Classic Poem

PART III.

Back to B RITAIN'S fertile garden
Will'S returned (exchanged for faes),
Wi' ae leg, and no ae farden,
Friend, or credit, meat, or claise.

Lang through county, burgh, and city,
Crippling on a wooden leg,
Gathering alms frae melting pity;
See! poor G AIRLACE forced to beg!

Placed at length on Chelsea's bounty,
Now to langer beg thinks shame,
Dreams ance mair o' smiling plenty; —
Dreams o' former joys and hame!

Hame! and a' its fond attractions,
Fast to Will'S warm bosom flee;
While the thoughts o' dear connexions
Swell his heart and blind his ee.

" Monster! wha could leave neglected
Three sma' infants and a wife,
Naked — starving — unprotected! —
Them, too, dearer ance than life!

" Villain! wha wi' graceless folly
Ruined her he ought to save! —
Changed her joys to melancholy,
Beggary, and — perhaps a grave! "

Starting! — wi' remorse distracted, —
Crushed wi' Grief's increasing load,
Up he banged; and, sair afflicted,
Sad and silent took the road.

Sometimes briskly, sometimes flaggin,
Sometimes helpit, Will got forth;
On a cart, or in a waggon,
Hirpling aye towards the North.

Tired ae e'ening, stepping hooly,
Pondering on his thraward fate,
In the bonny month o' July,
WillIE , heedless, tint his gate.

Saft the southlan breeze was blawing,
Sweetly sughed the green aik wood!
Loud the din o' streams fast fa'ing,
Strak the ear wi' thundering thud.

Ewes and lambs on braes ran bleeting;
Linties chirped on ilka tree;
Frae the wast, the sun, near setting,
Flamed on R OSLIN'S towers sae hie!

Roslin's towers! and braes sae bonny!
Craigs and water, woods and glen!
Roslin's banks! unpeered by ony,
Save the Muses' H AWTHORNDEN .

Ilka sound and charm delighting,
Will (tho' hardly fit to gang)
Wandered on through scenes inviting,
List'ning to the mavis' sang.

Faint at length, the day fast closing,
On a fragrant strawberry steep,
E SK'S sweet stream to rest composing,
Weary'd Nature drapt asleep.

" Soldier, rise! — the dews o' e'ening
Gathering fa' wi' deadly scaith! —
Wounded soldier! if complaining,
Sleep nae here and catch your death.

" Traveller, waken! — night advancing
Cleads wi' grey the neighbouring hill!
Lambs nae mair on knows are dancing —
A' the woods are mute and still! "

" What hae I, " cried WillIE , waking,
" What hae I frae night to dree? —
Morn, through clouds in splendour breaking,
Lights nae bright'ning hope to me!

" House, nor hame, nor farm, nor stedding!
Wife nor bairns hae I to see!
House, nor hame, nor bed, nor bedding —
What hae I frae night to dree? "

" Sair, alas! and sad and many,
Are the ills poor mortals share! —
Yet, tho' hame nor bed ye hae nae,
Yield nae, soldier, to despair.

" What's this life, sae wae and weary,
If Hope's bright'ning beams should fail! —
See! — tho' night comes dark and eerie,
Yon sma' cot-light cheers the dale!

" There, tho' wealth and waste ne'er riot,
Humbler joys their comforts shed,
Labour — health — content and quiet!
Mourner! there ye'll find a bed.

" Wife! 'tis true, wi' bairnies smiling,
There, alas! ye needna seek —
Yet there bairns, ilk wae beguiling,
Paint wi' smiles a mother's cheek.

" A' her earthly pride and pleasure
Left to cheer her widowed lot!
A' her warldly wealth and treasure
To adorn her lanely cot!

" Cheer, then, soldier! 'midst affliction
Bright'ning joys will aften shine;
Virtue aye claims Heaven's protection —
Trust to Providence divine! "