University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Poems and Songs

By Robert Gilfillan. Fourth edition. With memoir of the author, and appendix of his latest pieces

collapse section
 
 
 
collapse section
collapse section
 
 
 
LAMENT FOR THE BARDS.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
collapse section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
collapse section
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


5

LAMENT FOR THE BARDS.

[_]

Tune—“Hame, Hame, to my ain Countrie.”

The harp of Scotia dear,
That oft in joy was strung;
Alas! 'tis silent now,
And on the willows hung.
The balmy breath of morn
Awakes no more the strain,
And to the gloamin' gale
It kindles not again!
The minstrels famed in song,
Who gave to song its fame—
Ah! whither have they fled,
The high of note and name?
Alas! not to the bowers
Of song, and summer fair,
But in the tuneless grave,
We mark the mighty there!

6

The cloud that gathering comes
Across the evening sky,
Obscures in heavy gloom
The fair stars clust'ring high;
So came the cloud of death,
While yet we thought it day,
And in the gloom of night
Took all our stars away!
The groves may yet be green,
The valleys still be gay,
And down the sunny glen
The blackbird pour his lay;
But Scotia's harp no more
Swells in the vocal throng,
Nor heard the minstrel's voice
In rapture and in song!