Airs and Ballads Author:John McClure Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SONG: OLD STYLE I sang one song upon a time To make my lady smile: O, I hae sung a hundred songs, But only one worth-while! Her smile is like the flus... more »h o' dawn, Or bursting of a flower: Her smile is like the moon-rise At the midnight hour. I sang a song upon a time That drew a smile frae her: O, I wouldna barter her smile away For white silver. Oh, you hear sweet music If my love pass, Whisper o' the crow's-foot, Murmur o' the grass! The wee ones are ready To give her due to her Who is more dainty dainty Than the fairies were, Who is so dainty dainty That she doth surpass Blossom o' the primrose, Flower o' the grass I HIS LADY IN ABSENCE In cold nights of winter When all is cool and still The white star is my true-love And the moonlight on the hill. But in warm nights of summer When evening airs are free And twilight is like magic The new moon is she. DEIRDRE I see the sadness In her eyes grey That makes a man pensive At dying o' the day, And I see the paleness In her cheeks wan That makes a man wistful At grey dawn. WHEN YOU ARE OLD Mayhap when you are old and grey You will remember me, And nod your white head and say: " A quaint lean fellow, he. " I remember the tricks of his speech, The snatches he used to sing. I think he said that he loved me Better than anything." CHANSON NAIVE I shall steal upon her Where she sits so white, Creep-mouse, creep-mouse, In the twilight. She sits in the shadows, Dreamy, dreamy — I shall go stealthily So she cannot see me. I shall steal behind her And kiss her on the cheek And cover up her wee mouth So she cannot speak. I would fain surprise her If so be I might, Creep-mouse, creep-mouse, In the twilight...« less