James Yool: Collected Lyrics
01 / 2
Public-domain lyrics

Her kiss was soft

James Yool

“Her kiss was soft” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

James Yool: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Her kiss was soft and sweet,

Her smiles were free and fain,

And beaming bright the witching glance

Of her I thought my ain.

That kiss has poison'd peace,

Her smiles have rous'd despair,

For kindly though her glances be,

They beam on me nae mair.

Now lonely's every haunt

That I once trode with joy,

And dull and drear the sacred grove

Where we were wont to toy.

The rose can please nae mair,

The lily seems to fade,

And waefu' seems the blackbird's sang,

That us'd to cheer the glade.

This bosom once was gay,

But now a brow of gloom

Pourtrays, in characters of care,

That it is pleasure's tomb.

Yet none shall hear the sigh

That struggles to be free,

No tear shall trace this sallow cheek,

Nor murmur burst from me.

Though silent be my woe,

'Tis not the less severe—

Forlorn I brood on former joys

To love and mem'ry dear.

She minds na o' the vows

That seal'd our youthful love,

But heaven has records that will last,

My faith and truth to prove.

Credits

Written by James Yool

Words by James Yool. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “Her kiss was soft”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
Keep tracing

More from James Yool: Collected Lyrics.

02How ardentlyPublic-domain lyrics