Hector Macneill Poems

O! Say, lovely Nan! can you lie in a hammock?
When the mountain-waves rage, can you swing in a hammock?
As the winds roar aloft, and rude billows dash o'er us,
Can my Nancy sleep soundly amid the wild chorus?
...

'Whar hae ye been a' day, my boy Tammy?
Whar hae ye been a' day, my boy Tammy?'
'I've been by burn and flowery brae,
Meadow green, and mountain grey,
Courting o' this young thing,
Just come frae her mammy.'
...

Hech! lass, but ye're canty and vogie!
Wow! but your e'en look pauky and roguie!
What war ye doing, Kate, down in yon bogie,
Up in the morning sae airy and grey?'
...

When shall the woes of War and Discord cease!
When shall the morn of Harmony arise!
When shall the dawn of Concord, Love, and Peace,
Break through the gloom, and light dark Europe's skies!
...

The wind blew hie owre muir and lea,
And dark and stormy grew the weather;
The rain rain'd sair; nae shelter near
But my luve's plaid amang the hether:
...

In Roslin's bowers bloom fragrant flowers,
On Yarrow's banks they're mony;
Whar Kirtle flows ance stately rose
The sweetest flower o' ony!
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Hark! - hark! the sound of battle!
Warning thrice, the cannon's rattle!
Fast o'er plain and mountain brattle
Scotia's thousands brave!
A. Never! - never mair to tell
...

Our good king sits in Windsor tower,
The sun-beams glint sae cheerfu'!
A birdie sang in yonder bower,
And O! but it sang fearfu'!
Tell me, my bird, my mourning bird,
What is't you sing so drearie?
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'Oh, saw ye my wee thing? saw ye my ain thing?
Saw ye my true love, down on yon lee?
Cross'd she the meadow yestreen at the gloamin'?
Sought she the burnie whare flow'rs the haw-tree?
Her hair it is lint-white; her skin it is milk-white;
...

See! rob'd in new beauties, young May cheers the lawn!
Ye virgins! how charming her air!
Haste! cull her fresh flow'rets dew-dropping at dawn,
And chaplets entwine for your hair!
...