Robert Burns: Epitaph For Mr. W. Cruikshank:

Epitaph For Mr. W. Cruikshank   1787 Type: Epitaph Honest Will to Heaven’s away And mony shall lament him; His fau’ts they a’ in Latin lay, In English nane e’er kent them. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author and category Parallel translations, the parallel […]

Robert Burns: A Rose-Bud By My Early Walk:

A Rose-Bud By My Early Walk   1787 Type: Poem A Rose-bud by my early walk, Adown a corn-enclosed bawk, Sae gently bent its thorny stalk, All on a dewy morning. Ere twice the shades o’ dawn are fled, In a’ its crimson glory spread, And drooping rich the dewy head, It scents the early […]

Robert Burns: Blythe Was She:

Blythe Was She   1787 Type: Song Tune: Andro and his Cutty Gun. Chorus.-Blythe, blythe and merry was she, Blythe was she but and ben; Blythe by the banks of Earn, And blythe in Glenturit glen. By Oughtertyre grows the aik, On Yarrow banks the birken shaw; But Phemie was a bonier lass Than braes […]

Robert Burns: The Bonie Lass Of Albany:

The Bonie Lass Of Albany   1787 Type: Song Tune: Mary’s Dream. My heart is wae, and unco wae, To think upon the raging sea, That roars between her gardens green An’ the bonie Lass of Albany. This lovely maid’s of royal blood That ruled Albion’s kingdoms three, But oh, alas! for her bonie face, […]

Robert Burns: Theniel Menzies’ Bonie Mary:

Theniel Menzies’ Bonie Mary   1787 Type: Song Tune: The Ruffian’s Rant,” or “Roy’s Wife. In comin by the brig o’ Dye, At Darlet we a blink did tarry; As day was dawnin in the sky, We drank a health to bonie Mary. Chorus.-Theniel Menzies’ bonie Mary, Theniel Menzies’ bonie Mary, Charlie Grigor tint his […]

Robert Burns: Lady Onlie, Honest Lucky:

Lady Onlie, Honest Lucky   1787 Type: Song Tune: The Ruffian’s Rant. A’ The lads o’ Thorniebank, When they gae to the shore o’ Bucky, They’ll step in an’ tak a pint Wi’ Lady Onlie, honest Lucky. Chorus.-Lady Onlie, honest Lucky, Brews gude ale at shore o’ Bucky; I wish her sale for her gude […]

Robert Burns: Castle Gordon:

Castle Gordon   1787 Type: Poem Streams that glide in orient plains, Never bound by Winter’s chains; Glowing here on golden sands, There immix’d with foulest stains From Tyranny’s empurpled hands; These, their richly gleaming waves, I leave to tyrants and their slaves; Give me the stream that sweetly laves The banks by Castle Gordon. […]

Robert Burns: Strathallan’s Lament:

Strathallan’s Lament   1787 Type: Poem Thickest night, o’erhang my dwelling! Howling tempests, o’er me rave! Turbid torrents, wintry swelling, Roaring by my lonely cave! Crystal streamlets gently flowing, Busy haunts of base mankind, Western breezes softly blowing, Suit not my distracted mind. In the cause of Right engaged, Wrongs injurious to redress, Honour’s war […]

Robert Burns: Epigram On Parting With A Kind Host In The Highlands:

Epigram On Parting With A Kind Host In The Highlands   1787 Type: Epigram When Death’s dark stream I ferry o’er, A time that surely shall come, In Heav’n itself I’ll ask no more, Than just a Highland welcome. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by […]

Robert Burns: The Humble Petition Of Bruar Water: To the noble Duke of Athole.

