The Book of Scottish Song/Bessie's Lamentation

Bessie’s Lamentation.

[Tune, "Jessie the Fower o' Dumblane." This and the two following songs were first published in "The Pocket Encyclopedia of Song," Glasgow, 1816.]

By the side o' yon river, as Bessie sat sighin',
Lamentin' her Jamie frae her far awa',
The last sound o' the bell on the night breeze was dyin',
An' careless aroun' her the dew-drops did fa';
O! welcome, she cried, thou sweet hour of devotion!
O rise, bonnie moon, a young lassie does ca';
Shine clearly, an' witness my full heart's emotion;
I'll think on my Jamie, though he be awa'.

O! gin he was here, or gin I had caen wi' him:—
But whisht my fond heart, he will quickly return;
My arms shall enfauld him; soon, soon shall I see him,
An' ne'er on this bank again lanely I'll mourn.
An' thou, bonnie moon, whast beheld my sad wailin',
O tell it to Jamie, tell it him a';
While gazin' on thee, owre the deep as he's sailin',
O! fair be the breezes aroun' him that blaw.

How sweet is't to see thee shine clearly and bonnie,
On the gay fiel's o' harst, or the silvery snaw—
How sweet are these scenes! but far sweeter than onie
The lad to me dearest, though he be awa':
For what to me's Nature, though varied in feature;
Without him—nae joy can it gi'e me ava:—
O! come then, my laddie, O come, binna later,
For drearie's the time whan frae me ye're awa'.

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