Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Hark! the Mavis

Robert Burns

“Hark! the Mavis” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 181 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Chorus.

Ca' the yowes to the knowes,

Ca' them where the heather grows,

Ca' them where the burnie rows,

My bonie dearie.

Verse 2

Hark! the mavis' evening sang

Sounding Clouden's woods amang,

Then a faulding let us gang,

My bonie dearie.

Ca' the, &c.

Verse 3

We'll gae down by Clouden side,

Thro' the hazels spreading wide,

O'er the waves that sweetly glide

To the moon sae clearly.

Ca' the, &c.

Verse 4

Yonder Clouden's silent towers,

Where at moonshine midnight hours,

O'er the dewy-bending flowers,

Fairies dance sae cheery.

Ca' the, &c.

Verse 5

Ghaist nor bogle shalt thou fear;

Thou'rt to love and Heaven sae dear,

Nocht of ill may come thee near,

My bonie dearie.

Ca' the, &c.

Verse 6

Fair and lovely as thou art,

Thou hast stown my very heart;

I can die—but canna part,

My bonie dearie.

Ca' the, &c.

Verse 7

While waters wimple to the sea;

While day blinks in the lift sae hie;

Till clay-cauld death shall blin' my ee,

Ye shall be my dearie.

Ca' the, &c.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “Hark! the Mavis”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

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 2026-10-25. 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

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