Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

'Twas summer tide

Traditional

“'Twas summer tide” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 6 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

'Twas summer tide; the cushat sang

His am'rous roundelay;

And dews, like cluster'd diamonds, hang

On flower and leafy spray.

The coverlet of gloaming gray

On every thing was seen,

When lads and lasses took their way

To Polwarth on the green.

The spirit-moving dance went on,

And harmless revelry

Of young hearts all in unison,

Wi' love's soft witcherie;

Their hall the open-daisied lea,

While frae the welkin sheen,

The moon shone brightly on the glee

At Polwarth on the green.

Dark een and raven curls were there,

And cheeks of rosy hue,

And finer forms, without compare,

Than pencil ever drew;

But ane, wi' een of bonnie blue,

A' hearts confess'd the queen,

And pride of grace and beauty too,

At Polwarth on the green.

The miser hoards his golden store,

And kings dominion gain;

While others in the battle's roar

For honour's trifles strain.

Away, such pleasures! false and vain;

Far dearer mine have been,

Among the lowly rural train,

At Polwarth on the Green.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. 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, “'Twas summer tide”

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.
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