The Book of Scottish Song/Lament for Jamie

Lament for Jamie.

[Written by Andrew G. Bain, Edinburgh, on the death of a young gentleman who was lost on the coast of Ireland in January, 1816.—Tune, "Flowers of the Forest."

Sweet as May morning, the heath hills adorning,
⁠Decking with pearl the green flowery lea;
Sweet sing the thrushes among the hawthorn bushes,
⁠But sweeter by far was my Jamie to me.

Dirk, dark and drearie, the moment was eerie,
⁠When the grim tyrant, by fatal decree,
Snatch'd aff my treasure, my whole care and pleasure,
⁠Wha now sleeps in death 'neath the dark rolling sea.

Lanely I wander whare burnies meander,
⁠Blythely the birds sing on ilka green tree;
Nature looks cheerie — but waes me, I'm weary,
⁠Joy fled wi' him wha sleeps cauld in the sea.

Nae mair in the gloamin' I'll gaylie be roamin',
⁠To meet wi' my darling beneath the haw tree,
Where kindly he'd press me, and fondly caress me—
⁠My heart's still wi' him, though he's cauld in the sea.

Vain are life's pleasures, its beauties and treasures—
⁠Sweet spring the gowans adorning the lea:
Winter comes blasting, no longer they're lasting,
⁠But nipt in the bloom like my Jamie frae me.

Waukin' or sleeping I'm mourning and weeping:
⁠Thinking on Jamie tears gush frae my e'e;
Pleasure forsakes me, and sorrow o'ertakes me;
⁠Death now alone my consoler must be.

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