Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850–1894). A Child’s Garden of Verses and Underwoods. 1913.
III. When aince Aprile has fairly come
W
An’ birds may bigg in winter’s lum,
An pleisure’s spreid for a’ and some
O’ whatna state,
Love, wi’ her auld recruitin’ drum,
Than taks the gate.
The lasses’ een are a’ sae bricht,
Their dresses are sae braw an’ ticht,
The bonny birdies!—
Puir winter virtue at the sicht
Gangs heels ower hurdies.
Tirls the drum wi’ eident hand,
A’ men collect at her command,
Toun-bred or land’art,
An’ follow in a denty band
Her gaucy standart.
An’ weary winter weel awa’,
Noo busk me in a jacket braw,
An’ tak my place
I’ the ram-stam, harum-scarum raw,
Wi’ smilin face.