1781
winter: a dirge
the wintry west extends his blast,
and hail and rain does blaw;
or the stormy north sends driving forth
the blinding sleet and snaw:
while, tumbling brown, the burnes down,
and roars frae bank to brae;
and bird and beast in covert rest,
and pass the heartless day.
“the sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast,”
the joyless winter day
let others fear, to me more dear