15. Winter: A Dirge
THE WINTRY west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
While, tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae;
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.
“The sweeping blast, the sky o’ercast,”
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest’s howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!
Thou Power Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfil,
Here firm I rest; they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want-O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!-
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.





Related poetry:
- 488. Song-The Winter of Life BUT lately seen in gladsome green, The woods rejoic’d the day, Thro’ gentle showers, the laughing flowers In double pride […]...
- 54. Man was made to Mourn: A Dirge WHEN chill November’s surly blast Made fields and forests bare, One ev’ning, as I wander’d forth Along the banks of […]...
- THE DIRGE OF JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER:SUNG BY THE VIRGINS O thou, the wonder of all days! O paragon, and pearl of praise! O Virgin-martyr, ever blest Above the rest […]...
- Etymological Dirge ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear. Calm comes from burning. Tall comes from fast. Comely doesn’t come from […]...
- 202. On the Death of Robert Dundas, Esq., of Arniston LONE on the bleaky hills the straying flocks Shun the fierce storms among the sheltering rocks; Down from the rivulets, […]...
- The Dirge of Wallace When Scotland’s great Regent, our warrior most dear, The debt of his nature did pay, T’ was Edward, the cruel, […]...
- Contentment (Phillipians, iv.11) Fierce passions discompose the mind, As tempests vex the sea, But calm, content and peace we find, When, […]...
- Dirge Boys and girls that held her dear, Do your weeping now; All you loved of her lies here. Brought to […]...
- Winter Clouded with snow The cold winds blow, And shrill on leafless bough The robin with its burning breast Alone sings […]...
- 144. A Winter Night WHEN biting Boreas, fell and dour, Sharp shivers thro’ the leafless bow’r; When Phoebus gies a short-liv’d glow’r, Far south […]...
- The Twenty-Third Psalm My Shepherd is the Lord my God, There is no want I know; His flock He leads in verdant meads, […]...
- Dirge Knows he who tills this lonely field To reap its scanty corn, What mystic fruit his acres yield At midnight […]...
- The Task: Book IV, The Winter Evening (excerpts) Hark! ’tis the twanging horn! O’er yonder bridge, That with its wearisome but needful length Bestrides the wintry flood, in […]...
- THE WIDOWS' TEARS; OR, DIRGE OF DORCAS Come pity us, all ye who see Our harps hung on the willow-tree; Come pity us, ye passers-by, Who see […]...
- 491. Song-Lassie wi' the Lint-white Locks Chorus.-Lassie wi’the lint-white locks, Bonie lassie, artless lassie, Wilt thou wi’ me tent the flocks, Wilt thou be my Dearie, […]...
- Winter Remembered Two evils, monstrous either one apart, Possessed me, and were long and loath at going: A cry of Absence, Absence, […]...
- The Task: Book V, The Winter Morning Walk (excerpts) ‘Tis morning; and the sun, with ruddy orb Ascending, fires th’ horizon: while the clouds, That crowd away before the […]...
- 533. Song-Forlorn, my love, no comfort here FORLORN, my Love, no comfort near, Far, far from thee, I wander here; Far, far from thee, the fate severe, […]...
- To A Lady O! had my Fate been join’d with thine, As once this pledge appear’d a token, These follies had not, then, […]...
- Starlings in Winter Chunky and noisy, But with stars in their black feathers, They spring from the telephone wire And instantly They are […]...
- My Spectre Around Me My spectre around me night and day Like a wild beast guards my way. My emanation far within Weeps incessantly […]...
- 64. Fragment of Song-"My Jean!" THO’ cruel fate should bid us part, Far as the pole and line, Her dear idea round my heart, Should […]...
- 212. Song-Raving Winds Around her Blowing RAVING winds around her blowing, Yellow leaves the woodlands strowing, By a river hoarsely roaring, Isabella stray’d deploring- “Farewell, hours […]...
- Stanzas to Flora LET OTHERS wreaths of ROSES twine With scented leaves of EGLANTINE; Enamell’d buds and gaudy flow’rs, The pride of FLORA’S […]...
- 4. Song-In the Character of a Ruined Farmer THE SUN he is sunk in the west, All creatures retirиd to rest, While here I sit, all sore beset, […]...
- Ode Written On The First Of January Come melancholy Moralizer come! Gather with me the dark and wintry wreath; With me engarland now The SEPULCHRE OF TIME! […]...
- The Seasons: Winter See! Winter comes, to rule the varied Year, Sullen, and sad; with all his rising Train, Vapours, and Clouds, and […]...
- To My Excellent Lucasia, On Our Friendship I did not live until this time Crown’d my felicity, When I could say without a crime, I am not […]...
- Sonnet 6: Then let not winter's ragged hand deface Then let not winter’s ragged hand deface In thee thy summer ere thou be distilled. Make sweet some vial; treasure […]...
- Eden in Winter [Supposed to be chanted to some rude instrument at a modern fireplace] Chant we the story now Tho’ in a […]...
- 396. Song-Wandering Willie HERE awa, there awa, wandering Willie, Now tired with wandering, haud awa hame; Come to my bosom, my ae only […]...
- Winter-Time Late lies the wintry sun a-bed, A frosty, fiery sleepy-head; Blinks but an hour or two; and then, A blood-red […]...
- SONNET OF AUTUMN THEY say to me, thy clear and crystal eyes: “Why dost thou love me so, strange lover mine?” Be sweet, […]...
- 553. Song-O lay thy loof in mine, lass Chorus-O lay thy loof in mine, lass, In mine, lass, in mine, lass; And swear on thy white hand, lass, […]...
- Winter Stores WE take from life one little share, And say that this shall be A space, redeemed from toil and care, […]...
- 500. Song-Craigieburn Wood (Second Version) SWEET fa’s the eve on Craigieburn, And blythe awakes the morrow; But a’ the pride o’ Spring’s return Can yield […]...
- Lines Written From Home Though bleak these woods, and damp the ground With fallen leaves so thickly strown, And cold the wind that wanders […]...
- 220. Song-The Winter it is Past THE WINTER it is past, and the summer comes at last And the small birds, they sing on ev’ry tree; […]...
- Blustering God i Blustering God, Stamping across the sky With loud swagger, I fear You not. No, though from Your highest heaven […]...
- 329. Verses on the destruction of the Woods near Drumlanrig AS on the banks o’ wandering Nith, Ae smiling simmer morn I stray’d, And traced its bonie howes and haughs, […]...