Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BURD AILIE, by JAMES SMITH (1824-)


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BURD AILIE, by                    
First Line: Burd ailie sat doon by the wimplin' burn
Last Line: And the ship that wad ne'er come hame!
Subject(s): Birds


BURD AILIE sat doon by the wimplin' burn,
Wi' the red, red rose in her hair;
And bricht was the glance o' her' bonnie black e'e,
As her heart throbb'd fast and sair;
And aye as she look'd on ilk clear wee wave,
She murmur'd her true love's name,
An' sigh'd when she thocht on the distant sea,
And the ship sae far frae hame!

The robin flew hie owre the gowden bloom,
And he warbled fu' cheerilie;
"Oh, tell me -- oh, tell me, my bonnie wee bird,
Will I ever my true love see?"
Then saftly and sweetly the robin sang --
"Puir Ailie! I'm laith to tell;
For the ship's i' the howe o' a roarin' wave,
And thy love's i' the merlin's cell!"

"Oh, tell me -- oh, tell me, thou bonnie wee bird,
Did he mind on the nicht langsyne,
When we plighted our troth by the trystin' tree?
Was his heart aye true to mine?"
"Oh, fond and true," the sweet robin said,
"But the merlin he noo maun wed;
For the sea-weed's twin'd in his yellow hair,
And the coral's his bridal bed!"

Burd Ailie lay low by the wimplin' burn,
Wi' the red, red rose in her hair;
But gane was the glance o' her bonnie black e'e,
And the robin sang nae mair;
For an angel cam' doon at the fa' o' the nicht,
As she murmur'd her true love's name,
And took her awa' frae a broken heart,
And the ship that wad ne'er come hame!





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