Poetry Corner Ae Fond Kiss

On 16th July 1439 kissing was banned in England to stop the spread of the Black Death. As the say history has a habit of repeating itself.

Rabbie Burns

Ae Fond Kiss

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.

Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful 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.
I’ll wage thee…
I’ll wage thee…
I’ll wage thee…

Robert Burns

 

1 reply »

  1. Which reminds me of this…..

    “Some thirty inches from my nose
    The frontier of my Person goes,
    And all the untilled air between
    Is private pagus or demesne.
    Stranger, unless with bedroom eyes
    I beckon you to fraternize,
    Beware of rudely crossing it:
    I have no gun, but I can spit.”

    by W.H.Auden

    Only, maybe increase it to seventy-two inches!

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