TamSamson'sElegy

tamsamson'selegy

anhonestman'sthenoblestworkofgod—pope.

whenthisworthyoldsportmanwentout,lastmuirfowlseason,hesupposeditwastobe,inossian'sphrase,“thelastofhisfields,”andexpressedanardentwishtodieandbeburiedinthemuirs.onthishinttheauthorcomposedhiselegyandepitaph.—r.b.,1787.

hasauldkilmarnockseenthedeil?

orgreatmackinlaythrawnhisheel?

orrobertsonagaingrownweel,

topreachan'read?

“na'waurthana'!”criesilkachiel,

“tamsamson'sdead!”

kilmarnocklangmaygruntan'grane,

an'sigh,an'sab,an'greetherlane,

an'cleedherbairns,man,wife,an'wean,

inmourningweed;

todeathshe'sdearlypay'dthekane—

tamsamson'sdead!

thebrethren,o'themysticlevel

mayhingtheirheadinwoefu'bevel,

whilebytheirnosethetearswillrevel,

likeonybead;

death'sgienthelodgeanuncodevel;

tamsamson'sdead!

whenwintermufflesuphiscloak,

andbindsthemirelikearock;

whentotheloughsthecurlersflock,

wi'gleesomespeed,

whawilltheystationatthecock?

tamsamson'sdead!

whenwintermufflesuphiscloak,

hewasthekingo'a'thecore,

toguard,ordraw,orwickabore,

oruptherinklikejehuroar,

intimeo'need;

butnowhelagsondeath'shog-score—

tamsamson'sdead!

nowsafethestatelysawmontsail,

andtroutsbedropp'dwi'crimsonhail,

andeels,weel-ken'dforsoupletail,

andgedsforgreed,

since,darkindeath'sfish-creel,wewail

tamsamson'sdead!

rejoice,yebirringpaitricksa';

yecootiemuircocks,crouselycraw;

yemaukins,cockyourfudfu'braw

withoutendread;

yourmortalfaeisnowawa;

tamsamson'sdead!

thatwoefu'mornbeevermourn'd,

sawhiminshootinggraithadorn'd,

whilepointersroundimpatientburn'd,

fraecouplesfree'd;