There Grows A Bonnie Brier Bush Poem by Carolina Oliphant

Air - 'The Brier Bush.'


There grows a bonnie brier bush in our kail-yard,
And white are the blossoms o't in our kail-yard,
Like wee bit cockauds to deck our Hieland lads,
And the lasses lo'e the bonnie bush in our kail-yard.

An it's hame, an' it's hame to the north countrie,
An' it's hame, an' it's hame to the north countrie,
Where my bonnie Jean is waiting for me,
Wi' a heart kind and true, in my ain countrie.

But were they a' true that were far awa'?
Oh! were they a' true that were far awa'?
They drew up wi' glaikit Englishers at Carlisle ha',
And forgot auld frien's that were far awa'.

'Ye'll come nae mair, Jamie, where aft ye have been,
Ye'll come nae mair, Jamie, to Atholl's green;
Owre weel ye lo'ed the dancin' at Carlisle ha',
And forgot the Hieland hills that were far awa'.'

'I ne'er lo'ed a dance but on Atholl's green,
I ne'er lo'ed a lassie but my dorty Jean,
Sair, sair against my will did I bide sae lang awa',
And my heart was aye in Atholl's green at Carlisle ha'.'

The brier bush was bonny ance in our kail-yard;
That brier bush was bonny ance in our kail-yard;
A blast blew owre the hill, that ga'e Atholl's flowers a chill,
And the bloom's blawn aff the bonnie bush in our kail-yard.