LINES TO A FREEN’ ACROSS THE SEA
Ma dear auld freen’ tae you I sen’
Thae twa-three lines tae let you ken,
If e’er you come tae Seestu toon
Tae view the fancy sichts aroon,
Wi’ shanks’ naggie, ma sonsie chiel;
Wi’ mirthfu’ glee we’ll loup and rin,
An’ view ance mair the Craigie Linn;
Tannahill’s Glen we’ll ramble thro’,
And nature’s grandeur there shall view.
The Newton Wuds we shall explore,
As we have done in days of yore;
Wild flowers bonnie there we’ll smell,
And be refreshed by the woodland well. (No doubt he means The Lexwell)
Then we’ll stroll tae the Peesweep Inn,
Awa’ frae a’ the noise and
And if oor banes are no’ that sair,
Tae Corkindale Law we’ll gang ance mair;
There we shall sit and rest awhile,
And view the heather growin’ wild.
O’ the days gane by there we will crack,
Tae hame ance mair the road we tak’,
And, ere we end our favourite stroll,
We’ll peep ance mair at Tannahill’s Hole;
Then we’ll stroll ower a’ the toon,
And view the fancy sichts aroon’,
Wi’ pride we’ll view oor fine Dunn Square
And the noble statues standing there.
St James’ Brig and Clark Town Hall,
Where the Nabrie meet for Bachelor ball;
The Ancient Abbey and the Sounding Aisle,
Coats’s Kirk and oor famous Jile;
The FountainGardens next we’ll view,
There Rabbie burns stan’s wi’ his ploo’.
But Noo ma gallant sonsie chiel,
The change o’ time I maun reveal,
And tell ye whit ye’ll see nae mair,
Tho’ your auld heartwi’grief gat sair,
Pattison’s mound is noo awa’ –
Nae mair there will ye play yer ba’;
The Canal sae bonnie, has met its doom,
And there nae mair ye’ll gang tae soom;
Nae mair ye’ll stroll the Water Wynd –
Thae scenes hae vanished lang syne.
These landmarks dear o’ days o’ yore
In Seestu toon ye’ll find no more;
But if you come to Underwood mill
There you’ll find your auld freen’ still.
