| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
| |
| The Mitherless Bairn |
| | | William Thom (1798–1848) |
| |
| |
| WHEN a’ ither bairnies are hush’d to their hame, | |
| By aunty, or cousin, or frecky grand-dame, | |
| Wha stands last an’ lanely, an’ sairly for-fairn? | |
| ’T is the puir dowie laddie—the mitherless bairn! | |
| |
| The mitherless bairnie creeps to his lane bed; | 5 |
| Nane covers his cauld back, or haps his bare head; | |
| His wee hackit heelies are hard as the airn, | |
| An’ lithless the lair o’ the mitherless bairn. | |
| |
| Aneath his cauld brow, siccan dreams hover there, | |
| O’ hands that wont kindly to kaim his dark hair! | 10 |
| But mornin’ brings clutches, a’ reckless an’ stern, | |
| That lo’e na the locks o’ the mitherless bairn. | |
| |
| The sister, wha sang o’er his saftly rock’d bed, | |
| Now rests in the mools whare their mammie is laid; | |
| While the father toils sair his wee bannock to earn, | 15 |
| An’ kens na the wrangs o’ his mitherless bairn. | |
| |
| Her spirit that pass’d in yon hour of his birth | |
| Still watches his lone lorn wand’rings on earth, | |
| Recording in heaven the blessings they earn | |
| Wha couthilie deal wi’ the mitherless bairn! | 20 |
| |
| Oh! speak him na harshly—he trembles the while, | |
| He bends to your biddin’, and blesses your smile: | |
| In the dark hour o’ anguish, the heartless shall learn | |
| That God deals the blow for the mitherless bairn! | |
| |
|
|
|
