Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Logan Water

Robert Burns

“Logan Water” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 60 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

While my dear lad maun face his faes,

Far, far frae me and Logan braes,—

Verse 2

O Logan, sweetly didst thou glide,

That day I was my Willie's bride;

And years sinsyne ha'e ower us run,

Like Logan to the summer sun:

But now thy flowery banks appear

Like drumlie winter, dark and drear,

While my dear lad maun face his faes,

Far, far frae me and Logan braes.

Again the merry month of May

Has made our hills and valleys gay;

The birds rejoice in leafy bowers,

The bees hum round the breathing flowers:

Blythe morning lifts his rosy eye,

And evening tears are tears of joy:

My soul, delightless, a' surveys,

While Willie's far frae Logan braes.

Within yon milk-white hawthorn bush,

Amang her nestlings sits the thrush;

Her faithfu' mate will share her toil,

Or wi' his sang her cares beguile:

But I, wi' my sweet nurslings here,

Nae mate to help, nae mate to cheer,

Pass widow'd nights and joyless days,

While Willie's far frae Logan braes.

O, wae upon you, men o' state,

That brethren rouse to deadly hate!

As ye make many a fond heart mourn,

Sae may it on your heads return!

How can your flinty hearts enjoy

The widows tears, the orphan's cry?

But soon may peace bring happy days,

And Willie hame to Logan braes!

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns (died 1796). 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, “Logan Water”

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). The credited author died in 1796.

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.
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