Robert Burns: Ye Jacobites By Name:

Ye Jacobites By Name   1791 Type: Poem Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear, give an ear, Ye Jacobites by name, give an ear, Ye Jacobites by name, Your fautes I will proclaim, Your doctrines I maun blame, you shall hear. What is Right, and What is Wrang, by the law, by the law? […]

Robert Burns: Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation:

Such A Parcel Of Rogues In A Nation   1791 Type: Poem Fareweel to a’ our Scottish fame, Fareweel our ancient glory; Fareweel ev’n to the Scottish name, Sae fam’d in martial story. Now Sark rins over Solway sands, An’ Tweed rins to the ocean, To mark where England’s province stands- Such a parcel of […]

Robert Burns: Nithsdale’s Welcome Hame:

Nithsdale’s Welcome Hame   1791 Type: Poem The noble Maxwells and their powers Are coming o’er the border, And they’ll gae big Terreagles’ towers And set them a’ in order. And they declare Terreagles fair, For their abode they choose it; There’s no a heart in a’ the land But’s lighter at the news o’t. […]

Robert Burns: Sweet Afton :

Sweet Afton   1791 Type: Poem Flow gently, sweet Afton! amang thy green braes, Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise; My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream, Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream. Thou stockdove whose echo resounds thro’ the glen, Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den, […]

Robert Burns: My Bonie Bell:

My Bonie Bell   1791 Type: Poem The smiling Spring comes in rejoicing, And surly Winter grimly flies; Now crystal clear are the falling waters, And bonie blue are the sunny skies. Fresh o’er the mountains breaks forth the morning, The ev’ning gilds the ocean’s swell; All creatures joy in the sun’s returning, And I […]

Robert Burns: Thou Fair Eliza:

Thou Fair Eliza   1791 Type: Poem Turn again, thou fair Eliza! Ae kind blink before we part; Rue on thy despairing lover, Can’st thou break his faithfu’ heart? Turn again, thou fair Eliza! If to love thy heart denies, Oh, in pity hide the sentence Under friendship’s kind disguise! Thee, sweet maid, hae I […]

Robert Burns: O For Ane An’ Twenty, Tam :

O For Ane An’ Twenty, Tam   1791 Type: Poem Chorus.-An’ O for ane an’ twenty, Tam! And hey, sweet ane an’ twenty, Tam! I’ll learn my kin a rattlin’ sang, An’ I saw ane an’ twenty, Tam. They snool me sair, and haud me down, An’ gar me look like bluntie, Tam; But three […]

Robert Burns: Altho’ He Has Left Me:

Altho’ He Has Left Me   1791 Type: Poem Altho’ he has left me for greed o’ the siller, I dinna envy him the gains he can win; I rather wad bear a’ the lade o’ my sorrow, Than ever hae acted sae faithless to him. ————- Home Robert Burns Collection Fledermausi’s Poetry Page Poetry […]

Robert Burns: Johnie Lad, Cock Up Your Beaver:

Johnie Lad, Cock Up Your Beaver   1791 Type: Poem When first my brave Johnie lad came to this town, He had a blue bonnet that wanted the crown; But now he has gotten a hat and a feather, Hey, brave Johnie lad, cock up your beaver! Cock up your beaver, and cock it fu’ […]

Robert Burns: Damon And Sylvia: Fragment

Damon And Sylvia Fragment1791 Type: Song Tune: The Tither Morn. Yon wandering rill that marks the hill, And glances o’er the brae, Sir, Slides by a bower, where mony a flower Sheds fragrance on the day, Sir; There Damon lay, with Sylvia gay, To love they thought no crime, Sir, The wild birds sang, the […]

Robert Burns: You’re Welcome, Willie Stewart:

You’re Welcome, Willie Stewart   1791 Type: Poem Chorus.-You’re welcome, Willie Stewart, You’re welcome, Willie Stewart, There’s ne’er a flower that blooms in May, That’s half sae welcome’s thou art! Come, bumpers high, express your joy, The bowl we maun renew it, The tappet hen, gae bring her ben, To welcome Willie Stewart, You’re welcome, […]

Robert Burns: The Gallant Weaver:

The Gallant Weaver   1791 Type: Poem Where Cart rins rowin’ to the sea, By mony a flower and spreading tree, There lives a lad, the lad for me, He is a gallant Weaver. O, I had wooers aught or nine, They gied me rings and ribbons fine; And I was fear’d my heart wad […]

