Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (1766-1845). The Land o' the Leal. William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. 1909. The Book of Georgian Verse

William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909.

The Land o’ the Leal

By Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (1766–1845)


I’M wearin’ awa’, John,
Like snaw-wreaths in thaw, John—
I’m wearin’ awa’
To the land o’ the leal.
There’s nae sorrow there, John;	5
There’s neither cauld nor care, John—
The day is aye fair
In the land o’ the leal.

Our bonnie bairn’s there, John;
She was baith guid and fair, John;	10
And, oh! we grudged her sair
To the land o’ the leal.
But sorrow’s sel’ wears past, John,
And joy ’s a-coming fast, John—
The joy that’s aye to last	15
In the land o’ the leal.

Sae dear’s the joy was bought, John,
Sae free the battle fought, John,
That sinfu’ man e’er brought
To the land o’ the leal.	20
O, dry your glistening e’e, John!
My saul longs to be free, John,
And angels beckon me
To the land o’ the leal.

O, haud ye leal and true, John;	25
Your day it’s wearin’ through, John,
And I’ll welcome you
To the land o’ the leal.
Now fare-ye-weel, my ain John:
This warld’s cares are vain, John;—	30
We’ll meet, and we’ll be fain,
In the land o’ the leal.