Relationships

When I Come Hame at E'en

by Thomas Elliott born 1820; living 1855–57

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 6 (1855–57)

Relationships

Give me the hour when bells are rung,
And dinsome wheels are still,
When engines rest, and toilers leave
The workshop, forge, and mill;
With smiling lip, and gladsome e'e,
My gudewife welcomes me;
Our bairnies clap their wee white hands,
And speel upon my knee.
When I come hame at e'en,
When I come hame at e'en,
How dear to me the bairnies' glee,
When I come hame at e'en.

Our lowly bield is neat and clean,
And bright the ingle's glow,
The table 's spread with halesome fare,
The teapot simmers low.
How sweet to toil for joys like these
With strong and eydent hand,
To nurture noble hearts to love,
And guard our fatherland.
When I come hame at e'en, &c.

Let revellers sing of wassail bowls,
Their wines and barley bree;
My ain wee house and winsome wife
Are dearer far to me.
To crack with her of joys to come,
Of days departed long,
When she was like a wee wild rose,
And I a bird of song.
When I come hame at e'en,
When I come hame at e'en,
How dear to me these memories
When I come hame at e'en.

MLA

Elliott, Thomas. “When I Come Hame at E'en.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/elliott_t/7/.

Chicago

Elliott, Thomas. “When I Come Hame at E'en.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/elliott_t/7/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Thomas Elliott