Love

Guid Nicht, and Joy Be wi' You A'

by John Imlah 1799–1846

From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 4 (1855–57)

Love

Guid night, and joy be wi' you a'!
Since it is sae that I maun gang;
Short seem'd the gate to come, but ah!
To gang again as wearie lang.
Sic joyous nights come nae sae thrang
That I sae sune sou'd haste awa';
But since it's sae that I maun gae,
Guid night, and joy be wi' ye a'!

This night I ween we've had the heart
To gar auld Time tak' to his feet;
That makes us a' fu' laith to part,
But aye mair fain again to meet!
To dree the winter's drift and weet
For sic a night is nocht ava,
For hours the sweetest o' the sweet;
Guid night, an' joy be wi' you a'!

Our bald-pow'd daddies here we've seen,
In younker revels fidgin' fain;
Our gray-hair'd grannies here hae been,
Like daffin hizzies, young again!
To mony a merrie auld Scot's strain
We've deftly danced the time awa':
We met in mirth--we part wi' pain,
Guid night, an' joy be wi' you a'!

My nimble gray neighs at the yett,
My shouthers roun' the plaid I throw;
I've clapt the spur upon my buit,
The guid braid bonnet on my brow!
Then night is wearing late I trow--
My hame lies mony a mile awa';
The mair's my need to mount and go,
Guid night, an' joy be wi' you a'!

MLA

Imlah, John. “Guid Nicht, and Joy Be wi' You A'.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/imlah/5/.

Chicago

Imlah, John. “Guid Nicht, and Joy Be wi' You A'.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/imlah/5/.

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