Robert Burns: Verses On The Destruction Of The Woods Near Drumlanrig:

Verses On The Destruction Of The Woods Near Drumlanrig   1791 Type: Poem Verses On The Destruction Of The Woods Near Drumlanrig As on the banks o’ wandering Nith, Ae smiling simmer morn I stray’d, And traced its bonie howes and haughs, Where linties sang and lammies play’d, I sat me down upon a craig, […]

Robert Burns: What Can A Young Lassie Do Wi’ An Auld Man:

What Can A Young Lassie Do Wi’ An Auld Man   1791 Type: Poem What can a young lassie, what shall a young lassie, What can a young lassie do wi’ an auld man? Bad luck on the penny that tempted my minnie To sell her puir Jenny for siller an’ lan’. Bad luck on […]

Robert Burns: The Bonie Wee Thing:

The Bonie Wee Thing   1791 Type: Poem Chorus.-Bonie wee thing, cannie wee thing, Lovely wee thing, wert thou mine, I wad wear thee in my bosom, Lest my jewel it should tine. Wishfully I look and languish In that bonie face o’ thine, And my heart it stounds wi’ anguish, Lest my wee thing […]

Robert Burns: Craigieburn Wood:

Craigieburn Wood   1791 Type: Poem Sweet closes the ev’ning on Craigieburn Wood, And blythely awaukens the morrow; But the pride o’ the spring in the Craigieburn Wood Can yield to me nothing but sorrow. Chorus.-Beyond thee, dearie, beyond thee, dearie, And O to be lying beyond thee! O sweetly, soundly, weel may he sleep […]

Robert Burns: Lament For James, Earl Of Glencairn:

Lament For James, Earl Of Glencairn   1791 Type: Lament The wind blew hollow frae the hills, By fits the sun’s departing beam Look’d on the fading yellow woods, That wav’d o’er Lugar’s winding stream: Beneath a craigy steep, a Bard, Laden with years and meikle pain, In loud lament bewail’d his lord, Whom Death […]

Robert Burns: Out Over The Forth:

Out Over The Forth   1791 Type: Song Out over the Forth, I look to the North; But what is the north and its Highlands to me? The south nor the east gie ease to my breast, The far foreign land, or the wide rolling sea. But I look to the west when I gae […]

Robert Burns: There’ll Never Be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame:

There’ll Never Be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame   1791 Type: Poem By yon Castle wa’, at the close of the day, I heard a man sing, tho’ his head it was grey: And as he was singing, the tears doon came, – There’ll never be peace till Jamie comes hame. The Church is in […]

Robert Burns: Lament Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, On The Approach Of Spring:

Lament Of Mary, Queen Of Scots, On The Approach Of Spring   1791 Type: Lament Now Nature hangs her mantle green On every blooming tree, And spreads her sheets o’ daisies white Out o’er the grassy lea; Now Phoebus cheers the crystal streams, And glads the azure skies; But nought can glad the weary wight […]

Robert Burns: Elegy On The Late Miss Burnet Of Monboddo :

Elegy On The Late Miss Burnet Of Monboddo   1790 Type: Elegy Tune: Life ne’er exulted in so rich a prize, As Burnet, lovely from her native skies; Nor envious death so triumph’d in a blow, As that which laid th’ accomplish’d Burnet low. Thy form and mind, sweet maid, can I forget? In richest […]

Robert Burns: Tam O’ Shanter: A Tale

Tam O’ Shanter A Tale1790 Type: Poem “Of Brownyis and of Bogillis full is this Buke.” Gawin Douglas. When chapman billies leave the street, And drouthy neibors, neibors, meet; As market days are wearing late, And folk begin to tak the gate, While we sit bousing at the nappy, An’ getting fou and unco happy, […]

Robert Burns: I Murder Hate:

I Murder Hate   1790 Type: Song I murder hate by flood or field, Tho’ glory’s name may screen us; In wars at home I’ll spend my blood- Life-giving wars of Venus. The deities that I adore Are social Peace and Plenty; I’m better pleas’d to make one more, Than be the death of twenty. […]

Robert Burns: Elegy On Willie Nicol’s Mare:

Elegy On Willie Nicol’s Mare   1790 Type: Elegy Peg Nicholson was a good bay mare, As ever trod on airn; But now she’s floating down the Nith, And past the mouth o’ Cairn. Peg Nicholson was a good bay mare, An’ rode thro’ thick and thin; But now she’s floating down the Nith, And […]

Robert Burns: Sketch -New Year’s Day [1790]: To Mrs. Dunlop.

