From
Stirling
castle
we
had
seen
The
mazy
Forth
unravelled;
Had
trod
the
banks
of
Clyde,
and
Tay,
And
with
the
Tweed
had
travelled;
And
when
we
came
to
Clovenford,
Then
said
my
"winsome
Marrow
,"
"Whate'er
betide,
we'll
turn
aside,
And
see
the
Braes
of
Yarrow."
"Let
Yarrow
folk,
frae
Selkirk
town,
Who
have
been
buying,
selling,
Go
back
to
Yarrow,
'tis
their
own;
Each
maiden
to
her
dwelling!
On
Yarrow's
banks
let
her
herons
feed,
Hares
couch,
and
rabbits
burrow!
But
we
will
downward
with
the
Tweed
Nor
turn
aside
to
Yarrow.
"There's
Galla
Water,
Leader
Haughs,
Both
lying
right
before
us;
And
Dryborough,
where
with
chiming
Tweed
The
lintwhites
sing
in
chorus;
There's
pleasant
Tiviot-dale,
a
land
Made
blithe
with
plough
and
harrow:
Why
throw
away
a
needful
day
To
go
in
search
of
Yarrow?
"What's
Yarrow
but
a
river
bare,
That
glides
the
dark
hills
under?
There
are
a
thousand
such
elsewhere
As
worthy
of
your
wonder."
—Strange
words
they
seemed
of
slight
and
scorn;
My
True-love
sighed
for
sorrow;
And
looked
me
in
the
face,
to
think
I
thus
could
speak
of
Yarrow!
"Oh!
green,"
said
I,
"are
Yarrow's
holms,
And
sweet
is
Yarrow
flowing!
Fair
hangs
the
apple
frae
the
rock,
But
we
will
leave
it
growing.
O'er
hilly
path,
and
open
Strath,
We'll
wander
Scotland
thorough;
But,
though
so
near,
we
will
not
turn
Into
the
dale
of
Yarrow.
"Let
beeves
and
home-bred
kine
partake
The
sweets
of
Burn-mill
meadow,
The
swan
on
still
St.
Mary's
Lake
Float
double,
swan
and
shadow!
We
will
not
see
them;
will
not
go,
To-day,
nor
yet
to-morrow;
Enough
if
in
our
hearts
we
know
There's
such
a
place
as
Yarrow.
"Be
Yarrow
stream
unseen,
unknown!
It
must,
or
we
shall
rue
it:
We
have
a
vision
of
our
own;
Ah!
why
should
we
undo
it?
The
treasured
dreams
of
times
long
past,
We'll
keep
them,
winsome
Marrow!
For
when
we'er
there,
although
'tis
fair,
'Twill
be
another
Yarrow!
"If
Care
with
freezing
years
should
come,
And
wandering
seem
but
folly,—
Should
we
be
loth
to
stir
from
home,
And
yet
be
melancholy;
Should
life
be
dull,
and
spirits
low,
'Twill
soothe
us
in
our
sorrow,
That
earth
has
something
yet
to
show,
The
bonny
holms
of
Yarrow!"
