The Old Maids Story

Ay, many and many a year’s gone by,

Since the dawn of that day in spring,

When we met in the pine-woods, Harry and I,

And he gave me this golden ring.

I had lovers in plenty, of high degree,

Who wooed in my father’s hall;

But none were so noble and brave as he,

Though he was the scorn’d of all.

On the soft, green grass, where the shadows lay,

All fleck’d with the sun and dew,

With a ring and a kiss did we seal, that day,

Our vow to be leal and true.

‘Twas a life-long vow;-but they did not know-

And they thought not of love or pain;-

We met just once in the sleet and snow-

We were never to meet again!

He was sent away o’er the blank, wide sea,

And I, with my hopes and fears,

Had never a message to comfort me

For over a score of years.

They laugh’d at my heart, they paraded my hand,

But I answer’d them, cold and grim-

“If Harry ne’er comes to his native land,

They shall only belong to him.”

At last came a tale from the battle-field;-

And they were not scornful now.

The sentence of exile might be repealed-

They would honour our plighted vow!

They told how my Harry, like olden knights,

Had fought for his land and Queen;

Fought hard and well on the Alma heights,

Where the deadliest strife was seen.

They told how he fell in the fire and smoke,

And they gave me his things to keep;

They wonder’d why I never cried or spoke,-

But it was too late to weep.

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Poems in English 

• Fragment – Wee Willie Gray (Song) by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Farewell to Eliza (Song) by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• On a Scotch Bard, gone to the West Indies by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Lament of Mary, Queen of Scots by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Lament for James, Earl of Glencairn by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Impromptu on Dumourier’s Desertion of the French Republican Army by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Grace before and after Meat by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Epitaph for Robert Aiken by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Epistle to a Young Friend by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Address to Beelzebub by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• A Grace after Meat by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• A Dream by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• A Dedication to Gavin Hamilton by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• A Bard’s Epitaph by Robert Burns by Robert Burns
• Zion by Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
• You Must n’t Swim… by Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
• With Scindia to Delphi by Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
• Wilful Missing by Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
• White Horses by Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling
• When the Great Ark by Rudyard Kipling by Rudyard Kipling

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