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I GAED A WAEFU' GATE YESTREEN.
I gaed a waefu' gate yestreen,
A gate, I fear I'll dearly rue;
I gat my death frae twa sweet een:
Twa Lovely een o' bonny blue.
'Twas not her golden ringlets bright
Her lips like roses wet wi' dew,
Her heaving bosom lily white,
It was her een sae bonnie blue.
She talk'd, she smil'd, my heart she wil'd,
She charm'd my soul I watna how,
An' aye the stound, the deadly wound,
Cam frae her een sae bonnie blue.
But spare I'll speak, an spare I'll speed
She'll ablins listen to my vow;
Should she refuse, I'll lay my head
To her twa een sae bonny blue
THE MINUTE GUN.
When in the storm Albion's coast,
The night-watch guards his wary post
From thoughts of danger free;
He marks some vessel's dusky form,
And hears amid some howling storm,
The minute gun at sea.
Swift the shore a hardy few,
The life-boat man with a gallant crew,
And dare the dangerous wave;
Through the wild surf they cleave that way,
Lost in the foam, nor know dismay,
For they go the crew to save.
But oh what rapture fills each breast
Of the hapless crew of the ship distress'd,
Then landed safe what joy to tell,
Of all the dangers that befel,
Then heard is no more,
By the watch on the shore.
The minute gun at sea.
