Oh love that moves so sweetly
the calves she takes to pass
her feet are gently meeting
the blades upon the grass
her thighs are in the morning
as white as seagull wing
but no pact to bring her to me

of foolish love I sing
not money did I lust for
nor gold did I crave
nor the flow of wines melting
upon my lips to brave
I wanted not silk garment
or satin worn by lords
how strange the love within me
that crosses us like swords
if all the wealth of Europe

by grace I should attain
much of the finest bearing in me
gives honour to my name
if dukedom became my fortune
the crown of king for me
I’d cast it back to providence
though you but reject me
what did I do to make it
that you but do spurn me

I would have made your bed love
in husband’s constancy
I fell to hearing tales love
of how you chose to be
so plain you turned the lads’ eyes
but I, I would not see

and though I hear the harp song
my heart it is not light
my spirit darkens daily
yet I must keep my life
and sorrow breaks my soft back
a fool to melancholy
better I had not loved you
than lie in Kirk yard drear.

Note: This is an adaptation of a nineteenth century song by Donald Fraser of Fannich. It was popular in the Kintail region of the Highlands and has been recorded by James Campbell at the School of Scottish studies. The comparison of a girl’s flesh to the whiteness of a seagull is part of standard rhetoric, which is why I have used it in the adaptation.