Joanna Baillie (1762-1851). Songs. V. "The Gowan Glitters on the Sward". Alfred H. Miles, ed. 1907. Women Poets of the Nineteenth Century

Alfred H. Miles, ed. Women Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

Songs.
V. “The Gowan Glitters on the Sward”

By Joanna Baillie (1762–1851)


THE GOWAN glitters on the sward,
The lav’rock’s in the sky,
And collie on my plaid keeps ward,
And time is passing by.
Oh no! sad and slow	5
And lengthen’d on the ground,
The shadow of our trysting bush,
It wears so slowly round!

My sheep-bell tinkles frae the west,
My lambs are bleating near,	10
But still the sound that I lo’e best,
Alack! I canna’ hear.
Oh no! sad and slow,
The shadow lingers still,
And like a lanely ghaist I stand	15
And croon upon the hill.

I hear below the water roar,
The mill wi’ clackling din,
And Lucky scolding frae her door,
To ca’ the bairnies in.	20
Oh no! sad and slow,
These are na’ sounds for me,
The shadow of our trysting bush,
It creeps sae drearily!

I coft yestreen, frae Chapman Tam,	25
A snood of bonny blue,
And promised when our trysting cam’,
To tie it round her brow.
Oh no! sad and slow,
The mark it winna’ pass;	30
The shadow of that weary thorn,
Is tether’d on the grass.

O now I see her on the way,
She’s past the witch’s knowe,
She’s climbing up the Browny’s brae,	35
My heart is in a lowe!
Oh no! ’tis no’ so,
’Tis glam’rie I have seen;
The shadow of that hawthorn bush,
Will move na’ mair till e’en.	40

My book o’ grace I’ll try to read,
Though conn’d wi’ little skill,
When collie barks I’ll raise my head,
And find her on the hill;
Oh no! sad and slow,	45
The time will ne’er be gane,
The shadow of the trysting bush,
Is fix’d like ony stane.