The Book of Scottish Song/The Lass o' Cambuslang

The Lass o' Cambuslang.

[William Holmes.—Here first printed.]

In a cozie white cottage upon a hill side,
That cheerily looks on the green vale o' Clyde,
There lives a braw lassie wi' sunny-brown hair,
An' a face like the momin' sae ruddy an' fair.

I lo'ed her fu' weel when I saw her wee smile,
An' I thocht in my heart she look'd kindly the while;
She is gentle and gleesome, an' free frae a' pride—
She's the bonniest lass on the banks o' the Clyde.

O Clyde! thou art bonnie while flowing between
The thick twining branches o' soft dewy green;
Yet thy laneness sae deep was aye dowie to me,
Though the sun brichtly lay on ilk wee flower an' tree.

But the laneness is gane, and thy beauties appear
Like a vision o' hope through a sorrowfu' tear,
Ilka soun' that I hear, an' ilk flower that I see,
Seem happier noo sin' my love smiles on me.

When clear merry Kirkburn first meets thy embrace,
A tremulous ripple steals over thy face.
In a moment 'tis gone—then thegither ye run,
Gaily sparklin' alang in the licht o' the sun.

Sae my heart has been flichterin' aye sin' the day
I first met my love on the lane hawthorn way;
But our hearts mingled ance, then thegither we'll glide
Through life, wi' the sunshine o' love by our side.

Fair, fair be thy beauty for ever, dear stream!
On thy gowany banks long may true lovers dream!
My thochts wander to thee wherever I gang,
Sin' I met wi' the bonnie young lass o' Camb'slang.

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