Chor.—O Tibbie, I hae seen the day,
  Ye wadna been sae shy;
For laik o’ gear ye lightly me,
  But, trowth, I care na by.
 

YESTREEN I met you on the moor,
Ye spak na, but gaed by like stour;
Ye geck at me because I’m poor,
  But fient a hair care I.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

When coming hame on Sunday last,
Upon the road as I cam past,
Ye snufft and ga’e your head a cast—
  But trowth I care’t na by.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

I doubt na, lass, but ye may think,
Because ye hae the name o’ clink,
That ye can please me at a wink,
  Whene’er ye like to try.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

But sorrow tak’ him that’s sae mean,
Altho’ his pouch o’ coin were clean,
Wha follows ony saucy quean,
  That looks sae proud and high.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

Altho’ a lad were e’er sae smart,
If that he want the yellow dirt,
Ye’ll cast your head anither airt,
  And answer him fu’ dry.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

But, if he hae the name o’ gear,
Ye’ll fasten to him like a brier,
Tho’ hardly he, for sense or lear,
  Be better than the kye.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

But, Tibbie, lass, tak’ my advice:
Your daddie’s gear maks you sae nice;
The deil a ane wad speir your price,
  Were ye as poor as I.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.
 

There lives a lass beside yon park,
I’d rather hae her in her sark,
Than you wi’ a’ your thousand mark;
  That gars you look sae high.
          O Tibbie, I hae seen the day, &c.

Added: Jan 3 2004 | Viewed: 908 times | Comments (0)

Poet: Robert Burns
Poem: 2. 2. Song—O Tibbie, I hae seen the day
Volume: Poems and Songs. The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Year: Published/Written in 1779
Poem of the Day on:
Sep 25 2004
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