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Poems by First Lines

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A Guid New-year I wish thee, Maggie!
A ROSEBUD by my early walk
A slave to love's unbounded sway,
A THIEF AND A MURDERER! stop her who can!
A' Ye wha live by sowps o' drink,
ADIEU! a heart-warm, fond adieu!
ADOWN winding Nith I did wander,
AE day, as Death, that gruesome carl,
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
AFTEN hae I play'd at the cards and the dice,
AH, Chloris, since it may not be,
AH, woe is me, my Mother dear!
ALL devil as I am, a damned wretch,
ALL hail! inexorable lord!
ALTHO' my bed were in yon muir,
Although thou maun never be mine,
AMANG our young lassies there ‘s Muirland Meg,
AN honest man here lies at rest
AN I'll kiss thee yet, yet,
AN O for ane and twenty Tam!
An someboie were come again
ANCE mair I hail thee, thou gloomy December!
AS cauld a wind as ever blew;
As down the burn they took their way,
AS father Adam first was fool'd,
AS honest Jacob on a night,
AS I cam down by Annan side,
AS I cam down by yon castle wa',
AS I came o'er the Cairney mount
As I stood by yon roofless tower,
AS I was wand'ring ae midsummer e'enin,
AS I went out ae may morning,
AS late by a sodger I chanced to pass,
As Mailie, an' her lambs thegither,
AS Tam the chapman on a day
ASK why God made the GEM so small,
AT Brownhill we always get dainty good cheer,
Auld com’rade dear and brither sinner,
AWA whigs awa,
AWA wi' your witchcraft o' beauty's alarms,
BAILLIE Swan, Baillie Swan,
BEAUTEOUS rose-bud, young and gay,
BEHIND yon hills where Lugar flows,
BEHOLD the hour, the boat arrive;
BEHOLD, my Love, how green the groves,
Below thir stanes lie Jamie's banes;
Bless Jesus Christ, O Cardoness,
BLEST be M'Murdo to his latest day!
BLYTHE hae I been on yon hill,
BRAW, braw lads on Yarrow braes,
BUT lately seen in gladsome green
But now his radiant course is run,
BY Allan-side I chanc'd to rove,
By Love, and by Beauty;
BY yon castle wa' at the close of the day,
C--------D faithful likeness, friend Painter, would’st seize?
Can I cease to care,
Cauld is the e'enin blast
CEASE, ye prudes, your envious railing,
CLARINDA, mistress of my soul,
COME boat me o'er, come row me o'er,
COME rede me dame, come tell me, dame,
Come, bumpers high, express your joy,
Come, let me take thee to my breast,
COMIN thro' the rye, poor body,
CONTENTED wi' little, and cantie wi' mair,
CRAIGDARROCH, fam'd for speaking art
CURS'D be the man, the poorest wretch in life,
DAUGHTER of Chaos' doting years,
DEAR Burns, thou brother of my heart,
DEAR Peter, dear Peter,
DEAR Smith, the sleest, pawkie thief,
DIRE was the hate at Old Harlaw
DOES haughty Gaul invasion threat,
DOST ask me, why I send thee here,
DOST ask, dear Captain, why from Syme
DOST hang thy head, Billy, asham'd that thou knowest me?
