The Howe O' The Mearns

Laddie, my lad, when ye gang at the tail o' the plough         An' the days draw in,     When the burnin' yellow's awa' that was aince a-lowe         On the braes o' whin,     Do ye mind o' me that's deaved wi' the wearyfu' south         An' it's puir concairns     While the weepies fade on the knowes at the river's mouth         In the Howe o' the Mearns?     There was nae twa lads frae the Grampians doon to the Tay         That could best us twa;     At bothie or dance, or the field on a fitba' day,         We could sort them a';     An' at courtin'-time when the stars keeked doon on the glen         An' its theek o' fairns,     It was you an' me got the pick o' the basket then         In the Howe o' the Mearns.     London is fine, an' for ilk o' the lasses at hame         There'll be saxty here,     But the springtime comes an' the hairst - an it's aye the same         Through the changefu year.     O, a lad thinks lang o' hame ere he thinks his fill         As his breid he airns -     An' they're thrashin' noo at the white fairm up on the hill         In the Howe o' the Mearns.     Gin I mind mysel' an' toil for the lave o' my days         While I've een to see,     When I'm auld an' done wi' the fash o' their English ways         I'll come hame to dee;     For the lad dreams aye o' the prize that the man'll get,         But he lives an' lairns,     An' it's far, far 'ayont him still - but it's farther yet         To the Howe o' the Mearns.     Laddie, my lad, when the hair is white on yer pow         An' the work's put past,     When yer hand's owre auld an' heavy to haud the plough         I'll win hame at last,     An we'll bide our time on the knowes whaur the broom stands braw         An' we played as bairns,     Till the last lang gloamin' shall creep on us baith an' fa'         On the Howe o' the Mearns.