Classic Poem

Although easy my pallet,
Not to sleep I incline
With the stir in my nature
There long long sin syne.
There's a fire in ignition
In my frame, a live glow,
Giving sharp admonition
To bundle and go.

Chorus

Sing jolly, sing jolly,
Sing jolly the play.
Sing jolly sweet, jolly;
Sing jolly each day.
Sing jolly sweet, lightsome,
Sing jolly alway,
Sing jolly, sing jolly
She my care would allay.

I am three years unending
With my love in full tide,
And each day of them sending
A fresh shaft in my side.
How can I feel pleasure
E'en with wealth in plenty,
Being without thy lips' treasure,
Unaffected and free?

I'd love thy conversation
Neither heat nor gloom showing,
With the taste of an oration,
In sweet harmony flowing.
'Twould my mind raise to singing,
While I numbered each charm
To my love that was clinging,
Gentle, easy and warm.

She is whither, my girl,
Than the swan on the spray,
More melodious than merle
On the tree-tops in May.
'Tis her chasteness of manners
And her justness of taste
Bent me down to surrender
And love her in haste.

There is a bloom on her face
That I cannot portray;
She is abounding in grace,
And in sense to bear sway.
Not to be found is her match
In the North to compare —
She's my modest young Fair-brow,
Who'd my mind raise from care.

If I should in dire need be,
And the leech had lost hope,
And no help be decreed me,
Death my short goal and scope,
The looks of my Fair-brow would
My bad mood put to flight,
I'd catch the merle's music,
And a-fresh gain delight.

Although sweet gowk and mavis
And the choir in ilk tree,
Sing me song in the dove-wood,
My joy is lost to me —
Oh! I am ever thinking
Of my love in the glen,
In ill-humour I'm sinking,
Of her sweet talk reft then.

When I was with my Fair-brow
In the gowk dell profound,
Or in grove of the mavis
Feeling joy going round,
My bliss I would not barter,
Being without her an hour,
For the statesmen's proud charter,
Maugre height of their power.

Though I King were of Alba
And its silver and kine,
Of my Fair-brow my choice were
Over all maids for mine.
" For me in life were no joys
'Neath the sun anywhere,
And me without thy sweet voice
To relieve me from care. "

But I'll wake from ill-humour,
And my gloom banish now,
I'll not live any longer
Without darling Fair-brow,
" Gentle youth to this sheiling
Bear my greeting above,
In the dell voice my feeling,
Understand will my love. "