Death & Dying
The Covenanter's Lament
From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 2 (1855–57)
There 's nae Covenant now, lassie!
There 's nae Covenant now!
The Solemn League and Covenant
Are a' broken through!
There 's nae Renwick now, lassie,
There 's nae gude Cargill,
Nor holy Sabbath preaching
Upon the Martyrs' Hill!
It 's naething but a sword, lassie!
A bluidy, bluidy ane!
Waving owre poor Scotland,
For her rebellious sin.
Scotland 's a' wrang, lassie,
Scotland 's a' wrang--
It 's neither to the hill nor glen,
Lassie, we daur gang.
The Martyrs' Hill 's forsaken,
In simmer's dusk sae calm;
There 's nae gathering now, lassie,
To sing the e'ening psalm!
But the martyr's grave will rise, lassie,
Aboon the warrior's cairn;
An' the martyr soun' will sleep, lassie,
Aneath the waving fern!
Cite this poem
MLA
Allan, Robert. “The Covenanter's Lament.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/allan_r/15/.
Chicago
Allan, Robert. “The Covenanter's Lament.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/allan_r/15/.
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