CCXX.
Reading edition
O STEER HER UP.
Tune—“O steer her up, and haud her gaun.”
[Burns, in composing these verses, took the introductory lines of an older lyric, eked them out in his own way, and sent them to the Museum.]
I.
O steer her up and haud her gaun— Her mother’s at the mill, jo; And gin she winna take a man, E’en let her take her will, jo: First shore her wi’ a kindly kiss, And ca’ another gill, jo, And gin she take the thing amiss, E’en let her flyte her fill, jo.
II.
O steer her up, and be na blate, An’ gin she take it ill, jo, Then lea’e the lassie till her fate, And time nae longer spill, jo: Ne’er break your heart for ae rebute, But think upon it still, jo, That gin the lassie winna do’t, Ye’ll fin’ anither will, jo.