O Were I On Parnassus Hill.

Tune - "My love is lost to me."


I.

    O, were I on Parnassus' hill!
    Or had of Helicon my fill;
    That I might catch poetic skill,
        To sing how dear I love thee.
    But Nith maun be my Muse's well;
    My Muse maun be thy bonnie sel':
    On Corsincon I'll glow'r and spell,
        And write how dear I love thee.

II.

    Then come, sweet Muse, inspire my lay!
    For a' the lee-lang simmer's day
    I coudna sing, I coudna say,
        How much, how dear, I love thee.
    I see thee dancing o'er the green,
    Thy waist sae jimp, thy limbs sae clean,
    Thy tempting lips, thy roguish een,
        By heaven and earth I love thee!

III.

    By night, by day, a-field, at hame,
    The thoughts o' thee my breast inflame;
    And aye I muse and sing thy name,
        I only live to love thee.
    Tho' I were doom'd to wander on
    Beyond the sea, beyond the sun,
    Till my last weary sand was run;
        Till then, and then I love thee.