Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume III. Sorrow and Consolation. 1904. | | | | II. Parting and Absence | | “Ae fond kiss, and then we sever” | | Robert Burns (1759–1796) |
| | | AE fond kiss, and then we sever; | |
| Ae fareweel, alas, forever! | |
| Deep in heart-wrung tears I ’ll pledge thee; | |
| Warring sighs and groans I ’ll wage thee. | |
| Who shall say that fortune grieves him, | 5 |
| While the star of hope she leaves him? | |
| Me, nae cheerfu’ twinkle lights me; | |
| Dark despair around benights me. | |
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| I ’ll ne’er blame my partial fancy— | |
| Naething could resist my Nancy: | 10 |
| But to see her was to love her, | |
| Love but her, and love forever. | |
| Had we never loved sae kindly, | |
| Had we never loved sae blindly, | |
| Never met—or never parted, | 15 |
| We had ne’er been broken-hearted. | |
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| Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest! | |
| Fare thee weel, thou best and dearest! | |
| Thine be ilka joy and treasure, | |
| Peace, enjoyment, love, and pleasure! | 20 |
| Ae fond kiss, and then we sever; | |
| Ae fareweel, alas, forever! | |
| Deep in heart-wrung tears I ’ll pledge thee, | |
| Warring sighs and groans I ’ll wage thee! | | | | |
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