Sketch -New Year’s Day [1790] To Mrs. Dunlop.1790 Type: Sketch This day, Time winds th’ exhausted chain; To run the twelvemonth’s length again: I see, the old bald-pated fellow, With ardent eyes, complexion sallow, Adjust the unimpair’d machine, To wheel the equal, dull routine. The absent lover, minor heir, In vain assail him with their […]

Robert Burns: Election Ballad For Westerha’:

Election Ballad For Westerha’   1789 Type: Song Tune: Up and waur them a’, Willie. The Laddies by the banks o’ Nith Wad trust his Grace wi a’, Jamie; But he’ll sair them, as he sair’d the King- Turn tail and rin awa’, Jamie. Chorus.-Up and waur them a’, Jamie, Up and waur them a’; […]

Robert Burns: Epistle To Dr. Blacklock: Ellisland, 21st Oct., 1789

Epistle To Dr. Blacklock Ellisland, 21st Oct., 17891789 Type: Epistle Wow, but your letter made me vauntie! And are ye hale, and weel and cantie? I ken’d it still, your wee bit jauntie Wad bring ye to: Lord send you aye as weel’s I want ye! And then ye’ll do. The ill-thief blaw the Heron […]

Robert Burns: My Heart’s In The Highlands:

My Heart’s In The Highlands   1789 Type: Song Tune: Failte na Miosg. Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North, The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth; Wherever I wander, wherever I rove, The hills of the Highlands for ever I love. Chorus.-My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here, My […]

Robert Burns: The Captive Ribband:

The Captive Ribband   1789 Type: Song Tune: Robaidh dona gorach. Dear Myra, the captive ribband’s mine, ‘Twas all my faithful love could gain; And would you ask me to resign The sole reward that crowns my pain? Go, bid the hero who has run Thro’ fields of death to gather fame, Go, bid him […]

Robert Burns: A Waukrife Minnie:

A Waukrife Minnie   1789 Type: Poem Whare are you gaun, my bonie lass, Whare are you gaun, my hinnie? She answered me right saucilie, “An errand for my minnie.” O whare live ye, my bonie lass, O whare live ye, my hinnie? “By yon burnside, gin ye maun ken, In a wee house wi’ […]

Robert Burns: Awa’ Whigs, Awa’:

Awa’ Whigs, Awa’   1789 Type: Poem Chorus.-Awa’ Whigs, awa’! Awa’ Whigs, awa’! Ye’re but a pack o’ traitor louns, Ye’ll do nae gude at a’. Our thrissles flourish’d fresh and fair, And bonie bloom’d our roses; But Whigs cam’ like a frost in June, An’ wither’d a’ our posies. Awa’ Whigs, &c. Our ancient […]

Robert Burns: The Braes O’ Killiecrankie:

The Braes O’ Killiecrankie   1789 Type: Poem Where hae ye been sae braw, lad? Whare hae ye been sae brankie, O? Whare hae ye been sae braw, lad? Cam ye by Killiecrankie, O? Chorus.-An ye had been whare I hae been, Ye wad na been sae cantie, O; An ye had seen what I […]

Robert Burns: The Battle Of Sherramuir:

The Battle Of Sherramuir   1789 Type: Song Tune: The Cameronian Rant. “O cam ye here the fight to shun, Or herd the sheep wi’ me, man? Or were ye at the Sherra-moor, Or did the battle see, man?” I saw the battle, sair and teugh, And reekin-red ran mony a sheugh; My heart, for […]

Robert Burns: Highland Harry Back Again:

Highland Harry Back Again   1789 Type: Poem My Harry was a gallant gay, Fu’ stately strade he on the plain; But now he’s banish’d far away, I’ll never see him back again. Chorus.-O for him back again! O for him back again! I wad gie a’ Knockhaspie’s land For Highland Harry back again. When […]

Robert Burns: I Gaed A Waefu’ Gate Yestreen:

I Gaed A Waefu’ Gate Yestreen   1789 Type: Poem I gaed a waefu’ gate yestreen, A gate, I fear, I’ll dearly rue; I gat my death frae twa sweet een, Twa lovely een o’bonie blue. ‘Twas not her golden ringlets bright, Her lips like roses wat wi’ dew, Her heaving bosom, lily-white- It was […]