Strong as the arms of a giant, yet tender, Hark! how the joyous bird, flashing and glowing, Where is the lip that has worthily sung them? Pillowed beneath them, I dream, as I listen, How the long summer above them shall shine, In the bright days of the mellow September, Then, when the snow in the moonlight is gleaming, Tales of the glowing south lips may be telling; W AULD ROBIN GRAY. HEN the sheep are in the fauld, and the kye's come hame, And a' the warld to rest are gane; The waes o' my heart fa' in showers frae my e'e, Young Jamie lo'ed me weel, and he sought me for his bride; But saving a crown-piece, he had naething beside; To mak the crown a pound, my Jamie gaed to sea; And the crown and the pound they were baith for me. He hadna been gone a twelvemonth and a day, When my father brake his arm and the cow was stown away; My mither she fell sick-my Jamie at the sea- My father couldna work, and my mither couldna spin; I toiled day and night, but their bread I couldna win; Auld Rob maintain'd them baith, and, wi' tears in his e'e, Said, "Jennie, oh, for their sakes, will ye no marry me?" My heart it said na, and I look'd for Jamie back; My father urged me sair: my mither didna speak; break; They gied him my hand-my heart was in the seaAnd so Robin Gray he was gudeman to me. I hadna been his wife a week but only four, Oh, sair, sair did we greet, and mickle say of a'; I gang like a ghaist, and carena much to spin; For oh, Robin Gray, he is kind to me. Lady Anne Barnard. OH! WHERE DO FAIRIES HIDE THEIR O HEADS? H! where do fairies hide their heads, When frost has spoiled their mossy beds, Beneath the moon they cannot trip In circles o'er the plain; And draughts of dew they cannot sip, Perhaps, in small, blue diving-bells, Carousals they maintain; And cheer their little spirits thus, When they return there will be mirth, And fairy wings upon the earth, The maids, to keep the elves aloof, No keyhole will be fairy-proof, When green leaves come again. T. Haynes Bayly O BABY'S SHOES. H, those little, those little blue shoes! That those shoes would buy, Those little blue unused shoes! For they hold the small shape of feet And ceased from their totter so sweet. And oh, since that baby slept, That dear little treasure, And o'er them thought and wept! For they mind her for evermore, And blue eyes she sees Look up from her knees With the look that in life they wore. |