Page:Poems Douglas.djvu/18

He is there wha ne'er saw a frien' poverty sad,
But he slipped him the wherewith to mak' his heart glad—
Her ain darlin' Jamie, sae blythe an' sae braw,
Is there as he was, ere death bore him awa'.
They are in the aunld hamestead, a's joy 'neath the roof,
Nae want's there familiar, nae frien' stan's aloof:
'Tis a beautiful picture, that glimpse o' the past,
But Maggie dispels a' the sunshine at last.
The bairn sat selectin' ilk tiny bit bough,
Gazin' noo at her mither, noo feedin' the lowe,
When quo she, as a thocht filled her ponderin' head,
"When the ravens cry, mither, wha gies them their bread?"
'Tis He, my wee Maggie, wha cares for us a',
Without wha's permission a sparrow can't fa'."
"Weel, He'll pity us tue, gin He looks down to see
Puir Jessie an' Tam, an' puir mither an' me."
"Frae babes an' frae sucklin's what wisdom we learn!
Your words hae consoled my puir bosom, my bairn;
Your een's unco heavy, lean down ye'r wee head,
An' I'll wak ye, my pet, gin they come wi' the bread."
The bairn in sweet slumber forgets a' her care,
But how dolefu' an' weary the mither sits there!
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Down the glen stan's a biggin', a gran' stately ha',
Wi' porches o' marble, an' steps like the snaw,
Wha's inmates ken nocht o' the hunger an' care
That fa's to the lot o' the freenless an' puir;