The Book of Scottish Song/The Shepherd's Song

For works with similar titles, see The Shepherd's Song.
Joanna Baillie2262965The Book of Scottish Song — The Shepherd's Song1843Alexander Whitelaw

The Shepherd's Song.

[Written by Joanna Baillie, and printed, though probably not for the first time, in the Harp of Caledonia, vol. II. published at Glasgow in 1818.]

The gowan glitters on the sward,
The lav'rock's in the sky,
And Colley on my plaid keeps ward,
And time is passing bye.
Oh, no! sad an' slow!
I hear nae welcome sound;
The shadow of our trystin' bush.
It wears sae slowly round!

My sheep-bell tinkles frae the west,
My lambs are bleating near,
But still the sound that I lo'e best,
Alack! I canna hear.
Oh, no! sad an' slow!
The shadow lingers still;
And like a lanely ghaist I stand,
And croon upon the hill.

I hear below the water roar,
The mill wi' clackin' din;
And Lucky scolding frae her door,
To bring the bairnies in.
Oh, no! sad an' slow!
These are nae sounds for me;
The shadow of our trystin' bush,
It creeps sae drearily.

I coft yestreen frae chapman Tam,
A snood of bonnie blue,
And promised, when our trystin' cam',
To tie it round her brow.
Oh, no! sad an' slow!
The time it winna pass;
The shadow of that weary thorn
Is tether'd on the grass.

O now I see her on the way,
She's past the witches' knowe;
She's climbin' up the brownie's brae—
My heart is in a lowe.
Oh, no! 'tis na so!
'Tis glaumrie I ha'e seen;
The shadow of that hawthorn bush
Will move nae mair till e'en.

My book o' grace I'll try to read,
Though conn'd wi' little skill;
When Colley barks I'll raise my head,
And find her on the hill.
Oh, no! sad an' slow!
The time will ne'er be gane;
The shadow of the trystin' bush
Is fix'd like ony stane.