Robert Burns (1759–1796). Poems and Songs.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 223. Song—The Chevalier’s Lament |
| | | | | Air—“Captain O’Kean.” |
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| THE SMALL birds rejoice in the green leaves returning, | |
| The murmuring streamlet winds clear thro’ the vale; | |
| The primroses blow in the dews of the morning, | |
| And wild scatter’d cowslips bedeck the green dale: | |
| But what can give pleasure, or what can seem fair, | 5 |
| When the lingering moments are numbered by care? | |
| No birds sweetly singing, nor flow’rs gaily springing, | |
| Can soothe the sad bosom of joyless despair. | |
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| The deed that I dared, could it merit their malice? | |
| A king and a father to place on his throne! | 10 |
| His right are these hills, and his right are these valleys, | |
| Where the wild beasts find shelter, tho’ I can find none! | |
| But ’tis not my suff’rings, thus wretched, forlorn, | |
| My brave gallant friends, ’tis your ruin I mourn; | |
| Your faith proved so loyal in hot bloody trial,— | 15 |
| Alas! I can make it no better return! | |
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