Burns's Songs/Again Rejoicing Nature Sees

For other versions of this work, see Again Rejoicing Nature Sees.

SONGS.

———

AGAIN REJOICING NATURE SEES.

Tune—‘ Jocky’s Grey Breeks.’

Again rejoicing Nature sees
Her robe assume its vernal hues,
Her leafy locks wave in the breeze,
All freshly steep’d in morning dews

Chorus.^[1]
And maun I still on Menie^[2] doat,
And bear the scorn that’s in her
For it’s jet, jet black, and it’s like a ⟨hawk,⟩
And it winna let a body be!

In vain to me the cowslips blaw,
In vain to me the vi’lets spring;
In vain to me, in glen or shaw,
The mavis and the lintwhite sing.
And maun I still, &c.

The merry ploughboy cheers his team,
Wi’ joy the tentie seedsman stauks,
But life to me’s a weary dream,
A dream of ane that never wauks,
And maun I still, &c.

The wanton coot the water skims,
Amang the reeds the ducklings cry,
The stately swan majestic swims,
And every thing is blest but I,
And maun I still, &c.

The sheep-herd steeks his faulding slap,
And owre the moorlands whistles shrill,
Wi’ wild, unequal, wand’ring step,
I meet him on the dewy hills.
And maun I still, &c.

And when the lark, ’tween light and dark,
Blythe waukens by the daisy’s side,
And mounts and sings, on flittering wings,
A woe-worn ghaist I hameward glide.
And maun I still, &c.

(illegible text) Winter, with thine angry howl,
And raging bend the naked tree;
(illegible text) gloom will soothe my cheerless soul,
When nature all is sad like me!

And maun I still on Menie doat,
And bear the scorn that’s in her e'e?
For it’s jet, jet black, and it’s like a hawk,
And it winna let a body be.

---

1. This chorus is part of a song composed by a gentleman of Edinburgh, a particular friend of the author’s.
2. (illegible text) the common abbreviation of Marianne.