J. C. Squire, ed. A Book of Women’s Verse. 1921.
By Lady Grisel Baillie (16651746)Werena my Hearts licht
T
She biggit her bonnie bow’r doun in yon glen;
But now she cries, Dool, and a well-a-day!
Come doun the green gait and come here away!
He said he saw naething sae lovely as me;
He hecht me baith rings and mony braw things—
And werena my heart’s licht, I wad dee.
Because I was twice as bonny as she;
She raised sic a pother ’twixt him and his mother
That werena my heart’s licht, I wad dee.
The wife took a dwam and lay doun to dee;
She maned and she graned out o’ dolour and pain,
Till he vow’d he never wad see me again.
Said—What had he do wi’ the likes of me?
Appose I was bonnie, I wasna for Johnnie—
And werena my heart’s licht, I wad dee.
Nor dribbles o’ drink ring through the draff,
Nor pickles o’ meal rins thro’ the mill e’e—
And werena my heart’s licht, I wad dee.
She spied me as I cam owre the lea;
And then she ran in, and made a loud din—
Believe your ain e’en, and ye trow not me.
His auld ane look’d ay as well as some’s new
But now he lets ’t wear ony gait it will hing,
And casts himself dowie upon the corn bing.
And a’ he dow do is to hund the tykes:
The live-lang nicht he ne’er steeks his e’e—
And werena my heart’s licht, I wad dee.
We should hae been gallopin’ doun on yon green,
And linkin’ it owre the lily-white lea—
And wow, gin I were but young for thee!