Oh, Tell Me, Dear Lassie
by William GardenOh, tell me, dear lassie! oh, tell me in sorrow!
Thou’rt gaun far awa', my sweet lassie, frae me;
Oh, sadly an' slowly will each comin' morrow
Float o'er my lone head when I'm far, far frae thee !
I'm gaun awa', laddie ; ay, gaun awa' lonely ;
Oh, think on me, laddie, when I'm far, far awa';
In my heart thou shalt live, an' I'll mind on thee only,
When tears doon my cheek flow at memory's ca’!
Thou’rt gaun awa', lassie, thou'lt tak’ my heart wi' thee;
The thocht, my dear lassie, brings mist to my e’e;
In thy presence 'tis sunshine, in darkness I'll lea' thee,
An rapture will never mair smile upon me!
Blythe Nature may smile a' aroun' in her gladness,
An' birdies may warble in ilka green shaw;
But to me their sweet strains will be naught but deep sadness,
When thou, my dear lassie, art far, far awa'!
Fair Flora may roam thro' her beautiful bowers,
An' lammies sport wild on the daisy-gemmed lea;
On the saft simmer breeze may arise frae the flowers
The soul-soothin' hum o' the musical bee;
But to me, O dear lassie! they'll bring pleasure never,
When I think thochts o' thee that I'm yearnin' to tell;
For lonely thou'lt leave me -- perchance 'tis for ever;
In sorrow, dear lassie, I bid thee farewell!
Not much seems to be known about William Garden. He was born in 1848 in Auchanacie in Banffshire, the seventh child out of ten, became a baker. He joined a literary society for his free time, and spent almost all his leisure hours reading poetry and writing. In 1868 he published Meg's Wedding, and Other Poems, and it was reasonably successful. He went into business for himself eventually, and published another book of poetry, Sonnets and Poems, in 1890, and that's about all anyone seems to know about him. But his work is quite good.
