Ae Fond Kiss

 

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;                                

Ae fareweel, and then forever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee,          

Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.          

 

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,   

While the star of hope she leaves him:     

Me, nae cheerfu’ twinkle lights me;                            

Dark despair around benights me.      

 

I’ll ne’er blame my partial fancy:   

Naething could resist my Nancy:                           

But to see her, was to love her;      

Love but her, and love for ever. 

 

Had we never lov’d sae kindly,                                    

Had we never lov’d sae blindly!     

Never met — or never parted,        

We had ne’er been broken-hearted.      

 

Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!                         

Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!    

Thine be ilka  joy and treasure,                               

Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!    

 

Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!

Ae fareweel, Alas, for ever!

Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee,

Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee. 

 

 

Bibliographical info

Tune: Rory Dall’s Port

First printed in Johnson’s S.M.M., Vol. 4, 13th August 1792.

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