
My bonny deary—
Wounded and weary, and waukrife wi' care.

148

Kind hearts are round me,
Skilled hands have bound me,—
Hands that may heal, but, alas! fail to cheer;
Comrades are dying,
Moaning and sighing,
Souls leave us longing some ae voice to hear.

Aft o'er me stealing
Comes this sad feeling,—
Life wi' that longing will close, my dear Bell;
My love ne'er shall cheer thee—
Never mair near thee
I'll sit by the burn in oor ain broomy dell.

Aften I hear thee,
My bonny dearie,
Breathing kind words by my pallet at e'en;
Starting, I wauken,
Thy warm haun' while takin',
And only the nurse moving lightly is seen.

149

Nane see the tears then,
Nane ken the fears then,
That cauldly close round me, and prompt this fond prayer,—
Oh, to be near thee,
My bonny dearie!
Oh, to be near thee, and leave thee nae mair!