History & Politics

The Yellow Locks o' Charlie

by Henry Scott Riddell born 1798; living 1855–57

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

History & Politics

The gathering clans, 'mong Scotia's glens,
Wi' martial steps are bounding,
And loud and lang, the wilds amang,
The war pipe's strains are sounding;
The sky and stream reflect the gleam
Of broadswords glancing rarely,
To guard till death the hills of heath
Against the foes o' Charlie.

Then let on high the banners fly,
And hearts and hands rise prouder,
And wake amain the warlike strain
Still louder, and still louder;
For we ha'e sworn, ere dawn the morn
O'er Appin's mountains early,
Auld Scotland's crown shall nod aboon
The yellow locks o' Charlie.

While banners wave aboon the brave
Our foemen vainly gather,
And swear to claim, by deeds o' fame,
Our hills and glens o' heather.
For seas shall swell to wild and fell,
And crown green Appin fairly,
Ere hearts so steel'd to foemen yield
The rights o' royal Charlie.

Then wake mair loud the pibroch proud,
And let the mountains hoary
Re-echo round the warlike sound
That speaks of Highland glory.
For strains sublime, through future time,
Shall tell the tale unsparely,
How Scotland's crown was placed aboon
The yellow locks o' Charlie.

MLA

Riddell, Henry Scott. “The Yellow Locks o' Charlie.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riddell/3/.

Chicago

Riddell, Henry Scott. “The Yellow Locks o' Charlie.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riddell/3/.

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