32. Song-Green Grow the Rashes. Burns, Robert. 1909-14. Poems and Songs. The Harvard Classics

Robert Burns (1759–1796). Poems and Songs.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

32. Song—Green Grow the Rashes

A Fragment


Chor.—Green grow the rashes, O;
Green grow the rashes, O;
The sweetest hours that e’er I spend,
Are spent amang the lasses, O.

THERE’S nought but care on ev’ry han’,	5
In ev’ry hour that passes, O:
What signifies the life o’ man,
An’ ’twere na for the lasses, O.
Green grow, &c.

The war’ly race may riches chase,	10
An’ riches still may fly them, O;
An’ tho’ at last they catch them fast,
Their hearts can ne’er enjoy them, O.
Green grow, &c.

But gie me a cannie hour at e’en,	15
My arms about my dearie, O;
An’ war’ly cares, an’ war’ly men,
May a’ gae tapsalteerie, O!
Green grow, &c.

For you sae douce, ye sneer at this;	20
Ye’re nought but senseless asses, O:
The wisest man the warl’ e’er saw,
He dearly lov’d the lasses, O.
Green grow, &c.

Auld Nature swears, the lovely dears	25
Her noblest work she classes, O:
Her prentice han’ she try’d on man,
An’ then she made the lasses, O.
Green grow, &c.