DOST thou not rise, indignant Shade,
DUNCAN GRAY cam here to woo,
DWELLER in yon dungeon dark,
ENVY, if thy jaundiced eye,
EXPECT na, Sir, in this narration,
FAIR Empress of the Poet's soul,
Fair the face of orient day,
FAREWEEL to a' our Scottish fame,
FAREWEL Dear Friend! may Guid-luck hit you,
FAREWELL, old Scotia's bleak domains
FAREWELL, thou fair day; thou green earth; and ye skies,
FAREWELL, thou stream that winding flows
FATE gave the word, the arrow sped,
FINTRY, my stay in wordly strife,
FIRST when Maggy was my care,
FLOW gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes
FOR Lords or kings I dinna mourn,
FORLORN, my Love, no comfort near,
FOURTEEN, a sonneteer thy praises sings;
FRAE the friends and Land I love,
FRIDAY first 's the day appointed
FRIEND Commissar, since we’re met and are happy,
FRIEND o’ the Poet, tried and leal,
FROM the white-blossom'd sloe my dear Chloris requested
FROM thee, ELIZA, I must go,
FROM these drear solitudes and frowzy Cells,
FY, let us a' to K[IRKCUDBRIGHT],
GANE is the day, and mirk's the night,
GAT ye me, O gat ye me,
Go fetch to me a pint o' wine,
GO on, sweet bird, and soothe my care,
GRACIE, thou art a man of worth,
GREEN sleeves and tartan ties
GRIM Grizzel was a mighty Dame
Gude pity me, because I'm little,
GUDEEN to you, kimmer
GUID speed an’ furder to you Johny,
GUID-MORNIN to our MAJESTY!
HA! whare ye gaun, ye crowlan ferlie!
HAD I a cave on some wild, distant shore,
HAD I the wyte, had I the wyte,
HAIL, Poesie! thou nymph reserv'd!
HAIL, thairm-inspirin', rattlin Willie!
Hark the mavis' evening sang
HAS auld Kilmarnock seen the Deil?
HE looked Just as your Sign-post lions do,
HE who of Rankin sang, lies stiff and dead,
HEALTH to the Maxwels' veteran Chief!
HEAR, Land o' Cakes, and brither Scots,
HEARD ye o' the tree o' France,
HEE-balou, my sweet, wee Donald,
HER flowing locks, the raven's wing,
HERE 's a health to them that 's awa
HERE 's to thy health, my bonie lass,
HERE awa’, there awa’, wandering, Willie,
Here brewer Gabriel's fire's extinct,
HERE Holy Willie's sair worn clay
HERE is the glen, and here the bower,
HERE lies a mock Marquis whose titles were shamm'd,
HERE lies a Scots mile of a chiel,
HERE lies Boghead amang the dead
HERE lies in earth a root of Hell,
HERE lies John Bushby, honest man!
HERE lies Johnny Pidgeon,
HERE lies ‘mang ither useless matters,
HERE lyes Squire Hugh----------ye harlot crew,
Here Sowter Hood in Death does sleep;
HERE's, a bottle and an honest friend!
HERE, cursing swearing Burton lies,
HERE, where the Scotish Muse immortal lives,
HOW can my poor heart be glad,
HOW cold is that bosom which folly once fired,
How cruel are the Parents
How daur ye ca' me ' Howlet-face,'
How lang and dreary is the night,
HOW Liberty, girl, can it be by thee nam'd?
HOW Wisdom and Folly meet, mix and unite;
HUSBAND, husband, cease your strife,
I AM a keeper of the law
I bought my wife a stane o' lint,
I CALL no goddess to inspire my strains,
I COFT a stane o' haslock wo o,
I DO confess thou art sae fair,
I DREAM'D I lay where flowers were springing
I fee'd a man at martinmass,
I GAED a waefu' gate yestreen,
I Gat your letter, winsome Willie;
I HAE a wife o’ my ain,
I HAE been at Crookieden,
I HOLD it, Sir, my bounden duty
I LANG hae thought, my youthfu' friend,
I MAUN hae a wife, whatsoe'er she be;
I NEVER barked when out of season,
I SING of a Whistle, a Whistle of worth,
I'M now arrived--------thanks to the gods!----
I'M three times, doubly, o'er your debtor,
IF ye gae up to yon hill-tap,
IF you rattle along like your Mistress's tongue,
IN Edinburgh town they ‘ve made a law,
IN honest Bacon's ingle-neuk,
IN Mauchline there dwells six proper young Belles,
IN Se'enteen Hunder 'n Forty-Nine,
IN simmer when the hay was mawn,
In sober hours I am a priest;
IN Tarbolton, ye ken, there are proper young men,
IN this strange land, this uncouth clime,
IN vain would Prudence, with decorous sneer,
IN wood and wild, ye warbling throng,
INHUMAN man! curse on thy barb'rous art,
INSTEAD of a song, boys, I'll give you a toast,
Is there a whim-inspir’d fool,
Is there, for honest Poverty
Is there, for honest Poverty
Is this thy plighted, fond regard,
IT is na, Jean, thy bonie face,
IT was a' for our rightfu' king
IT was in sweet Senegal that my foes did me enthrall
IT was the charming month of May,
IT was upon a Lammas night,
ITHERS seek they kenna what,
ITS up wi' the Sutors o Selkirk,
I’LL tell you a tale of a Wife,
JAMIE, come try me
JENNY sits up i' the laft,
JOCKEY 's ta’en the parting kiss,
JOHN Anderson, my jo, John,
KEMBLE, thou cur'st my unbelief
KEN ye ought o' Captain Grose?
