Explore "How Cruel are the Parents" by Robert Burns on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Altered from an old English song. / Tune-"John Anderson, my jo."
How cruel are the parents / Who riches only prize, / And to the wealthy booby / Poor Woman sacrifice! / Meanwhile, the hapless Daughter / Has but a choice of strife; / To shun a tyrant Father's hate- / Become a wretched Wife.
The ravening hawk pursuing, / The trembling dove thus flies, / To shun impelling ruin, / Awhile her pinions tries; / Till, of escape despairing, / No shelter or retreat, / She trusts the ruthless Falconer, / And drops beneath his feet.