POSTHUMOUS POEMS
The tears ran through her fair sma' mouth;
The white bones small and thin
Were waxen sharper in her lang throat,
And in her wrist and chin.
The white bones small and thin
Were waxen sharper in her lang throat,
And in her wrist and chin.
"Gin my mither had wist o' this
When she was left wi' me,
I wot these arms that are waxen lean
Had ne'er gaun round a man's body.
When she was left wi' me,
I wot these arms that are waxen lean
Had ne'er gaun round a man's body.
"Gin my mither had dreamed a dream
That sic a kail should fall on me,
She had bound me between her smock and her kirtle
And cast me ower the sea.
That sic a kail should fall on me,
She had bound me between her smock and her kirtle
And cast me ower the sea.
"She had row'd me between her smock and her kirtle,
Let me to swim or sink;
And I had drunken o' the saut water
Instead of tears to drink.
Let me to swim or sink;
And I had drunken o' the saut water
Instead of tears to drink.
"The bairn that is waxen me within,
It is waxen a pain to me;
But weel lie he and ever weel
That made my bairn's body.
It is waxen a pain to me;
But weel lie he and ever weel
That made my bairn's body.
"The white that was in my twa brows,
I wot it is waxen red;
But weel lie he and ever weel
That had my maidenhead.
I wot it is waxen red;
But weel lie he and ever weel
That had my maidenhead.
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