Love

Mary Canst Thou Leave Me?

by James Hogg 1770–1835

From The Poetical Works of the Ettrick Shepherd (Blackie, 1838–40)

Love

Mary, canst thou leave me?

Is there nought will move thee ?
Dearest maid, believe me,
I but live to love thee.
When we two are parted,
When the seas us sever,
Still this heart, deserted,
Clings to thee for ever.

Days so dull and dreary,
Nights so mirk and eerie,
Is there nought can cheer me ?
Never ' my love, never !

Connal, cease to borrow
Rueful words to chide me !
From this land of sorrow
Haste, O, haste to hide thee !
Spirits round us hover,
Breathing death and plunder ;
But when this is over,
Which we tremble under,
Then, dear youth, believe me,
Though this time I grieve thee,
Kindly I'll receive thee,
Never more to sunder !

MLA

Hogg, James. “Mary Canst Thou Leave Me?” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/hogg/162/.

Chicago

Hogg, James. “Mary Canst Thou Leave Me?” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/hogg/162/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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