The Humble Petition Of Bruar Water To the noble Duke of Athole.1787 Type: Poem My lord, I know your noble ear Woe ne’er assails in vain; Embolden’d thus, I beg you’ll hear Your humble slave complain, How saucy Phoebus’ scorching beams, In flaming summer-pride, Dry-withering, waste my foamy streams, And drink my crystal tide. The […]

Robert Burns: The Birks Of Aberfeldy:

The Birks Of Aberfeldy   1787 Type: Song Tune: The Birks of Abergeldie. Chorus.-Bonie lassie, will ye go, Will ye go, will ye go, Bonie lassie, will ye go To the birks of Aberfeldy! Now Simmer blinks on flowery braes, And o’er the crystal streamlets plays; Come let us spend the lightsome days, In the […]

Robert Burns: The Libeller’s Self-Reproof:

The Libeller’s Self-Reproof   1787 Type: Poem Rash mortal, and slanderous poet, thy name Shall no longer appear in the records of Fame; Dost not know that old Mansfield, who writes like the Bible, Says, the more ’tis a truth, sir, the more ’tis a libel! ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry […]

Robert Burns: The Poet’s Reply To The Threat Of A Censorious Critic: My imprudent lines were answered, very petulantly, by somebody, I believe, a Rev. Mr. Hamilton. In a MS., where I met the answer, I wrote below:-

The Poet’s Reply To The Threat Of A Censorious Critic My imprudent lines were answered, very petulantly, by somebody, I believe, a Rev. Mr. Hamilton. In a MS., where I met the answer, I wrote below:-1787 Type: Reply With Esop’s lion, Burns says: Sore I feel Each other’s scorn, but damn that ass’ heel! ————- […]

Robert Burns: To Miss Ferrier: Enclosing the Elegy on Sir J. H. Blair.

To Miss Ferrier Enclosing the Elegy on Sir J. H. Blair.1787 Type: Poem Nae heathen name shall I prefix, Frae Pindus or Parnassus; Auld Reekie dings them a’ to sticks, For rhyme-inspiring lasses. Jove’s tunefu’ dochters three times three Made Homer deep their debtor; But, gien the body half an e’e, Nine Ferriers wad done […]

Robert Burns: Impromptu On Carron Iron Works:

Impromptu On Carron Iron Works   1787 Type: Impromptu We cam na here to view your warks, In hopes to be mair wise, But only, lest we gang to hell, It may be nae surprise: But when we tirl’d at your door Your porter dought na hear us; Sae may, shou’d we to Hell’s yetts […]

Robert Burns: Elegy On The Death Of Sir James Hunter Blair:

Elegy On The Death Of Sir James Hunter Blair   1787 Type: Elegy The lamp of day, with-ill presaging glare, Dim, cloudy, sank beneath the western wave; Th’ inconstant blast howl’d thro’ the dark’ning air, And hollow whistled in the rocky cave. Lone as I wander’d by each cliff and dell, Once the lov’d haunts […]

Robert Burns: Epigram To Miss Jean Scott:

Epigram To Miss Jean Scott   1787 Type: Epigram O had each Scot of ancient times Been, Jeanie Scott, as thou art; The bravest heart on English ground Had yielded like a coward. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author and category Parallel translations, the […]

Robert Burns: The Bard At Inverary:

The Bard At Inverary   1787 Type: Poem Whoe’er he be that sojourns here, I pity much his case, Unless he comes to wait upon The Lord their God, His Grace. There’s naething here but Highland pride, And Highland scab and hunger: If Providence has sent me here, ‘Twas surely in his anger. ————- Home […]

Robert Burns: Elegy On “Stella”: The following poem is the work of some hapless son of the Muses who deserved a better fate. There is a great deal of “The voice of Cona” in his solitary, mournful notes; and had the sentiments been clothed in Shenstone’s language, they would have been no discredit even to that elegant poet.-R.B.

Elegy On “Stella” The following poem is the work of some hapless son of the Muses who deserved a better fate. There is a great deal of “The voice of Cona” in his solitary, mournful notes; and had the sentiments been clothed in Shenstone’s language, they would have been no discredit even to that elegant […]

Robert Burns: Burlesque Lament For The Absence Of William Creech, Publisher:

Burlesque Lament For The Absence Of William Creech, Publisher   1787 Type: Lament Auld chuckie Reekie’s sair distrest, Down droops her ance weel burnish’d crest, Nae joy her bonie buskit nest Can yield ava, Her darling bird that she lo’es best- Willie’s awa! O Willie was a witty wight, And had o’ things an unco’ […]

Robert Burns: Hey, Ca’ Thro’ – Boat song:

Hey, Ca’ Thro’ – Boat song   1787 Type: song Up wi’ the carls o’ Dysart, And the lads o’ Buckhaven, And the kimmers o’ Largo, And the lasses o’ Leven. Chorus.-Hey, ca’ thro’, ca’ thro’, For we hae muckle ado. Hey, ca’ thro’, ca’ thro’, For we hae muckle ado; We hae tales to […]

Robert Burns: Epitaph For Mr. William Michie: Schoolmaster of Cleish Parish, Fifeshire.

