The Book of Scottish Song/Craigie-burn-wood 1

Craigie-burn-wood.

[Another song by Burns in honour of Jean Lorimer, the "lassie wi' the lint-white locks." Burns wrote it to aid the eloquence of a Mr. Gillespie, one of her suitors. The eloquence and the poet's verse were equally unavailing; she married an officer who used her cruelly, and the result was a separation after a few months. "Craigie-burn-wood," says Currie, "is situated on the banks of the river Moffat, about three miles distant from the village of that name. The woods of Craigie-burn and Dumcrieff were at one time favourite haunts of our poet. It was there he met the 'Lassie wi' the lint-white locks,' and there he conceived several of his beautiful lyrics." The chorus of the present song is old.]

Sweet closes the evening on Craigie-burn-wood,
And blithely awaukens the morrow;
But the pride of the spring in the Craigie-burn-wood.
Can yield to me nothing but sorrow.
Beyond thee, dearie, beyond thee, dearie,
And O! to be lying beyond thee,
O sweetly, soundly, weel may he sleep
That's laid in the bed beyond thee!

I see the spreading leaves and flowers,
I hear the wild birds singing;
But pleasure they ha'e nane for me,
While care my heart is wringing.

I canna tell, I winna tell,
I darena for your anger;
But secret love will break my heart,
If I conceal it langer.

I see thee gracefu', straight, and tall,
I see thee sweet and bonnie;
But oh, what will my torments be,
If thou refuse thy Johnnie!

To see thee in anither's arms,
In love to lie and languish,
'Twad be my dead, that will be seen,
My heart wad burst wi' anguish.

But, Jeanie, say thou wilt be mine,
Say, thou lo'es nane before me;
And a' my days o' life to come
I'll gratefully adore thee.
Beyond thee, dearie, beyond thee, dearie,
And O, to be lying beyond thee;
O sweetly, soundly, weel may he sleep
That's laid in the bed beyond thee!

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