Merle on a Rowan
Pit claes is waffin on the line,
sinlicht’s keekin ower the bing;
merle on a rowan singin fine.
A braw souch’s blawin, aathin’s fine,
an wi the merle I stert tae sing;
pit claes is waffin on the line.
Himsel wull be hame ony time,
frae pit mirk, stour an dunt an ding;
merle on a rowan singin fine.
He’s late the day, that man o mine …
Ach! dinna lat ma thochts tak wing,
no wi pit claes on the line!
Bit … Da wis late, yon shift lang syne,
o seiren’s gowl and deid bell’s ring,
an merles on rowans singin fine …
Dod! – that’s him nou – eik up the byne;
afore the hairth, his claen sark hing:
pit claes is waffin on the line;
merle on a rowan singin fine.