Section: «Poems»

Verse (ancient Greek ὁ στίχος — row, structure), a term in versification used in several meanings: artistic speech organized by division into rhythmically commensurate segments; poetry in the narrow sense; in particular, it implies the properties of versification of a particular tradition ("antique verse", "Akhmatova's verse", etc.); a line of poetic text organized according to a certain rhythmic pattern ("My uncle of the most honest rules").

Reply To An Announcement By J. Rankine

I AM a keeper of the lawIn some sma' points, altho' not a';Some people tell me gin I fa',Ae way or ither,The breaking of ae point, tho' sma',Breaks..

© Robert Burns

The Bonie Lass Of Albany

MY 1 heart is wae, and unco wae,To think upon the raging sea,That roars between her gardens greenAn' the bonie Lass of Albany.This lovely maid's of..

© Robert Burns

Lines To Mr. John Kennedy

FAREWELL, dear friend! may guid luck hit you,And 'mang her favourites admit you:If e'er Detraction shore to smit you,May nane believe him,And ony..

© Robert Burns

Song—i Hae Been At Crookieden

I HAE been at Crookieden,My bonie laddie, Highland laddie,Viewing Willie and his men,My bonie laddie, Highland laddie.There our foes that burnt and..

© Robert Burns

Pegasus At Wanlockhead

WITH Pegasus upon a day,Apollo, weary flying,Through frosty hills the journey lay,On foot the way was plying.Poor slipshod giddy PegasusWas but a..

© Robert Burns

The Dean Of Faculty: A New Ballad

DIRE was the hate at old Harlaw,That Scot to Scot did carry;And dire the discord Langside sawFor beauteous, hapless Mary:But Scot to Scot ne'er met..

© Robert Burns

The Kirk Of Scotland's Alarm: A Ballad

ORTHODOX! orthodox, who believe in John Knox,Let me sound an alarm to your conscience:A heretic blast has been blown in the West,That what is no..

© Robert Burns

Epigram On Miss Davies

ASK why God made the gem so small?And why so huge the granite?—Because God meant mankind should setThat higher value on it.

© Robert Burns

The Jolly Beggars: A Cantata

RecitativoWHEN lyart leaves bestrow the yird,Or wavering like the bauckie-bird,Bedim cauld Boreas' blast;When hailstanes drive wi' bitter skyte,And..

© Robert Burns

On Tam The Chapman

AS Tam the chapman on a day,Wi'Death forgather'd by the way,Weel pleas'd, he greets a wight so famous,And Death was nae less pleas'd wi' Thomas,Wha..

© Robert Burns

Tam Samson's Elegy

HAS auld Kilmarnock seen the deil?Or great Mackinlay 1 thrawn his heel?Or Robertson 2 again grown weel,To preach an' read?"Na' waur than a'! cries..

© Robert Burns

To The Beautiful Miss Eliza J——n, On Her Principles Of Liberty And Eqality

HOW, Liberty! girl, can it be by thee nam'd?Equality too! hussey, art not asham'd?Free and Equal indeed, while mankind thou enchainest,And over their..

© Robert Burns

Masonic Song—ye Sons Of Old Killie

YE sons of old Killie, assembled by Willie,To follow the noble vocation;Your thrifty old mother has scarce such anotherTo sit in that honoured..

© Robert Burns

Remorse: A Fragment

OF all the numerous ills that hurt our peace,That press the soul, or wring the mind with anguishBeyond comparison the worst are thoseBy our own..

© Robert Burns

The Brigs Of Ayr

THE SIMPLE Bard, rough at the rustic plough,Learning his tuneful trade from ev'ry bough;The chanting linnet, or the mellow thrush,Hailing the setting..

© Robert Burns

Verses On Captain Grose

KEN ye aught o' Captain Grose?—Igo, and ago,If he's amang his friends or foes?—Iram, coram, dago.Is he to Abra'm's bosom gane?—Igo, and ago,Or haudin..

© Robert Burns

Ballad On Mr. Heron's Election—no. 4

WHA will buy my troggin, fine election ware,Broken trade o' Broughton, a' in high repair?Chorus.—Buy braw troggin frae the banks o' Dee;Wha wants..

© Robert Burns

Poem On Sensibility

SENSIBILITY, how charming,Dearest Nancy, thou canst tell;But distress, with horrors arming,Thou alas! hast known too well!Fairest flower, behold the..

© Robert Burns

Epigram—the True Loyal Natives

YE true "Loyal Natives" attend to my songIn uproar and riot rejoice the night long;From Envy and Hatred your corps is exempt,But where is your shield..

© Robert Burns

Address To Wm. Tytler, Esq., Of Woodhouselee

REVERED defender of beauteous Stuart,Of Stuart, a name once respected;A name, which to love was the mark of a true heart,But now 'tis despis'd and..

© Robert Burns

Epitaph On The Same

HERE lies, now a prey to insulting neglect,What once was a butterfly, gay in life's beam:Want only of wisdom denied her respect,Want only of goodness..

© Robert Burns

Suppressed Stanzas Of &Quot;The Vision&Quot

WITH secret throes I marked that earth,That cottage, witness of my birth;And near I saw, bold issuing forthIn youthful pride,A Lindsay race of noble..

© Robert Burns

Epistle To Hugh Parker

IN this strange land, this uncouth clime,A land unknown to prose or rhyme;Where words ne'er cross't the Muse's heckles,Nor limpit in poetic..

© Robert Burns

Epigram—the Toad-Eater

OF Lordly acquaintance you boast,And the Dukes that you dined wi' yestreen,Yet an insect's an insect at most,Tho' it crawl on the curl of a Queen!

© Robert Burns

Epigram To Miss Ainslie In Church

FAIR maid, you need not take the hint,Nor idle texts pursue:'Twas guilty sinners that he meant,Not Angels such as you.

© Robert Burns