Epitaph For Mr. William Michie Schoolmaster of Cleish Parish, Fifeshire.1787 Type: Epitaph Here lie Willie Michie’s banes; O Satan, when ye tak him, Gie him the schulin o’ your weans, For clever deils he’ll mak them! ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author and category […]

Robert Burns: Epitaph For William Nicol, Of The High School, Edinburgh:

Epitaph For William Nicol, Of The High School, Edinburgh   1787 Type: Epitaph Ye maggots, feed on Nicol’s brain, For few sic feasts you’ve gotten; And fix your claws in Nicol’s heart, For deil a bit o’t’s rotten. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author […]

Robert Burns: Lines Written Under The Picture Of The Celebrated Miss Burns:

Lines Written Under The Picture Of The Celebrated Miss Burns   1787 Type: Poem Cease, ye prudes, your envious railing, Lovely Burns has charms-confess: True it is, she had one failing, Had a woman ever less? ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author and category […]

Robert Burns: A Bottle And Friend:

A Bottle And Friend   1787 Type: song There’s nane that’s blest of human kind, But the cheerful and the gay, man, Fal, la, la, &c. Here’s a bottle and an honest friend! What wad ye wish for mair, man? Wha kens, before his life may end, What his share may be o’ care, man? […]

Robert Burns: On Elphinstone’s Translation Of Martial’s Epigrams:

On Elphinstone’s Translation Of Martial’s Epigrams   1787 Type: Epigram O Thou whom Poetry abhors, Whom Prose has turned out of doors, Heard’st thou yon groan?-proceed no further, ‘Twas laurel’d Martial calling murther. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author and category Parallel translations, the […]

Robert Burns: The Book-Worms:

The Book-Worms   1787 Type: Poem Through and through th’ inspir’d leaves, Ye maggots, make your windings; But O respect his lordship’s taste, And spare his golden bindings. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry from Scotland  Poetry by subject Poems by author and category Parallel translations, the parallel world of translating poetry  […]

Robert Burns: Epigram Addressed To An Artist:

Epigram Addressed To An Artist   1787 Type: Epigram Dear _____, I’ll gie ye some advice, You’ll tak it no uncivil: You shouldna paint at angels mair, But try and paint the devil. To paint an Angel’s kittle wark, Wi’ Nick, there’s little danger: You’ll easy draw a lang-kent face, But no sae weel a […]

Robert Burns: Epigram At Roslin Inn:

Epigram At Roslin Inn   1787 Type: Epigram My blessings on ye, honest wife! I ne’er was here before; Ye’ve wealth o’ gear for spoon and knife- Heart could not wish for more. Heav’n keep you clear o’ sturt and strife, Till far ayont fourscore, And while I toddle on thro’ life, I’ll ne’er gae […]

Robert Burns: My Lord A-Hunting:

My Lord A-Hunting   1787 Type: song Chorus.-My lady’s gown, there’s gairs upon’t, And gowden flowers sae rare upon’t; But Jenny’s jimps and jirkinet, My lord thinks meikle mair upon’t. My lord a-hunting he is gone, But hounds or hawks wi’ him are nane; By Colin’s cottage lies his game, If Colin’s Jenny be at […]

Robert Burns: The Bonie Moor-Hen:

The Bonie Moor-Hen   1787 Type: Poem The heather was blooming, the meadows were mawn, Our lads gaed a-hunting ae day at the dawn, O’er moors and o’er mosses and mony a glen, At length they discover’d a bonie moor-hen. Chorus.-I rede you, beware at the hunting, young men, I rede you, beware at the […]

Robert Burns: Verses Intended To Be Written Below A Noble Earl’s Picture:

Verses Intended To Be Written Below A Noble Earl’s Picture   1787 Type: Poem Whose is that noble, dauntless brow? And whose that eye of fire? And whose that generous princely mien, E’en rooted foes admire? Stranger! to justly show that brow, And mark that eye of fire, Would take His hand, whose vernal tints […]