Works

Oh that a wind would call
From the depths of the leafless wood!
Oh that a voice would fall
On the ear of my solitude!

Far away is the sea,
With its sound and its spirit tone;...

"He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds,"
--Psalm. cxlvii. 3.


Oh Thou who dry'st the mourner's tear,
How dark this world would be,
If, when deceived and wounded here,...

"Oh, Timballoo! how happy we are,
We live in a sieve and a crockery jar!
And all night long, in the starlight pale,
We sail away, with a pea-green sail,
And whistle and warble a moony song...

Tune - "Lass o' Livistone."

I.

Oh, wert thou in the cauld blast,
On yonder lea, on yonder lea,
My plaidie to the angry airt,
I'd shelter thee, I'd shelter thee:...

Oh what a Wreck! how changed in mien and speech!
Yet, though dread Powers, that work in mystery, spin
Entanglings of the brain; though shadows stretch
O'er the chilled heart reflect; far, far within...

(See Note 59)

Oh, when will you stand forth, who with strength can bring aid,
To strike down the injustice and lies
That my house have beset, and with malice blockade...

("A quoi bon entendre les oiseaux?")

[RUY BLAS, Act II.]


Oh, why not be happy this bright summer day,
'Mid perfume of roses and newly-mown hay?...

Oh, would that she were here,
These hills and dales among,
Where vocal groves are gayly mocked
By Echo's airy tongue:
Where jocund nature smiles
In all her boon attire,...

O, it was out by Donnycarney
When the bat flew from tree to tree
My love and I did walk together;
And sweet were the words she said to me.

Along with us the summer wind
Went murmuring, O, happily!...

To an old air


"O I won't lead a homely life
As father's Jack and mother's Jill,
But I will be a fiddler's wife,
With music mine at will!
Just a little tune,
Another one soon,...

The London lights are far abeam
Behind a bank of cloud,
Along the shore the gaslights gleam,
The gale is piping loud;
And down the Channel, groping blind,
We drive her through the haze...

Old Bob White's a funny bird! -
Funniest you ever heard! -
Hear him whistle, - "Old - Bob - White!"
You can hear him, clean from where
He's 'way 'crosst the wheat-field there,...

Old Man Whiskery-Whee-Kum-Wheeze
Lives 'way up in the leaves o' trees.
An' wunst I slipped up-stairs to play
In Aunty's room, while she 'uz away;
An' I clumbed up in her cushion-chair...

There is nothing at all to do to-day.
I can't go out and run and play;
For it's raining and snowing and sleeting, too;
And Old Man Winter he is to blame.
And I just sit here and think it a shame....

I have jest about decided
It 'ud keep a town-boy hoppin'
Fer to work all winter, choppin'
Fer a' old fire-place, like I did!
Lawz! them old times wuz contrairy! -
Blame backbone o' winter, 'peared-like,...

O long the way and short the day,
No light in tower or town,
The waters roar and far the shore--
My ship, my ship goes down!

'Tis all in vain to strive again,
My cry the billows drown,...

I will praise thee every day,
Now thine anger's turn'd away!
Comfortable thoughts arise
From the bleeding Sacrifice.


Here in the fair gospel-field,
Wells of free salvation yield...

Tune - "The Posie."


I.

O luve will venture in
Where it daurna weel be seen;
O luve will venture in
Where wisdom ance has been.
But I will down yon river rove,...

O Master, let me walk with thee
In lowly paths of service free;
Tell me thy secret; help me bear
The strain of toil, the fret of care;
Help me the slow of heart to move...

From the idyll "Wild Thorn and Lily"

O Maytime woods! O Maytime lanes and hours!
And stars, that knew how often there at night
Beside the path, where woodbine odors blew...