Love
Gude Nicht, and Joy Be wi' Ye A'!
From The Modern Scottish Minstrel, vol. 1 (1855–57)
The best o' joys maun hae an end,
The best o' friends maun part, I trow;
The langest day will wear away,
And I maun bid fareweel to you.
The tear will tell when hearts are fu',
For words, gin they hae sense ava,
They 're broken, faltering, and few:
Gude nicht, and joy be wi' you a'!
Oh, we hae wander'd far and wide,
O'er Scotia's lands o' frith and fell!
And mony a simple flower we 've pu'd,
And twined it wi' the heather-bell.
We 've ranged the dingle and the dell,
The cot-house, and the baron's ha';
Now we maun tak a last farewell:
Gude nicht, and joy be wi' you a'!
My harp, fareweel! thy strains are past,
Of gleefu' mirth, and heartfelt care;
The voice of song maun cease at last,
And minstrelsy itsel' decay.
But, oh! whar sorrow canna win,
Nor parting tears are shed ava',
May we meet neighbour, kith, and kin,
And joy for aye be wi' us a'!
Cite this poem
MLA
Nairne, Carolina. “Gude Nicht, and Joy Be wi' Ye A'!” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/nairn/14/.
Chicago
Nairne, Carolina. “Gude Nicht, and Joy Be wi' Ye A'!” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/nairn/14/.
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