Poet
Robert Burns
Scottish poet · 1759–1796
A Red, Red RoseAuld Lang SyneTo a Mouse
Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, was a farmer's son who wrote in Scots dialect about love, whisky, mice, and freedom — and made the world sing along. "Auld Lang Syne," sung every New Year's Eve, is his.
"A Red, Red Rose" may be the most direct love poem ever written: four short stanzas of total devotion, promising love "till a' the seas gang dry." Bob Dylan once named it as the lyric that influenced him most.
83 poems by Robert Burns
Full text, free to read — all in the public domain.
A Red, Red Rose
Robert Burns · 1794
O my Luve is like a red, red roseThat's newly sprung in June;O my Luve is like the melody
16 lines · ballad
Auld Lang Syne (Wikisource)
Robert Burns · 1788
Should old acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind ?Should old acquaintance be forgot,
25 lines · ballad
- A Red, Red RoseO my Luve is like a red, red rose…16 lines
- A Mother’s Lament for her Son’s DeathFATE gave the word, the arrow sped,…16 lines
- A Prayer in the Prospect of DeathO THOU unknown, Almighty Cause…20 lines
- A Prayer under the Pressure of Violent AnguishO THOU Great Being! what Thou art,…16 lines
- A Rose-bud by my Early WalkA ROSE-BUD by my early walk,…24 lines
- A Tippling Ballad—When Princes and Prelates, etcWHEN Princes and Prelates,…21 lines
- A Winter NightWHEN biting Boreas, fell and dour,…96 lines
- Adam Armour’s PrayerGUDE pity me, because I’m little!…42 lines
- Ah, woe is me, my Mother dearAH, woe is me, my mother dear!…12 lines
- Ballad on Mr. Heron’s Election—No. 1WHOM will you send to London town,…48 lines
- Ballad on Mr. Heron’s Election—No. 3’TWAS in the seventeen hunder year…68 lines
- Ballad on Mr. Heron’s Election—No. 4WHA will buy my troggin, fine election ware,…37 lines
- Ballad on the American WarWHEN Guilford good our pilot stood…72 lines
- Birthday Ode for 31st December, 1787AFAR 1 the illustrious Exile roams,…60 lines
- Bonie Jean: A BalladTHERE was a lass, and she was fair,…48 lines
- Braw Lads o’ Gala WaterBRAW, braw lads on Yarrow-braes,…16 lines
- Caledonia: A BalladTHERE was once a day, but old Time wasythen young,…48 lines
- Composed in SpringAGAIN rejoicing Nature sees…38 lines
- Election Ballad for Westerha’THE LADDIES by the banks o’ Nith…23 lines
- Elegy on the Death of Sir James Hunter BlairTHE LAMP of day, with-ill presaging glare,…47 lines
- Epigram on a SuicideEARTH’D up, here lies an imp o’ hell,…4 lines
- Epigram on Francis Grose the AntiquaryTHE DEVIL got notice that Grose was a-dying…6 lines
- Epistle to Mrs. Scott of Wauchope HouseGUDEWIFE,I MIND it weel in early date,…70 lines
- Epitaph for Mr. William Michie, SchoolmasterHERE lie Willie Michie’s banes;…4 lines
- Epitaph for William Nicol, High School, EdinburghYE maggots, feed on Nicol’s brain,…4 lines
- Epitaph on a Lap-dogIN wood and wild, ye warbling throng,…8 lines
- Epitaph on my Ever Honoured FatherO YE whose cheek the tear of pity stains,…9 lines
- Farewell thou stream that winding flowsFAREWELL, thou stream that winding flows…24 lines
- Farewell to BallochmyleTHE CATRINE woods were yellow seen,…16 lines
- Farewell to ElizaFROM thee, Eliza, I must go,…16 lines
- Farewell to the Banks of AyrTHE GLOOMY night is gath’ring fast,…32 lines
- Farewell to the HighlandsFAREWELL to the Highlands, farewell to the North,…13 lines
- Gudewife, count the lawinGANE is the day, and mirk’s the night,…18 lines
- Here’s his Health in WaterALTHO’ my back be at the wa’,…12 lines
- I Gaed a Waefu’ Gate YestreenI GAED a waefu’ gate yestreen,…16 lines
