The Beauties of Burn's Poems/Stanzas on the same Occasion

For other versions of this work, see Stanzas on the same Occasion.
4546809The Beauties of Burn's Poems — Stanzas on the same OccasionRobert Burns (1759-1796)

STANZAS

ON THE SAME OCCASION.

Why am I loath to leave this earthly scene?
Have I so found it full of pleasing charms?
Some drops of joy, with draughts of ill between;
Some gleams of sunshine mid renewing storms.
Is it departing pangs my soul alarms?
Or Death's unlovely, dreary, dark abode?
For guilt, for guilt, my terrors are in arms!
I tremble to approach an angry God!
And justly smart beneath his sin-avenging rod.

Fain would I say, Forgive my foul offence!
Fain promise never more to disobey;
But should my Author health again dispense,
Again I might desert fair Virtue's way,
Again in Folly's path might go astray,
Again exalt the brute, and sink the man,
Then how should I for heav'nly Mercy's pray,
Who act so counter heav'nly Mercy's plan?
Who sin so oft have mourn'd, yet no temptation ran!

O Thou Great Governor of all below!
If I may dare a lifted eye to Thee,
Thy nod can make the tempest cease to blow,
Or still the tumult of the raging sea:
With that controlling pow'r assist ev'n me.
Those headlong furious passions to confine;
For all unfit I feel my pow'rs to be,
To rule their torrent in th' allowed line:
O aid me with Thy help, Omnipotence Divine!

Divider from 'The Beauties of Burn's Poems' a chapbook printed in Falkirk in 1819
Divider from 'The Beauties of Burn's Poems' a chapbook printed in Falkirk in 1819