Login
|
Join PoetrySoup
Home
Submit Poems
Login
Sign Up
Member Home
My Poems
My Quotes
My Profile & Settings
My Inboxes
My Outboxes
Soup Mail
Contest Results/Status
Contests
Poems
Poets
Famous Poems
Famous Poets
Dictionary
Types of Poems
Videos
Resources
Syllable Counter
Articles
Forum
Blogs
Poem of the Day
New Poems
Anthology
Grammar Check
Greeting Card Maker
Classifieds
Quotes
Short Stories
Member Area
Member Home
My Profile and Settings
My Poems
My Quotes
My Short Stories
My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder
Soup Social
Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us
Member Poems
Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Random
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread
Member Poets
Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest
Famous Poems
Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100
Famous Poets
Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War
Poetry Resources
Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Email Poem
Your IP Address: 216.73.216.246
Your Email Address:
Required
Email Address Not Valid.
To Email Address:
Email Address Not Valid.
Required
Subject
Required
Personal Note:
Poem Title:
Poem
Inspired by the painting "Highland Lassie" (1871) by Thomas Faed. (Verse One; In introduction to Cailin) Walkin' on the highways, searchin' down the byways, Tromps a lonely figure on the Highland roads; Peerin' from the Highdown, breezin' through the lake town, Askin' of a question erry where he goes: (Chorus; Cailin, followed by some villagefolk) And it's, "Marry, gather 'round! for she hasna' yet been found; I come lookin' for the truest lass, as only one can be: I've a letter do deliver; as you see, it says to give 'er To the fairest Highland lassie from Loch Leven to the sea." "Here's a lass," they proudly say, "fair as June and sweet as May, And it's sure that she's the fairest in the Highland mountains steep: Through the heather you may go, climb the mountains capped with snow, But you'll never find a better lass on which your eyes to peep." (Verse Two; Cailin's thoughts) Some of them were pouty, others even dowdy; "These," he thought, "would never do in fifteen years: Beauty on the outside, nothin' on the inside, Leaves a girl with nothin' when it fades to tears." (Chorus; Cailin's continuing journey) Trav'lin' all around, for she hasna' yet been found; He's come lookin' for the truest lass, as only one can be: With a letter do deliver; as you see, it says to give 'er To the fairest Highland lassie from Loch Leven to the sea." "Here's a lass," they proudly say, "fair as June and sweet as May," But you canna' tell the fairest one except you see them all: And the lassies sweetly smile, for this stranger to beguile, As 'e treads throughout the Highlands from the winter to the fall. (Verse Three; Cailin's travels and troubles) From the banks of Lomon', up to Durness roamin', How's a wight to judge betwixt a thousand score? Steps were waxing weary, days were growing dreary, 'Till 'e saw a lass 'e hadna' met before. (Chorus; Cailin, to a lass called Ellsie and her villagefolk) And it's, "Marry, gather 'round, for the lassie here is found! I 'ave searched and found the truest lass, as only one can be: Here the letter I deliver; as you see, it says to give 'er To the fairest Highland lassie from Loch Leven to the sea. "Here's a lass," I proudly say, "fair as June and sweet as May, And it's sure that she's the fairest in the Highland mountains steep: Through the heather you may go, climb the mountains capped with snow, But you'll never find a better lass on which your eyes to peep." (Verse Four; Ellsie's villagefolk reply in confusion) Then they said, "Oh, please, Sir, don't you taunt and tease 'er, Caint you tell she's plainer e'en than Skye down dell? Caint you tell you've pained 'er? don't do that again, Sir, Lest you 'ave a reason, and if so, pray tell." (Chorus; Cailin's reply, followed by Ellsie reading the letter) "O'er the braes an' through the moor, I 'ave trode my walkers sore, All to find the truest lassie in the Highlands boggy peat; And the truest lass is fair, for the true shall never wear, So I say that here's the truest, fairest lass I've chanced to meet." Then she opened up the scroll, and she read it to the full, And for those who chance to wonder, I shall quote you what she read: "When the fairest lass I find, if our wishes are aligned, I should wish to know thee better, lass, and then, perhaps, to wed." (Verse Five; Ellsie's reply to the letter) Then she said, "Oh, come, Sir; don't be sad or glum, Sir; Meet my father, mother, and my sisters small: Soon the bells were ringin', people gladly singin' "Here's the lad who worked to find the best of all." (Chorus, which Ellsie's villagefolk sing at the wedding) "O'er the braes an' through the moor, 'e 'as trode 'is walkers sore, All to find the truest lassie in the Highlands boggy peat; And the truest lass is fair, for the true shall never wear, So I say that here's the truest, fairest lass I've chanced to meet. "Here's a lass," we proudly say, "fair as June and sweet as May, And it's sure that she's the fairest in the Highland mountains steep: Through the heather you may go, climb the mountains capped with snow, But you'll never find a better lass on which your eyes to peep." Note: the verses are written using trochaic feet, meaning that they begin with a stressed syllable, followed by an unstressed, and so on repeatedly. The fifth foot (syllables nine and ten) in the second and fourth lines of the verses is a spondee, meaning two stressed syllables in one foot. I mention this for ease in correct reading. An example of this same device is "Since the Savior Found Me" by Edgar J. Haskins, (in last line of verses and refrain).
CAPTCHA Preview
Type the characters you see in the picture
Required