Kilmarnock Wabsters, fidge an' claw,
KIND Sir, I've read your paper through,
Know thou, O stranger to the fame
LAMENT in rhyme, lament in prose,
LAMENT ‘im Mauchline husbands a',
LANDLADY count the lawin,
LANG hae we parted been,
LASSIE, lend me your braw hemp-heckle,
LAST May a braw wooer cam down the lang glen,
LATE crippled of an arm, and now a leg,
Let not Woman e'er complain
LET other heroes boast their scars,
LET other Poets raise a fracas
LIFE ne'er exulted in so rich a prize,
LIGHT lay the earth on Billy's breast,
LIKE to a fading flower in May,
LO worms enjoy the seat of bliss
LONG LIFE, My Lord, an' health be yours,
LORD, to account who dares Thee call,
LOUIS, what reck I by thee,
MARK yonder pomp of costly fashion
MAXWELL, if merit here you crave,
Musing on the roaring Ocean
MY curse upon your envenom'd stang,
My father was a farmer upon the Carrick border O
MY girl she 's airy, she 's buxom and gay,
My godlike Friend------nay, do not stare,
MY heart 's in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
MY heart is a breaking, dear Tittie,
MY heart is sair, I dare na tell,
MY honored colonel, deep I feel
My lord a hunting he is gane,
MY lov'd, my honor'd, much respected friend,
MY love she 's but a lassie yet,
MY love was born in Aberdeen,
My Sandy gied to me a ring,
MY Wife 's a wanton, wee thing,
NAE gentle dames tho' ne'er sae fair,
No Churchman am I for to rail and to write,
No more of your guests, be they titled or not,
NO more of your titled acquaintance boast,
No more, ye warblers of the wood, no more
No song nor dance I bring from yon great city,
NO Spartan tube, no Attic shell,
NOW health forsakes that angel face,
NOW honest William ’s gaen to Heaven,
NOW in her green mantle blythe Nature arrays,
NOW Kennedy if foot or horse
Now Nature cleeds the flowery lea,
NOW Nature hangs her mantle green
Now rosy May comes in wi' flowers,
NOW spring has clad the grove in green,
NOW westlin winds, and slaught'ring guns
O A' ye pious godly Flocks,
O BONIE was yon rosy brier,
O CAM ye here the fight to shun,
O COULD I give thee India's wealth,
O DEAR minny, what shall I do?
