Bonnie Coquet-side. Robert White. Coquet Water. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. 1876-79. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes. Scotland: Vols. VI-VIII

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Scotland: Vols. VI–VIII. 1876–79.

Coquet Water

Bonnie Coquet-side

Robert White


O MARY, look how sweetly spring
Revives ilk opening flower:
Here in this brake, where lintwhites sing,
I ’ll form a simmer bower,
Beneath whose shade, in sultry days,	5
We ’ll see the burnies glide,
And sportive lambkins deck the braes,
On bonnie Coquet-side.

At morn, I ’ll mark how melting shine
Thy een sae deeply blue;	10
Or, tempted thereby, press to mine
Thy lips o’ rosy hue.
To breathe the halesome air, we ’ll rove
Amang the hazels wide,
And rest betimes, to speak o’ love,	15
By bonnie Coquet-side.

The wild-rose pure, that scents the gale,
Shall grace thy bosom fair;
The violet dark, and cowslip pale,
I ’ll pu’ to wreathe thy hair.	20
O’er shelving banks or wimpling streams
Thy gracefu’ steps I ’ll guide
To spots where nature loveliest seems
On bonnie Coquet-side.

And when we view ilk furzy dale	25
Where hang the dews o’ morn,
Ilk winding, deep, romantic vale,
Ilk snaw-white blossomed thorn,
Frae every charm I ’ll turn to thee,
And think my winsome bride	30
Mair sweet than aught that meets my ee
By bonnie Coquet-side.