Violet Jacob > Scottish poems of Violet Jacob

THE WATER-HEN
As I gaed doon by the twa mill dams i’ the mornin’
The water-hen cam’ oot like a passin’ wraith,
And her voice ran through the reeds wi’ a sound of
warnin’,
“ Faith—keep faith ! ”
“ Aye, bird, tho’ ye see but ane ye may cry on baith ! ”
As I gaed doon the field when the dew was lyin’,
My ain love stood whaur the road an’ the mill-lade met,
And it seemed to me that the rowin’ wheel was cryin’,
“ Forgie—forget,
And turn, man, turn, for ye ken that ye lo’e her yet ! ”
As I gaed doon the road ’twas a weary meetin’,
For the ill words said yestreen they were aye the same,
And my het * he’rt drouned the wheel wi’ its heavy heatin’.
“ Lass, think shame,
It’s no for me to speak, for it’s you to blame ! ”
As I gaed doon by the toon when the day was springin’
The Baltic brigs lay thick by the soundin’ quay
And the riggin’ hummed wi’ the sang that the wind was
singin’,
“ Free—gang free,
For there’s mony a load on shore may be skailed f at sea ! ”
When I cam hame wi’ the thrang o’ the years ahint me
There was naucht to see for the weeds and the lade in
spate,
But the water-hen by the dams she seemed aye to mind
me,
Cryin’ “ Hope—wait! ”
“ Aye, bird, but my een grow dim, an’ it’s late—late ! ”
* hot t scattered, or dropped
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