Mary Leslie

Before Vittoria, June 20, 1813     O Mary Leslie, blithe and shrill         The bugles blew for Spain:     And you below the Castle Hill         Stood in the crowd your lane.     Then hearts were wild to watch us pass,         Yet laith to let us go!     While mine said, "Fare-ye-well, my lass!"         And yours, "God keep my Jo!"     Here by the bivouac fire, above         These fields of savage play,     I'll lift my love to meet thy love         Twa thousand miles away,     Where yonder, yonder by the stars,         Nightlong there rins a burn,     And maids with lovers at the wars         May list their wraiths' return.     More careless yet my spirit grows         Of fame, more sick of blood:     But I can think of Badajoz,         And yet that God is good.     Beyond the siege, beyond the stour,         Beyond the sack of towns,     I reach to pluck ae lily-floo'r         Where leaders press for crowns.     O Mary! lily! bow'd and wet         With mair than mornin's rain!     The bugles up the Lawnmarket         Shall sound us home again.     Then fare-ye-well, these foreign lands,         And be damn'd their bitter drouth.     With your dear face between my hands         And the cup held to my mouth,         My love,     It's clean cup to my mouth!