Songs and rhymes of a lead minerGracie, Thomas Grierson
General
Songs and rhymes of a lead miner
Gracie, Thomas Grierson
English poetry -- Scottish authors; Scottish poetry
_Who died of wounds in St. Luke's Hospital, Halifax, and was buried
in Wanlockhead Churchyard on August 30, 1918._
The curfew's mournful tone was heard
Resounding through the glen,
And from the pathway on the hill
The heavy tramp of men,
Whose mien contrasted strangely with
The glow of Autumn's sun,
Bearing the form of a soldier lad
To his rest so nobly won.
'Twas sad to see the cortege pass
His dear old father's home,
From which, at the call of duty stern,
He sailed across the foam.
'Twas sad to see his mother's grief
And hear his sisters weep,
E'er the silver line began to shine
Through shadows dark and deep.
They laid him down in the Old Churchyard,
'Neath the swaying, bending trees,
Where green grass grows and wild flowers bloom
'Mid the heather-scented breeze,
Far, far removed from the din of war,
No more to feel its thrills;
To rest in peace in the kindly shade
Of the everlasting hills.
LINES ON A FRIEND,
_Who, before he died, expressed the desire to be laid in Wanlock._
Oh! lay me doon in Wanlock;
Untroubled I will sleep
Whaur heather grows and the burnie rowes
Awa' tae join the deep.
The friends lie there I kent langsyne,
The kindest an' the best;
Until the Resurrection Morn
Amang them let me rest.
Dear lo'ed yins that I leave 'ahin,
Oh, dinna, dinna murn;
According to great Nature's plan
Tae dust we maun return.
Oh! Wanlock, dear auld Wanlock,
Beside ye I maun be,
For God has planted in ma hert
A daithless love for thee.
WULLIE TAMSON, LATE O' SNAR.
Near whaur Duneaton smoothly flows
A namely poet leeved langsyne,
A kin'ly, genial, honest soul
Wha wove his fancies intae rhyme.
A humble shepherd lad was he,
An' ne'er aspired tae high estate:
His name was never on the roll
Amang the world's rich an' great.
In simmer heat an' winter's snaw
He tent his flocks upon the hill,
Whaur he could inspiration draw
Frae tum'lin' burn an' sparklin' rill,
Frae heather bloom an' wavin' fern,
Frae lintie's sang an' bonnie flooer,
Frae winter storms an' driftin' snaw,
Frae thunder-cloud an' sleety shooer.
In simple words he sweetly voiced
The joys an' sorrows o' the poor;
'Mang shepherd lads the country roon
He bore the gree in social oor.
A man o' independent mind,
He feared nae maister, man, or lord;
Aye strecht was he at mairt or fair
Or seated at the social board.
Auld Scotland, why will we forget
Tae render honour whaur it's due?
Why will we fawn on gowd an' lan'
Wi' naething higher in oor view?
Let's fill a bumper tae the brim
An' toast his mem'ry near an' far,
An' ne'er forget tae honour men
Like Wullie Tamson, late o' Snar.
KITCHENER.
The Nation mourns for K. of K.;
Who from this life has passed away;
His body lies beneath the wave,
The soldier's found a sailor's grave.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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