Classic Poem

As dreamin' in yon wood I lay,
A spirit came before me there, —
Immortal seem'd its holy form,
Frae heaven sent, it was sae fair.
Its peacefu' presence seem'd to bring
Deep joy upon yon forest lone:
But aye I sigh'd, though fair eneuch,
Your no like Mary Hamilton!

Her heart by gudeness' sel' was made —
Her laugh is like an angel's voice —
Her sang o' sweetness lightsomely
Gars nature in her joy rejoice!
Her een are starns o' living love,
Whilk hallow a' they glint upon, —
The wale o' precious womankind
Is bonnie Mary Hamilton!

When life's rude storms are ragin' hie —
An' poverty sits by my door —
When wae is twinin' at my heart —
And envy counts my failin's o'er —
I'm sad eneuch; but in a blink
My grainin' sorrow a' is gone,
If ae kind glint on me fa' frae
The e'e o' Mary Hamilton.

'Mong lowly folk her hame is made: —
A puir man's bairn I wat is she;
But love sits in her smeeky hame,
An' kindly, kindly smiles to me.
Like some sweet rose 'mang heather brown,
Upon a barren mountain-throne,
Is she within her father's ha' —
My bonnie Mary Hamilton!

Let a' wha think, if sic there be,
That love an' innocence are dreams —
That woman's heart is fause an' frail —
That purest gudeness aft but seems —
That maids are witches — we the fools
They cast their cheatrie glamor on —
Gae, look on her an' syne confess
There's truth in Mary Hamilton!

I wish upo' that bosky glen
The tearfu' e'enin' dew were come;
I wish yon sun were ower the hill —
That gushin' burnie's waters dim;
I wish the wanderin' e'enin' wind
Were whistlin' round the breckans lone —
That I might live anither hour
O' love wi' Mary Hamilton.