Robert Burns (1759–1796). Poems and Songs.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 176. On the Death of John M’Leod, Esq. |
| | | | | Brother to a young Lady, a particular friend of the Author’s. |
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| SAD thy tale, thou idle page, | |
| And rueful thy alarms: | |
| Death tears the brother of her love | |
| From Isabella’s arms. | |
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| Sweetly deckt with pearly dew | 5 |
| The morning rose may blow; | |
| But cold successive noontide blasts | |
| May lay its beauties low. | |
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| Fair on Isabella’s morn | |
| The sun propitious smil’d; | 10 |
| But, long ere noon, succeeding clouds | |
| Succeeding hopes beguil’d. | |
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| Fate oft tears the bosom chords | |
| That Nature finest strung; | |
| So Isabella’s heart was form’d, | 15 |
| And so that heart was wrung. | |
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| Dread Omnipotence alone | |
| Can heal the wound he gave— | |
| Can point the brimful grief-worn eyes | |
| To scenes beyond the grave. | 20 |
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| Virtue’s blossoms there shall blow, | |
| And fear no withering blast; | |
| There Isabella’s spotless worth | |
| Shall happy be at last. | |
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