Braes of Birniebouzle (1820, Edinburgh)/The Birks of Invermay

by Anonymous

For other versions of this work, see The Birks of Invermay (Mallet & Bryce).

THE BIRKS OF INVERMAY.

The smiling morn, the breathing spring,
Invite the tuneful birds to sing,
And while they warble from the spray,
Love meets the universal lay,
Let us, Amanda timely wise.
Like them improve the hour that flies.
And in soft raptures waste the day,
Among the birks of Invermay.

For soon the winter of the year,
And age life’s winter, will appear
At this thy living bloom will fade,
As that will strip the verdant shade;
Our taste of pleasure then is o’er,
The feather’d songsters are no more.
And when they droop and we decay.
Adieu the birks of Invermay.

The lay rocks now and lintie’s sing,
The rocks around with echoes ring,
The mavis and the blackbird via,
In tuneful attains to glad the day;
The woods now bear their summer suits
To mirth all nature now invites;
Let us be blithsome light and gay,
Amongst the birks of Invermay:

Behold the hills and vales around.
With lowing herds and flocks abound.
The wanton kids and frisking lambs,
Gambol and dance about their dams,
The busy bees with humming noise.
And all the reptile kind rejoice;
Let us like them, then sing and play.
About the birks of Invermay.

Hark how the waters as they fall,
Loudly my love to gladness call;
The wanton waves sport in the beams,
And fishes play throughout the streams.
Tne circling sun does now advance,
And all the planets round him dance;
Let us as joyful be as they,
Among the birks of Invermay.

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