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The Book of Scottish Song/Thou gloomy Feberwar

From Wikisource

Whitelaw erroneously refers to Peter Buchan as "Patrick Buchan"

Robert Tannahill and Peter Buchan2269719The Book of Scottish Song — Thou gloomy Feberwar1843Alexander Whitelaw

Thou gloomy Feberwar.

[The first stanza of this song is a fragment by Tannahill: the others are by Patrick Buchan.]

Thou cauld gloomy Feberwar,
Oh! gin thou wert awa'!
I'm wae to hear thy soughin' winds,
I'm wae to see thy snaw;
For my bonnie braw young Hielandman,
The lad I lo'e sae dear,
Has vow'd to come and see me,
In the spring o' the year.

A silken ban' he gae me,
To bin' my gowden hair;
A siller brooch and tartan plaid,
A' for his sake to wear:
And oh! my heart was like to break,
(For partin' sorrows sair,)
As he vow'd to come and see me,
In the spring o' the year.

Aft, aft as gloaming dims the sky,
I wander out alane,
Whare buds the bonnie yellow whins,
Around the trystin' stane:
'Twas there he press'd me to his heart,
And kiss'd awa' the tear,
As he vow'd to come and see me,
In the spring o' the year.

Ye gentle breezes saftly blaw,
And cleed anew the wuds;
Ye lav'rocks lilt your cheery sangs,
Amang the fleecy cluds;
Till Feberwar and a' his train,
Affrighted disappear—
I'll hail wi' you the blythsome change,
The spring-time o' the year.