ILLE TERRARUM RAE nirly, nippin', Eas'lan' breeze, FRAE Frae Norlan' snaw, an' haar o' seas, Atween the muckle Pentland's knees, Beeches an' aiks entwine their theek, An' here an' there your windies keek A pickle plats an' paths an' posies, Frae sheep or men; An' there the auld housie beeks an' doses, A' by her lane. The gairdner crooks his weary back Or mebbe stops awhile to crack Or at some buss, worm-eaten-black, Frae the high hills the curlew ca's; The sheep gang baaing by the wa's; Or whiles a clan o' roosty craws Cangle thegether; The wild bees seek the gairden raws, Weariet wi' heather. Or in the gloamin' douce an' gray The muckle siller müne maks way Here aft hae I, wi' sober heart, When orra loves or kittle art Perplexed my mind; Here socht a balm for ilka smart Here aft, weel neukit by my lane, I wadnae gi'en a chucky-stane For a' I'd read. ILLE TERRARUM But noo the auld city, street by street, Noo is the soopit ingle sweet, An' noo the winter winds complain; In the mirk nicht, the winter rain Whan bugles frae the Castle rock, I mind me on the kintry cock, I mind me on yon bonny bield; To hearten up a dowie chield, III HEN aince Aprile has fairly come, WHE Wan birds may bigg in winter's lum, An pleisure's spreid for a' and some Love, wi' her auld recruitin' drum, The heart plays dunt wi' main an' micht; Their dresses are sae braw an' ticht, Puir winter virtue at the sicht Gangs heels ower hurdies. An' aye as love frae land to land An' I, wha sang o' rain an' snaw, I' the ram-stam, harum-scarum raw, A A MILE AN' A BITTOCK MILE an' a bittock, a mile or twa, Abûne the burn, ayont the law, Davie an' Donal' an' Cherlie an' a', An' the müne was shinin' clearly! Ane went hame wi' the ither, an' then The clocks were chappin' in house an' ha', Eleeven, twal an' ane an' twa; An' the guidman's face was turnt to the wa', An' the müne was shinin' clearly! A wind got up frae affa the sea, It blew in the een of a' o' the three, An' the mûne was shinin' clearly! Noo, Davie was first to get sleep in his head, "The best o' frien's maun twine," he said; "I'm weariet, an' here I'm awa' to my bed." An' the müne was shinin' clearly! |