Rab Comes Hame
Alexander Anderson (The Surface Man)
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Rab Comes hame
Was that a knock,what can it be
I hirple tae the door
A burly chiel' is stan'in there
I never saw afore
He tak's a lang,lang look at me
An' in his kindly e'en
A something lies,I canna name
That somewhere I hae seen
I bid him ben,he taks a chair
My heart loups up.wi fricht
For he sits doon,as John wad do
When he came home at nicht
He spreads baith han's upon his knees
But no ae word he speaks
Yet I can see,the big roun' tears
Come happin doon his cheeks
Then a' at ance,his big strong airms
Are streekin' oot tae me
Mither,am Rab,come hame at last
An' can ye welcome me
Oh Rab my airms are roon his neck
The lord is kind,indeed
then hunker doon,an' on his knees
I lay my auld grey heid
How could ye bide sae lang frae me
Thae weary weary years
An' no ae word,but I maun greet
My heart is fu o' tears
It does an auld frail body gud
An' oh it's unco sweet
To see you there,though my tears
Sae I maun hae my greet
Your faither's lang since in his grave
Within the auld grave yard
Jamie an' Tam,they lie by him
They werena tae be spared
An' I was left,tae sit ma lane
Tae think on what had been
An' wussin only for the time
Tae come an close my e'en
But noo yer back,I ken fu well
That no' a fremit han'
Will lay me when,my time comes roun
Beside my ain gude man
Noo.ad it be a sin tae ask
O' him that rules aboon
Tae gie me yet,a year or twa
Afore I cuddle doon