J. C. Squire, ed. A Book of Women’s Verse. 1921.
By Joanna Baillie (1762–1851)Song: “The gowan glitters on the sward”
T
The lavrock ’s in the sky,
And colley on my plaid keeps ward,
And time is passing by.
Oh no! sad and slow!
I hear nae welcome sound;
The shadow of our trysting-bush,
It wears so slowly round!
My lambs are bleating near;
But still the sound that I lo’e best,
Alack! I canna hear!
Oh no! sad and slow!
The shadow lingers still;
And like a lanely ghaist I stand,
And croon upon the hill.
The mill wi’ clacking din;
And Luckey scolding frae the door,
To bring the bairnies in.
Oh no! sad and slow!
These are nae the sounds for me;
The shadow of our trysting-bush,
It creeps sae drearily!
A snood o’ bonnie blue,
And promis’d when our trysting cam,
To tie it round her brow.
Oh no! sad and slow!
The time it winna pass!
The shadow of that weary thorn
Is tether’d on the grass.
She ’s past the Witch’s knowe;
She ’s climbing up the Brownie’s brae;
My heart is in a lowe.
Oh no! sad and slow!
’Tis glamrie I hae seen;
The shadow of that hawthorn bush
Will move nae mair till e’en.
Tho’ con’d wi’ little skill;
When colley barks, I’ll raise my head,
And find her on the hill.
Oh no! ’tis nae so!
The time will ne’er be gane!
The shadow of the trysting-bush
Is fix’d like ony stane.