Rich Auld Willie’s Farewell

Farewell my ingle, bleezing bright,
When the snell storm's begun;
My bouris casements, O! sae light,
When glints the bonnie sun!

Farewell my deep glens, speck't wi' sloes,
O' tangled hazles full!
Farewell my thymy lea, where lows
My kine, and glourin bull.

Farewell my red deer, jutting proud,
My rooks, o' murky wing!
Farewell my wee birds, lilting loud,
A' in the merry spring!

Farewell my sheep, that sprattle on
In a lang line, sae braw!
Or lie on yon cauld cliffs aboon,
Like late-left patch o' snaw!

Farewell my brook, that wimplin rins,
My clattering brig o' yew;
My scaly tribes wi' gowden fins,
Sae nimbly flickering through!

Farewell my boat, and lusty oars,
That scelp'd, wi' mickle spray!
Farewell my birks o' Teviot shores,
That cool the simmer's day!

Farewell bauld neighbours, whase swift steed
O'er Saxon bounds has scowr'd,
Swoom'd drumlie floods when moons were dead,
And ilka star was smoor'd.

Maist dear for a' ye shar'd wi' me,
When skaith and prey did goad,
And danger, like a wreath, did flee
Alang our moon-dead road.

Farewell my winsome wife, sae gay!
Fu' fain frae hame to gang,
Wi' spunkie lads to geck and play,
The flow'rie haughs amang!

Farewell my gowk, thy warning note
Then aft-times ca'd aloud,
Tho' o' the word that thrill'd thy throat,
Gude faith, I was na proud!

And, pawkie gowk, sae free that mad'st,
Or ere I hanged be,
Would I might learn if true thou said'st,
When sae thou said'st to me!