The Book of Scottish Song/Lament for Jamie
Lament for Jamie.
[Written by Andrew G. Bain, Edinburgh, on the death of a young gentleman who was lost on the coast of Ireland in January, 1816.—Tune, "Flowers of the Forest."
Sweet as May morning, the heath hills adorning,
Decking with pearl the green flowery lea;
Sweet sing the thrushes among the hawthorn bushes,
But sweeter by far was my Jamie to me.
Dirk, dark and drearie, the moment was eerie,
When the grim tyrant, by fatal decree,
Snatch'd aff my treasure, my whole care and pleasure,
Wha now sleeps in death 'neath the dark rolling sea.
Lanely I wander whare burnies meander,
Blythely the birds sing on ilka green tree;
Nature looks cheerie — but waes me, I'm weary,
Joy fled wi' him wha sleeps cauld in the sea.
Nae mair in the gloamin' I'll gaylie be roamin',
To meet wi' my darling beneath the haw tree,
Where kindly he'd press me, and fondly caress me—
My heart's still wi' him, though he's cauld in the sea.
Vain are life's pleasures, its beauties and treasures—
Sweet spring the gowans adorning the lea:
Winter comes blasting, no longer they're lasting,
But nipt in the bloom like my Jamie frae me.
Waukin' or sleeping I'm mourning and weeping:
Thinking on Jamie tears gush frae my e'e;
Pleasure forsakes me, and sorrow o'ertakes me;
Death now alone my consoler must be.