Robert Burns, often revered as the national poet of Scotland, holds a singular place in literary history. His work, rich in Scots dialect and universal human themes, continues to resonate with readers across the globe centuries after his death. Burns’s ability to capture the nuances of love, friendship, nature, and the human condition has cemented his legacy as one of the famous authors of poetry. Exploring his famous poems offers a direct connection to the spirit and wit of this remarkable poet.
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Illustration of Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland, known for his famous poems.
Let’s delve into some of Robert Burns’s most celebrated works, examining the messages and artistry that make them enduring classics.
Selkirk Grace
This short, simple verse is a popular prayer said before meals, particularly associated with Burns Night celebrations. Its conciseness and directness exemplify a humble gratitude for sustenance.
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.
This grace, though brief, encapsulates a core value of appreciation for what one has, contrasting it with the misfortune of others. Its widespread use highlights its cultural significance beyond just a poetic work.
Address to a Haggis
Perhaps the most theatrical of Burns’s poems, “Address to a Haggis” is a central ritual on Burns Night, recited with great pomp before the cutting of the haggis. It elevates a humble dish to heroic status.
Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.
The poem uses hyperbolic language and vivid imagery to praise the haggis, contrasting it favorably with elaborate foreign dishes (like French ragout) and linking it to the strength and vigor of the Scottish working man. Its humorous and celebratory tone captures a nationalistic pride. This blend of culinary praise and cultural commentary makes it one of the most engaging and even funny poems adults can enjoy and perform.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’ need,
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber mead.
His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an’ strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.
Is there that owere his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect scunner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll make it whissle;
An’ legs, an’ arms, an’ heads will sned,
Like taps o’ thrissle.
Ye Pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratfu’ prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!
Auld Lang Syne
Globally recognized and sung, particularly on New Year’s Eve, “Auld Lang Syne” is fundamentally about remembering old friends and times gone by. Its simple, heartfelt lyrics speak to universal feelings of nostalgia and connection.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
The phrase “auld lang syne” roughly translates to “for old times’ sake.” The song encourages reminiscing and cherishing past relationships, often sealed with a symbolic drink (“tak a cup o’ kindness”). It’s a powerful evocation of shared history and enduring bonds.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stoup!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
Chorus
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
Sin’ auld lang syne.
Chorus
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
Chorus
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie’s a hand o thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie-waught,
For auld lang syne.
A Red, Red Rose
One of Burns’s most beloved love poems, “A Red, Red Rose” uses simple, potent metaphors to express deep affection and lasting devotion.
O my luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my luve’s like the melodie
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.
The comparison of the beloved to a vibrant rose and a beautiful melody immediately establishes a sense of natural beauty and harmony. The poem’s power lies in its hyperbolic declarations of eternal love, promising devotion until impossible events occur (“Till a’ the seas gang dry”). The consistent use of rhyme and meter makes it a classic examples of rhyming poems that is easy to memorize and recite.
As fair art thou, my bonny lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun
O I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run:
And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel a while!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.
My Heart’s in the Highlands
This poem is a lyrical tribute to the Scottish Highlands, expressing a profound and unbreakable connection to the land, even when physically distant.
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 heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
The repetitive chorus emphasizes the central theme of longing and spiritual presence in the beloved homeland. The poem paints evocative images of the natural landscape – mountains, valleys, forests, and rivers – highlighting the beauty and freedom associated with the Highlands. It’s an ode to place and the deep emotional ties one can have to their roots.
Farewell to the mountains high-cover’d with snow;
Farewell to the straths and green vallies below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods;
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
O, Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast
Another of Burns’s expressions of devotion, this poem speaks of unwavering protection and finding paradise in the presence of the beloved, even in the harshest conditions.
O, wert thou in the cauld blast
On yonder lea, on yonder lea,
My plaidie to the angry airt,
I’d shelter thee, I’d shelter thee.
The speaker imagines his beloved exposed to cold winds and bitter storms, vowing to offer shelter and share every hardship. The imagery shifts to a desolate waste, which would become a “Paradise” simply by the beloved’s presence. This powerful assertion elevates the beloved’s importance above all else, even worldly power, declaring her the true queen of his metaphorical kingdom.
Or did Misfortune’s bitter storms
Around thee blaw, around thee blaw,
Thy bield should be my bosom,
To share it a’, to share it a’
Or were I in the wildest waste,
Saw black and bare, sae black and bare,
The desert were a Paradise,
If thou wert there, if thou wert there.
Or were I monarch o the globe,
Wi thee to reign, wi thee to reign,
The brightest jewel in my crown
Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.
John Anderson my Jo
This tender and moving poem is a dialogue or reflection on a long marriage, looking back on youthful love and forward to growing old together.
John Anderson my jo, John,
When we were first acquent;
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonny brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snow;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson my jo.
The poem contrasts the physical appearance of youth with that of old age, but does so with affection and acceptance. The focus shifts from external looks to shared experiences and the enduring partnership. The image of two people climbing the hill of life together and planning to “sleep thegither at the foot” (a euphemism for dying together) is deeply touching and speaks to the comfort and steadfastness of a lifelong bond.
John Anderson my jo, John,
We clamb the hill thegither;
And monty a canty day, John,
We’ve had wi’ ane anither:
Now we maun totter doun, John,
And hand in hand we’ll go,
And sleep thegither at the foot,
John Anderson my jo.
Robert Burns’s famous poems offer a window into the soul of Scotland and the universal human experience. From patriotic fervor and convivial celebration to the depths of love, friendship, and the passage of time, his work continues to speak to us with remarkable clarity and emotional power. Exploring these poems reveals not just a master of language, but a keen observer of life in all its facets.