O DEATH, hadst thou but spar'd his life,
O FOR my ain king, quo gude Wallace,
O GALLOWAY Tam came here to woo,
O GIE the lass her fairin’, lad,
O GOWDIE, terror o' the whigs,
O GUDE ale comes and gude ale goes,
O HOW can I be blythe and glad,
O HOW shall I, unskilfu', try
O I forbid you maidens a'
O JOHN, come kiss me now, now, now;
O KEN ye what Meg o' the mill has gotten,
O KENMURE 's on and awa, Willie,
O LADY Mary Ann looks o'er the castle-wa',
O LASSIE, are ye sleepin yet,
O LEAVE novels, ye Mauchline belles,
O LEEZE me on my spinnin-wheel,
O LORD, when hunger pinches sore,
O LUVE will venture in where it daur na weel be seen,
O MALLY 's meek, Mally 's sweet,
O MARY, at thy window be
O MAY, thy morn was ne'er so sweet,
O MEIKLE thinks my Luve o' my beauty,
O MERRY hae I been teethin a heckle,
O MIRK, mirk is this midnight hour,
O MOUNT and go,
O MY Luve 's like a red, red rose,
O ONCE I lov'd a bonnie lass,
O PHILLY, happy be that day
O POORTITH cauld, and restless love,
O RAGING Fortune's withering blast
O RATTLIN roarin Willie,
O ROUGH, rude, ready-witted Rankine,
O SAD and heavy should I part,
O SAW ye bonie Lesley,
O SAW ye my dearie, my Eppie Mcnab?
O SAW ye my dearie, my Phely?
O STAY, sweet warbling woodlark stay,
O STEER her up, ad' had her gaun,
O THAT I had ne'er been married,
O THIS is no my ain lassie,
O THOU great Being! What Thou art,
O THOU pale Orb that silent shines,
O THOU that in the heavens does dwell!
O THOU unknown, Almighty Cause
O THOU, in whom we live and move,
O THOU, the first, the greatest friend
O THOU, whatever title suit thee!
O WAT ye wha 's in yon town,
O WAT ye wha that lo'es me,
O WERE I on Parnassus hill;
O WERE my Love yon Lilac fair,
O WHA my babie-clouts will buy,
O WHA will to Saint Stephen's house,
O WHA’LL mow me now, my jo,
O WHEN she cam ben she bobbed fu' law,
O WHERE hae ye been, Lord Ronald, my son?
O WHISTLE, and I'll come to ye, my lad,
O WHY the deuce should I repine,
O WILLIE brew’d a peck o' maut,
O WILT thou go wi' me, sweet Tibbie Dunbar;
O YE wha are sae guid yoursel,
O ye whose cheek the tear of pity stains,
O, LOGAN, sweetly didst thou glide,
O, SING a new Song to the Lord
O, THOU, who kindly dost provide
OF a' the airts the wind can blaw,
OF all the numerous ills that hurt our peace;
OFT I have wonder’d that on Irish ground
OH wert thou in the cauld blast,
OH! had each Scot of ancient times,
OH, I am come to the low Countrie,
OH, open the door, some pity to shew,
OLD Winter, with his frosty beard,
ON a bank of flowers in a summer day,
ON Cessnock banks a lassie dwells;
On peace and rest my mind was bent,
ONCE fondly lov'd, and still rememb’red dear
ONE night as I did wander,
One Queen Artemisia, as old stories tell,
OPPRESS'D with grief, oppress'd with care,
ORTHODOX, Orthodox, who believe in John Knox,
OUR lords are to the mountains gane,
Our Lucky humbly begs
OUR young lady ‘s a huntin gane,
OUT over the Forth, I look to the North,
PEG Nicholson was a good bay mare,
Praise Woman still!” his Lordship says,
PRAY Billy Pit explain thy rigs,
PRAY, who are the Natives the Rabble so ven’rate?
Raving winds around her blowing
RIGHT, Sir! your text I'll prove it true,
ROBIN shure in hairst,
SAE flaxen were her ringlets,
SAW ye my Maggie?
