Social Commentaries
There's Nae Laddie Coming
From The Poetical Works of the Ettrick Shepherd (Blackie, 1838–40)
There's nae laddie coming for thee, my dear Jean,
There's nae laddie coming for thee, my dear Jean ;
I hae watch'd thee at mid-day, at morn, an' at e'en,
An' there's nae laddie coming for thee, my dear Jean.
But be nae down-hearted though lovers gang by,
Thou'rt my only sister, thy brother am I ;
An' aye in my wee house thou welcome shalt be,
An' while I hae saxpence, I'll share it wi' thee.
O Jeanie, dear Jeanie, when we twa were young,
I sat on your knee, to your bosom I clung ;
You kiss'd me, an' clasp 'd me, an' croon 'd your bit sang,
An' bore me about when you hardly dought gang.
An' when I fell sick, wi' a red watery ee,
You watch'd your wee brother, an' fear'd he wad dee ;
I felt the cool hand, and the kindly embrace,
An' the warm trickling tears drappin aft on my face.
Sae wae was my kind heart to see my Jean weep,
I closed my sick ee, though I wasna asleep ;
An' I'll never forget till the day that I dee,
The gratitude due, my dear Jeanie, to thee !
Then be nae down-hearted, for nae lad can feel
Sic true love as I do, or ken ye sae weel ;
My heart it yearns o'er thee, and grieved wad I be
If aught were to part my dear Jeanie an' me.
Cite this poem
MLA
Hogg, James. “There's Nae Laddie Coming.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/hogg/188/.
Chicago
Hogg, James. “There's Nae Laddie Coming.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/hogg/188/.
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