Love

I Canna Sleep

by William Anderson born 1805; living 1855–57

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 5 (1855–57)

Love

I canna sleep a wink, lassie,
When I gang to bed at night,
But still o' thee I think, lassie,
Till morning sheds its light.
I lie an' think o' thee, lassie,
And I toss frae side to side,
Like a vessel on the sea, lassie,
When stormy is the tide.

My heart is no my ain, lassie,
It winna bide wi' me;
Like a birdie it has gane, lassie,
To nestle saft wi' thee.
I canna lure it back, lassie,
Sae keep it to yoursel';
But oh! it sune will break, lassie,
If you dinna use it well.

Where the treasure is, they say, lassie,
The spirit lingers there;
An' mine has fled away, lassie--
You needna ask me where.
I marvel oft if rest, lassie,
On my eyes and heart would bide,
If I thy troth possess'd, lassie,
And thou wert at my side.

MLA

Anderson, William. “I Canna Sleep.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anderson_w/3/.

Chicago

Anderson, William. “I Canna Sleep.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anderson_w/3/.

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