The Book of Scottish Song/I had a dream

I had a dream.

[William Miller of Glasgow.—Here first printed.]

I had a dream o' ither days,
⁠A sinless dream o' joy,
It rame like sunshine through a clud
⁠Life's dark spots to destroy.

It came when I was sick at heart,
⁠And sleepless was mine e'e,
When luve was fause, an' wily tongues
⁠Turn'd frien' to enemie.

I thocht a saft han' lay in mine,
⁠A sma' waist in my arm,
A wee heart beatin'—throbbin' fast
Wi' love an' life-bluid warm.

In quiet streams I've seen fair flowers
⁠Hid 'neath the bank they grew,
Sae in her deep blue een I read
⁠Flower-thochts o' various hue.

O, dinua look sae kind, Willie,
⁠Or else wi' joy I'll dee,
An' dinna read my heart, Willie,
⁠Wi' thae lang lucks o' your e'e.

A maiden's heart should be, Willie,
⁠A sacred thing to men,
Its workin's in an hour o' joy
⁠Man-body ne'er can ken.

The flower that in the shade wad live
⁠Will wither in the sun,—
An' joy may work on maiden-heart
⁠What grief wad ne'er ha'e done.

The marrin' o' a melody—
⁠The stoppin' o' a stream—
A sudden lapse in sunny licht—
⁠The burstin' o' a dream.

I woke—and on my glassy een
⁠The paley moonbeam shone:
Speak on, I cried,—speak on, but, lo!
⁠The weel kent voice was gone!

---