206

"O BAIRN, WHEN I AM DEAD.”

"O bairn, it is but closing up the een,

And lying down never to rise again.
Many a strong man's sleeping hae I seen,--
There is nae pain!

I'm weary, weary, and I scarce ken why;
My summer has gone by,

And sweet were sleep, but for the sake o' thee.”– "O Mither, dinna dee!"

ROBERT BUCHANAN.

(FROM "TIS PITY SHE'S A QUEEN,"-A.D. 1610),

ACT IV. SCENE 2.

The LADY MARGARET, with SUSAN and LUCY; LADY M. at her embroidery frame, singing.

IRLS, when I am gone away,

On this bosom strew

Only flowers meek and pale,
And the yew.

Lay these hands down by my side,

Let my face be bare;

Bind a kerchief round the face,

Smooth my hair.

Let my bier be borne at dawn,

Summer grows so sweet,

Deep into the forest green

Where boughs meet.

208

"GIRLS, WHEN I AM GONE AWAY."

Then pass away, and let me lie

One long, warm, sweet day

There alone with face upturn'd,

One sweet day.

When the morning light grows broad,
While noon sleepeth sound,
While the evening falls and faints,
While the world goes round.

EDWARD DOWDEN.

ASSING away, saith the World, passing away : Chances, beauty and youth sapped day by day:

Thy life never continueth in one stay.

Is the eye waxen dim, is the dark hair changing to

grey

That hath won neither laurel nor bay?

I shall clothe myself in Spring and bud in May;
Thou, root-stricken, shalt not rebuild thy decay
On my bosom for aye.

Then I answered: Yea.

Passing away, saith my Soul, passing away:

With its burden of fear and hope, of labour and play ; Hearken what the past doth witness and say:

Rust in thy gold, a moth is in thine array,

A canker is in thy bud, thy leaf must decay.

At midnight, at cockcrow, at morning, one certain day

Lo, the Bridegroom shall come and shall not delay: Watch thou and pray.

Then I answered: Yea.

()

Passing away, saith my God, passing away:
Winter passeth after the long delay:

New grapes on the vine, new figs on the tender spray,
Turtle calleth turtle in Heaven's May.

Though I tarry, wait for Me, trust Me, watch and pray, Arise, come away, night is past and lo it is day.

My Love, My Sister, My Spouse, thou shalt hear me

say.

Then I answered: Yea.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI.