Page:Poems that every child should know (ed. Burt, 1904).djvu/132

94 But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best-laid schemes o' mice and men

Gang aft a-gley,

And lea'e us naught but grief and pain,

For promised joy.

Still thou art blest, compared wi' me!

The present only toucheth thee:

But, och! I backward cast my e'e

On prospects drear!

And forward, though I canna see,

I guess and fear.

.

To a Mountain Daisy,

ON TURNING ONE DOWN WITH THE PLOW IN

APRIL, 1786

, modest, crimson-tippèd flower,

Thou 's met me in an evil hour;

For I maun crush amang the stoure

Thy slender stem:

To spare thee now is past my power,

Thou bonny gem.

Alas! it's no thy neebor sweet,

The bonny lark, companion meet,

Bending thee 'mang the dewy weet,

Wi' speckled breast,

When upward-springing, blithe, to greet

The purpling east!