I tell a tale o' burnin' love, <br />A love they seldom tine <br />Wha ance ha'e nursed it in their hearts: <br />It's no a love divine; <br />It's no a tale o' human love, <br />Whaur ane may lo'e anither; <br />It's no a mither's for a bairn, <br />A sister's for her brither: <br /> <br /> <br />Nae love of science or of art, <br />Or nature's bonny face; <br />It's no a love o' warl's gear, <br />Nor a love o' power an' place; <br />It's no a love o' ocht that's gude, <br />Or ocht that's fine or fair; <br />It's no a love o' priest or kirk- <br />It's unco seldom there. <br /> <br /> <br />This burnin' love dries up the sap <br />Of mony a plant and flower <br />Of human growth; the levin fires <br />Ha'e nae sic deadly power. <br />It drains the life-bluid frae the heart <br />O' mony a wretched wife, <br />An' robs the waefu' parent's mind <br />O' ilka joy in life. <br /> <br /> <br />It strips the bairnie o' its duds <br />And robs it o' its bread, <br />And taks, though it shoud dee wi' cauld, <br />The blanket aff the bed; <br />'It sets the mouth against the heavens' <br />Wi' cursin' and blasphemin', <br />Sic mixture o' the fiend and brute <br />There's little hope o' tamin'. <br /> <br /> <br />Nae thocht for body or for saul, <br />Nae care for name or fame- <br />This burnin' love consumes them a', <br />And glories in its shame. <br />O! frae this base and burnin' love <br />Let man and woman shrink: <br />This deadly and degrading thing- <br />The burnin' love o' drink. <br /> <br /> <br />The burnin' love o' burnin' drink <br />Sune burnin' ruin brings, <br />An' burnin' plagues on every han' <br />Aroun' the lan' it flings. <br />O! ye wha thole this burnin' love, <br />I rede ye o' the fate <br />That bides ye: tear it frae your heart <br />Wi' bitter, burnin' hate.<br /><br />Janet Hamilton<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/burnin-drink/