SCOTS, wha hae wi' WALLACE bled,
SENSIBILITY how charming,
SHE 's fair and fause that causes my smart,
SHE is a winsome wee thing,
SHE kiltit up her kirtle weel
SHE was cut-luggit, painch-lippit,
SHOULD auld acquaintance be forgot
Should he escape the slaughter of thine Eyes,
SIMMER 's a pleasant time,
SING on, sweet thrush, upon the leafless bough,
SIR John Cope trode the north right far,
Sir, think not with a mercenary view
SIR, as your mandate did request
SLEEP’ST thou, or wauk’st thou, fairest creature;
SO vile was poor Wat, sic a miscreant slave,
SOME books are lies frae end to end,
SOME have meat and cannot eat,
STILL anxious to secure your partial favour,
Stop thief!" dame Nature called to Death,
Sweet closes the evening on Craigieburn-wood,
Sweet fa's the eve on Craigieburn,
SWEET floweret, pledge o' meikle love,
Sweet naivete of feature,
SWEETEST May let love inspire thee;
TALK not to me of savages
THAT hackney'd judge of human life,
THAT there is a Falsehood in his looks,
THE bairns gat out wi' an unco shout,
The blude-red rose at Yule may blaw,
THE bonniest lad that e'er I saw,
THE Campbells are comin, Oho, Oho!
THE cares o' Love are sweeter far
The Catrine woods were yellow seen,
The Couper o' Cuddy cam here awa,
THE day returns, my bosom burns
THE Devil got notice that GROSE was a-dying,
The flower it blaws, it fades, it fa's,
THE friend who wild from Wisdom's way,
The gloomy night is gath'ring fast,
THE greybeard, old wisdom, may boast of his treasures,
THE King's most humble servant, I
THE Laddies by the banks o' Nith
THE lazy mist hangs from the brow of the hill,
THE luvely Lass o’ Inverness,
The man, in life where-ever plac'd,
THE night it was a haly night,
THE noble Maxwels and their powers
The poor man weeps--here GAVIN sleeps,
THE Robin cam to the wren’s nest
THE Shepherd's wife cries o'er the knowe,
THE small birds rejoice in the green leaves returning,
THE smiling spring comes in rejoicing,
THE Solemn League and Covenant
The sun had clos'd the winter day
The sun he is sunk in the west;
THE Taylor fell thro' the bed, thimble an' a',
THE Taylor he cam here to sew,
THE Thames flows proudly to the sea,
THE wind blew hollow frae the hills,
THE winter it is past, and the summer ‘s come at last,
THE Wintry West extends his blast,
THEIR groves o' sweet myrtle let Foreign Lands reckon,
THERE 's a youth in this city, it were a great pity
THERE 's death in the cup--------sae beware!
THERE 's news, lasses, news,
There 's sax eggs in the pan, gudeman,
THERE 's three true gude fellows,
THERE grows a bonie brier-bush in our kail-yard,
THERE liv'd a man in yonder glen,
THERE lived a carl in Kellyburn Braes,
THERE was a battle in the north,
THERE was a bonie lass,
THERE was a jolly gauger, a gauging he did ride,
THERE was a lad was born in Kyle,
There was a lass, and she was fair,
THERE was a wife wonn'd in Cockpen,
THERE was five carlins in the South,
THERE was on a time, but old Time was then young,
THERE was three kings into the east
THERE was twa wives, and twa witty wives,
THERE'S auld Rob Morris that wons in yon glen,
THERE's nought but care on ev'ry han',
THINE am I, my Chloris fair,
THINE be the volumes, Jessy fair,
THIS day, Time winds th' exhausted chain,
This fourth o' June, at Mauchline given,
THIS wot all ye whom it concerns,
THO' women's minds, like winter winds,
Thou flattering mark of friendship kind,
THOU fool, in thy Phaeton towering
THOU hast left me ever, Jamie,
THOU lingering Star with lessening ray
THOU whom chance may hither lead,
THOU'S welcome, Wean! Mishanter fa' me,
THOU, Liberty, thou art my theme;
THOU, of an independent mind
THOUGH cruel Fate should bid us part
THOUGH fickle Fortune has deceiv’d me,
THROUGH and through the inspired leaves,
TIBBIE Fowler o’ the glen,
To Riddell, much lamented man,
TO you, Sir, this summons I 've sent,
TRUE-HEARTED was he, the sad swain o' the Yarrow,
TURN again, thou fair Eliza,
Twa bony lads were Sandy and Jockie;
TWAS ev’n, the dewy fields were green,
TWAS in that place o' Scotland's isle,
TWAS in the seventeen hunder year
TWAS na her bonie blue e'e was my ruin;
Twas on a monday morning,
Twas past one o'clock in a cold frosty morning,
TWAS where the birch and the sounding thong are plyed,
UP and warn a' Willie,
UP wi' the carls of Dysart,
UPON a simmer Sunday morn,
UPON that night, when Fairies light
WAE is my heart, and the tear 's in my e'e;
WAE worth thy pow’r, thou cursed leaf!