- I hae a Wife o’ my AinI HAE a wife of my ain,…16 lines
- I Murder hateI MURDER hate by flood or field,…16 lines
- Impromptu on Mrs. Riddell’s BirthdayOLD Winter, with his frosty beard,…16 lines
- Inscription to Chloris’TIS Friendship’s pledge, my young, fair Friend,…24 lines
- John Barleycorn: A BalladTHERE was three kings into the east,…60 lines
- Lines to an Old SweetheartONCE fondly lov’d, and still remember’d dear,…8 lines
- Lord Gregory: A BalladO MIRK, mirk is this midnight hour,…24 lines
- Love in the Guise of FriendshipYOUR friendship much can make me blest,…8 lines
- M’Pherson’s FarewellFAREWELL, ye dungeons dark and strong,…28 lines
- My Father was a Farmer: A BalladMY father was a farmer upon the Carrick border, O,…36 lines
- My Wife’s a winsome wee thingChorus.—She is a winsome wee thing,…14 lines
- Nature’s Law: A PoemLET other heroes boast their scars,…48 lines
- Now Spring has clad the grove in greenNOW spring has clad the grove in green,…40 lines
- O aye my wife she dang meChorus—O aye my wife she dang me,…14 lines
- Ode for General Washington’s BirthdayNO Spartan tube, no Attic shell,…62 lines
- Ode, Sacred to the Memory of Mrs. Oswald of AuchencruiveDWELLER in yon dungeon dark,…31 lines
- On a Bank of FlowersON a bank of flowers, in a summer day,…36 lines
- On Scaring some Water-Fowl in Lock TuritWHY, ye tenants of the lake,…40 lines
- On the Birth of a Posthumous ChildSWEET flow’ret, pledge o’ meikle love,…24 lines
- On the late Captain Grose’s PeregrinationsHEAR, Land o’ Cakes, and brither Scots,…60 lines
- Prayer—O Thou Dread PowerO THOU dread Power, who reign’st above,…24 lines
- Sic a Wife as Willie hadWILLIE WASTLE dwalt on Tweed,…32 lines
- Sonnet on the Author’s BirthdaySING on, sweet thrush, upon the leafless bough,…14 lines
- Sylvander to ClarindaWHEN dear Clarinda, 1 matchless fair,…41 lines
- Tam GlenMY heart is a-breaking, dear Tittie,…32 lines
- The Charms of Lovely DaviesO HOW shall I, unskilfu’, try…32 lines
- The Dean of Faculty: A new BalladDIRE was the hate at old Harlaw,…40 lines
- The Deuks dang o’er my DaddieTHE BAIRNS gat out wi’ an unco shout,…16 lines
- The FarewellFAREWELL, old Scotia’s bleak domains,…28 lines
- The Farewell to the Brethren of St. James’s Lodge, TarboltonADIEU! a heart-warm fond adieu;…32 lines
- The Flowery banks of CreeHERE is the glen, and here the bower…16 lines
- The Henpecked HusbandChorus.—Robin shure in hairst,…19 lines
- The Rantin Dog, the Daddie o’tO WHA my babie-clouts will buy?…16 lines
- The Rights of Women—Spoken by Miss FontenelleWHILE Europe’s eye is fix’d on mighty things,…38 lines
- The Rigs o’ BarleyIT was upon a Lammas night,…39 lines
- The Soldier’s Return: A BalladWHEN wild war’s deadly blast was blawn,…64 lines
- The Song of DeathFAREWELL, thou fair day, thou green earth, and ye skies,…16 lines
- The Whistle: A BalladI SING of a Whistle, a Whistle of worth,…72 lines
- The Winter it is PastTHE WINTER it is past, and the summer comes at last…8 lines
- The Winter of LifeBUT lately seen in gladsome green,…16 lines
- There’ll never be Peace till Jamie comes hameBY yon Castle wa’, at the close of the day,…16 lines
- Thine am I, my faithful FairTHINE am I, my faithful Fair,…16 lines
- To Mary in HeavenTHOU ling’ring star, with lessening ray,…32 lines
- Verses on Captain GroseKEN ye aught o’ Captain Grose?—Igo, and ago,…16 lines
- Winter: A DirgeTHE WINTRY west extends his blast,…24 lines
- Ye Jacobites by NameYE Jacobites by name, give an ear, give an ear,…20 lines
- Auld Lang Syne (Wikisource)Should old acquaintance be forgot,…25 lines
- To a MouseWee, sleekit, cow'rin', tim'rous beastie,…48 lines