Robert Anderson

1770-1833 / Scotland

The Widow’s Wail -

Now clwos'd for ay thy cwoal--black een,
That lang, lang gaz'd on me!--Oh! Wully!
An leyfeless lies that manly form,
I ay was fain to see; my Wully!
Ah! luckless hour, thou struive for heame,
Last neet, 'cross Eden weyde!--Dear Wully!
This mworn a stiffen'd corpse brong in;--
It's warse than deeth to beyde!--Oh! Wully!

The owlet hootet sair yestreen,
An threyce the suit it fell!--Oh! Wully!
The teyke com leate, an bark'd aloud;
It seem'd the deein kneel o' Wully:
Deep wer the snows, keen, keen my woes;
The bairns oft cried for thee, their Wully:
I trimlin said, ''He'll suin be here''--
They ne'er yence clwos'd an ee--Oh! Wully!

An when I saw the thick sleet faw,
A bleezin fire I meade for Wully;
An watch'd, an watch'd, as it grew dark,
An I grew mair afraid for Wully:
I thowt I hard the powney's feet,
An ran, the voice to hear o' Wully;
The win blew hollow, but nae sound
My sinkin heart did cheer--Oh! Wully!

The clock struck yen, the clock struck twee,
The clock struck three, at four, nae Wully;
I hard, wi' joy, the powney's feet,
An thowt my cares were owre for Wully:
The powney neigh'd, but thou was lost;
I sank upon the ground, for Wully;
Suin, where I lay, appear'd thy ghost,
An whisper'd, thou wert drown'd--Oh! Wully!

The muin was up, in vain I sowt
The stiffen'd corpse o' theyne, lost Wully!
'Twill suin, suin mingle wi' the dust,
An nar it, sae wull meyne--Oh! Wully!
Gang, dry your tears, my bairns five!
Gang, dry your tears o' sorrow, dearies!
Your fadder's cares are at an en,
An sae may ours, to--morrow, dearies!
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