Love
Go to Him, Then, If Thou Can'st Go
From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 2 (1855–57)
Go to him, then, if thou can'st go,
Waste not a thought on me;
My heart and mind are a' my store,
And they were dear to thee.
But there is music in his gold
(I ne'er sae sweet could sing),
That finds a chord in every breast
In unison to ring.
The modest virtues dread the spell,
The honest loves retire,
The purer sympathies of soul
Far other charms require.
The breathings of my plaintive reed
Sink dying in despair,
The still small voice of gratitude,
Even that is heard nae mair.
But, if thy heart can suffer thee,
The powerful call obey,
And mount the splendid bed that wealth
And pride for thee display.
Then gaily bid farewell to a'
Love's trembling hopes and fears,
While I my lanely pillow here
Wash with unceasing tears.
Yet, in the fremmit arms of him
That half thy worth ne'er knew,
Oh! think na on my lang-tried love,
How tender and how true!
For sure 'twould break thy gentle heart
My breaking heart to see,
Wi' a' the wrangs and waes it 's tholed,
And yet maun thole for thee.
Cite this poem
MLA
Jamieson, Robert. “Go to Him, Then, If Thou Can'st Go.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/jamieson_r/1/.
Chicago
Jamieson, Robert. “Go to Him, Then, If Thou Can'st Go.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/jamieson_r/1/.
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