The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. / With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham, Volume 2 Papyras Classics

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Chapter 273

CC. Had I a Cave

Tune—“Robin Adair.”

[Alexander Cunningham, on whose unfortunate love-adventure Burns composed this song for Thomson, was a jeweller in Edinburgh, well connected, and of agreeable and polished manners. The story of his faithless mistress was the talk of Edinburgh, in 1793, when these words were written: the hero of the lay has been long dead; the heroine resides, a widow, in Edinburgh.]

I.

Had I a cave on some wild, distant shore,
Where the winds howl to the waves’ dashing roar;
There would I weep my woes,
There seek my lost repose,
Till grief my eyes should close,
Ne’er to wake more.

II.

Falsest of womankind, canst thou declare,
All thy fond plighted vows—fleeting as air!
To thy new lover hie,
Laugh o’er thy perjury,
Then in thy bosom try
What peace is there!