Robert Burns Poetry

Robert Burns Poem For The Sake O’ Somebody My heart is sair—I dare na tell, My heart is sair for Somebody; I could wake a winter night For the sake o’ Somebody. O-hon! for Somebody! O-hey! for Somebody! I could range the world around, For the sake o’ Somebody. Ye Powers that smile on virtuous […]

TO JOHN GOUDIE OF KILMARNOCK. ON THE PUBLICATION OF HIS ESSAYS This burning commentary, by Burns, on the Essays of Goudie in the Macgill controversy, was first published by Stewart, with the Jolly Beggars, in 1801; it is akin in life and spirit to Holy Willie’s Prayer; and may be cited as a sample of […]

A Vision Poem As I stood by yon roofless tower, Where the wa’flower scents the dewy air, Where the howlet mourns in her ivy bower, And tells the midnight moon her care. The winds were laid, the air was still, The stars they shot alang the sky; The fox was howling on the hill, And […]

Wandering Willie Revised Version Poem Robert Burns Here awa, there awa, wandering Willie, Here awa, there awa, haud awa hame; Come to my bosom, my ain only dearie, Tell me thou bring’st me my Willie the same. Winter winds blew loud and cauld at our parting, Fears for my Willie brought tears in my e’e, […]

Robert Burns – Lines On Fergusson, The Poet Poem Ill-fated genius! Heaven-taught Fergusson! What heart that feels and will not yield a tear, To think Life’s sun did set e’er well begun To shed its influence on thy bright career. O why should truest Worth and Genius pine Beneath the iron grasp of Want and […]

Ploughman’s Life, The Poetry As I was a-wand’ring ae morning in spring, I heard a young ploughman sae sweetly to sing; And as he was singin’, thir words he did say,— There’s nae life like the ploughman’s in the month o’ sweet May. The lav’rock in the morning she’ll rise frae her nest, And mount […]

On Capt. Lascelles Poem Robert Burns When Lascelles thought fit from this world to depart, Some friends warmly thought of embalming his heart; A bystander whispers— Pray don’t make so much o’t, The subject is poison, no reptile will touch it.

FIRST EPISTLE TO DAVIE, A BROTHER POET In the summer of 1781, Burns, while at work in the garden, repeated this Epistle to his brother Gilbert, who was much pleased with the performance, which he considered equal if not superior to some of Allan Ramsay’s Epistles, and said if it were printed he had no […]

The Cotter’s Saturday Night Poem Inscribed to R. Aiken, Esq., of Ayr. Let not Ambition mock their useful toil, Their homely joys, and destiny obscure; Nor Grandeur hear, with a disdainful smile, The short and simple annals of the Poor. Gray. My lov’d, my honour’d, much respected friend! No mercenary bard his homage pays; With […]

Go On, Sweet Bird, And Sooth My Care Robert Burns Poetry For thee is laughing Nature gay, For thee she pours the vernal day; For me in vain is Nature drest, While Joy’s a stranger to my breast.