Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume III. Sorrow and Consolation. 1904. | | | | II. Parting and Absence | | “O, saw ye bonnie Leslie?” | | Robert Burns (1759–1796) |
| | | O, SAW ye bonnie Leslie | |
| As she gaed o’er the border? | |
| She ’s gane, like Alexander, | |
| To spread her conquests farther. | |
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| To see her is to love her, | 5 |
| And love but her forever; | |
| For nature made her what she is, | |
| And ne’er made sic anither! | |
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| Thou art a queen, fair Leslie, | |
| Thy subjects we, before thee; | 10 |
| Thou art divine, fair Leslie, | |
| The hearts o’ men adore thee. | |
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| The deil he could na scaith thee, | |
| Or aught that wad belang thee; | |
| He ’d look into thy bonnie face, | 15 |
| And say, “I canna wrang thee!” | |
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| The Powers aboon will tent thee; | |
| Misfortune sha’ na steer 1 thee; | |
| Thou ’rt like themselves sae lovely | |
| That ill they ’ll ne’er let near thee. | 20 |
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| Return again, fair Leslie, | |
| Return to Caledonie! | |
| That we may brag we hae a lass | |
| There ’s nane again sae bonnie. | |
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