WAP and rowe, wap and row,
WEE Willie Gray, an’ his leather wallet;
WEE, modest, crimson-tipped flow’r,
WEE, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie
WHA is that at my bower-door?
WHA will buy my Troggin,
Wha, in a brulzie, will first cry a parley?
WHAM will we send to London town,
WHARE are you gaun, my bony lass,
WHARE hae ye been sae braw, lad!
WHARE live ye, my bonie lass,
WHAT can a young lassie, what shall a young lassie,
WHAt dost thou in that mansion fair,
WHAT Man could esteem, or what Woman could love,
WHAT merriment has taen the whigs
WHAT needs this din about the town o' Lon'on?
WHAT waefu’ news is this I hear,
WHEN chapman billies leave the street,
When Eighty-five was seven months auld,
WHEN first I came to Stewart Kyle
WHEN first my brave Johnie lad came to this town,
WHEN Guilford good our Pilot stood,
WHEN Januar wind was blawin cauld,
WHEN Lascelles thought fit from this world to depart,
WHEN lyart leaves bestrow the yird,
When Mary can over the Border,
WHEN maukin bucks, at early fucks,
When Morine, deceas'd, to the devil went down,
WHEN Nature her great Masterpiece designed,
WHEN o'er the hill the eastern star
WHEN Princes and Prelates and het-headed zealots,
WHEN rosy May comes in wi' flowers
WHEN wild War's deadly blast was blawn,
WHERE are the joys I have met in the morning,
Where Cart rins rowin to the sea,
WHILE briers an' woodbines budding green,
WHILE Europe's eye is fixed on mighty things,
WHILE larks with little wing
WHILE new-ca'd kye rowte at the stake,
WHILE Prose-work and rhymes
WHILE virgin Spring, by Eden's flood,
WHILE winds frae aff BEN-LOMOND blaw,
Whoe'er thou art, O reader, know,
WHY am I loth to leave this earthly scene?
WHY, why tell thy lover,
WI' braw new branks in mickle pride
WILL ye go to the Highlands, Leezie Lindsay,
WILL ye go to the Indies, my Mary,
WILLIE Wastle dwalls on Tweed,
WILT thou be my Dearie;
WISDOM and Science----honor’d Powers!
Wishfully I look and languish,
WITH Pegasus upon a day
YE banks and braes o' bonie Doon,
YE banks, and braes, and streams around
YE gallants bright I red you right,
YE IRISH LORDS, ye knights an' squires,
YE Jacobites by name, give an ear, give an ear;
YE jovial boys who love the joys,
YE men of wit and wealth, why all this sneering
YE sons of old Killie, assembled by Willie,
Ye sons of sedition give ear to my song,
YESTREEN I had a pint o' wine,
Yestreen I met you on the Moor,
YOU'RE welcome to Despots, Dumourier;
YOUNG Jockey was the blithest lad
YOUNG Peggy blooms our boniest lass,
YOUR friendship much can make me blest,
YOUR News and Review, Sir, I've read through and through, Sir,
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