C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
My Heid Is Like to Rend, Willie
By William Motherwell (1797–1835)
M
My heart is like to break;
I’m wearin’ aff my feet, Willie,
I’m dyin’ for your sake!
Oh, lay your cheek to mine, Willie,
Your hand on my briest-bane;
Oh, say ye’ll think on me, Willie,
When I am deid and gane!
Sair grief maun he’e its will;
But let me rest upon your briest,
To sab and greet my fill.
Let me sit on your knee, Willie,
Let me shed by your hair,
And look into the face, Willie,
I never sall see mair!
For the last time in my life,—
A puir heart-broken thing, Willie,
A mither, yet nae wife.
Ay, press your hand upon my heart,
And press it mair and mair,
Or it will burst the silken twine,
Sae strang is its despair.
When we thegither met;
Oh, wae’s me for the time, Willie,
That our first tryst was set!
Oh, wae’s me for the loanin’ green
Where we were wont to gae,—
And wae’s me for the destinie
That gart me luve thee sae!
I downa seek to blame,—
But oh, it’s hard to live, Willie,
And dree a warld’s shame!
Het tears are hailin’ ower your cheek,
And hailin’ ower your chin:
Why weep ye sae for worthlessness,
For sorrow, and for sin?
And sick wi’ a’ I see;
I canna live as I hae lived,
Or be as I should be.
But fauld unto your heart, Willie,
The heart that still is thine,
And kiss ance mair the white, white cheek,
Ye said was red langsyne.
A sair stoun’ through my heart;
Oh, haud me up and let me kiss
Thy brow ere we twa pairt.
Anither, and anither yet!
How fast my life-strings break!
Fareweel! fareweel! through yon kirk-yard
Step lichtly for my sake!
That lilts far ower our heid,
Will sing the morn as merrilie
Abune the clay-cauld deid;
And this green turf we’re sittin’ on,
Wi’ dew-draps’ shimmerin’ sheen,
Will hap the heart that luvit thee
As warld has seldom seen.
On land where’er ye be,—
And oh, think on the leal, leal heart,
That ne’er luvit ane but thee!
And oh, think on the cauld, cauld mools
That file my yellow hair,—
That kiss the cheek and kiss the chin
Ye never sall kiss mair!