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The Mug of Porter/M'Pherson's Farewell

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4686998The Mug of Porter — M'Pherson's FarewellRobert Burns (1759-1796)

M'PHERSON'S FAREWELL.

Farewell ye dungeons dark and strong,
The wretch's destiny!
M'Pherson's time will not be long,
On yonder gallows-tree.

Sae rantingly, sae wantonly
Sae dauntingly gaed he
He played a tune, and danced it round
Below the gallows-treee.

O what is death but parting breath,?
On many a bloody plain
I've dar'd his face, and in this place
I scorn him yet again.

Untie these bands from of my hands,
And bring to me my sword,
And there not a man in all Scotland
But I'll brave him at a word.


I've liv'd a life of sturt and strife,
I die by treachery;
It burns my heart I must depart,
And not avenged be.

Now farewell light, thou sunshine bright
And all beneath the sky:
May coward shame disdain his name,
The wretch that dares not die.