“Solvitur acris hiems gratâ vice veris et Favoni.” – CAR. I., 4.
THE winter ice is breakin’ up,
The wast wind whistlin’ cracks his whup,
An’ noo ye hear their Hi! woa! h’up!
(Pleasant the hearin’!)
As plooman-lads wi’ steady grup
Draw oot their feerin’.
–
An’ now ere lang we’ll see the flooers
Drawn fra the divots by the shooers,
An’ saft winds hing the plantin’ booers
Wi’ leaves that rustle,
An’ lav’rocks to the lift a’ ‘oors
Flee up, an’ whistle.
–
It’s braw an’ blithesome i’ the sprin
To see the joy o’ everything:
Dance, bairns an’ bodies! loup an’ sing!
Ye dae’t wi’ reason;
Whatever joyous thocht ye bring,
It comes in season.
–
Dance while ye can, sing while ye may,
For human life ‘s a short-liv’d day;
Owre sune, owre sune the gloamin’ gray
Creeps cauld athort it,
An’ we oor limbs to rest maun lay
Whaur late we sportit!