Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.
Birthplace of Robert Burns
By Thomas William Parsons (18191892)A
No home of pride, of pomp, and sin,—
So freely let us lift the latch,
The willing latch that says, “Come in.”
No carpet by soft sandals trod,
But just for peasant’s feet a floor,—
Small kingdom for a child of God!
And here Apollo chose to light;
And here those large eyes hailed the morn
That had for beauty such a sight!
Some angel fanned him with his wing,
And whispered, “Dawn upon the day
Like a new sun! go forth and sing!”
The round world echoed with his song,
And hearts in every land were stirred
With love, and joy, and scorn of wrong.
Yet the sweet lays would many learn;
But he went singing through the world,
In most melodious unconcern.
And clouds will travel o’er the sky;
And the great God, who cares for all,
He will not let his darlings die.
In spite of poverty and shame,
And show the world the poet’s pen
May match the sword in winning fame.