A thief sae pawkie is my Jean, [sly]
To steal a blink, by a' unseen; [glance]
But gleg as light are lovers' e'en, [nimble, eyes]
When kind love is in the e'e.
It may escape the courtly sparks,
It may escape the learned clerks;
But weel the watching lover marks
The kind love that's in her e'e.
POORTITH CAULD
O poortith cauld, and restless love, [cold poverty]
Ye wreck my peace between ye;
Yet poortith a' I could forgive,
An' 'twere na for my Jeanie. [If 'twere not]
O why should fate sic pleasure have, [such]
Life's dearest bands untwining?
Or why sae sweet a flower as love
Depend on Fortune's shining?
The warld's wealth when I think on,
Its pride, and a' the lave o't,-- [rest]
My curse on silly coward man,
That he should be the slave o't.
Her een sae bonnie blue betray
How she repays my passion;
But prudence is her o'erword aye, [refrain]
She talks of rank and fashion.
O wha can prudence think upon,
And sic a lassie by him?
O wha can prudence think upon,
And sae in love as I am?
How blest the wild-wood Indian's fate!
He woos his artless dearie--
The silly bogles, Wealth and State, [goblins]
Can never make him eerie.
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