Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. III. The Eighteenth Century: Addison to Blake

Robert Burns (1759–1796)

To Mary in Heaven

THOU ling’ring star, with less’ning ray,

That lov’st to greet the early morn,

Again thou usher’st in the day

My Mary from my soul was torn.

O Mary! dear departed shade!

Where is thy place of blissful rest?

Seest thou thy lover lowly laid?

Hear’st thou the groans that rend his breast?

That sacred hour can I forget,

Can I forget the hallow’d grove,

Where by the winding Ayr we met,

To live one day of parting love!

Eternity will not efface

Those records dear of transports past;

Thy image at our last embrace;

Ah! little thought we ’twas our last!

Ayr gurgling kissed his pebbled shore,

O’erhung with wild woods, thick’ning green;

The fragrant birch, and hawthorn hoar,

Twined am’rous round the raptured scene.

The flowers sprang wanton to be prest,

The birds sang love on ev’ry spray,—

Till too, too soon, the glowing west

Proclaim’d the speed of winged day.

Still o’er these scenes my mem’ry wakes,

And fondly broods with miser care;

Time but th’ impression deeper makes,

As streams their channels deeper wear.

My Mary, dear departed shade!

Where is thy place of blissful rest?

Seest thou thy lover lowly laid?

Hear’st thou the groans that rend his breast?