The Book of Scottish Song/I canna sleep

by William Anderson

I canna sleep.

[William Anderson, author of "Landscape Lyrics," &c. Written in 1833. Printed here for the first time.]

I canna sleep a wink, lassie,
Whan I gang to bed at night,
But still o' thee I think, lassie,
Till morning sheds its light.
I lie and think o' thee, lassie,
And I toss frae side to side,
Like a vessel on the sea, lassie,
When stormy is the tide.

My heart is no my ain, lassie,
It winna bide wi' me,
Like a birdie it has gane, lassie,
To nestle saft wi' thee.
I canna lure it back, lassie,
Sae keep it to yoursel',
But, oh! it sure will brak, lassie,
If you dinna use it well.

Whare the treasure is, they say, lassie,
The spirit lingers there,
And mine has fled away, lassie,
You needna ask me where:
I marvel oft if rest, lassie,
On my eyes and heart wad bide,
If I thy troth possess'd, lassie,
And thou wert at my side.

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