I TELL a tale o' burnin' love, A love they seldom tine Wha ance ha'e nursed it in their hearts: It's no a love divine; It's no a tale o' human love, Whaur ane may lo'e anither; It's no a mither's for a bairn, A sister's for her brither: Nae love o' science or o' art, Or nature's bonny face; It's no a love o' warl's gear, Nor a love o' power and place; It's no a love o' ocht that's gude, Or ocht that's fine or fair; It's no a love o' priest or kirk— It's unco seldom there. This burnin' love dries up the sap O' mony a plant an' flower O' human growth; the levin fires Ha'e nae sic deadly power. It drains the life-bluid frae the he'rt O' mony a wretched wife, An' robs the waefu' parent's mind O' ilka joy in life. It strips the bairnie o' its duds An' robs it o' its bread, An' taks, though it should dee wi' cauld, The blanket aff the bed; "It sets the mouth against the heavens" Wi' cursin' an' blasphemin', Sic mixture o' the fiend and brute There's little hope o' tamin'. Nae thocht for body or for saul, Nae care for name or fame— This burnin' love consumes them a', And glories in its shame. Oh! frae this base an' burnin' love Let man an' woman shrink: This deadly an' degradin' thing— The burnin' love o' drink. The burnin' love o' burnin' drink Sune burnin' ruin brings, An' burnin' plagues on every han' Aroun' the lan' it flings. Oh! ye wha thole this burnin' love, I rede ye o' the fate That bides ye: tear it frae your heart Wi' bitter, burnin' hate. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FOUR QUARTETS: BURNT NORTON by THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT THE ROMAN ROAD by THOMAS HARDY OLD POETS by ALFRED JOYCE KILMER TO AMERICA, ON HER FIRST SONS FALLEN IN THE GREAT WAR by E. M. WALKER SPORTSMEN IN PARADISE by T. P. CAMERON WILSON |