My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose (1794)
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.
As fair art thou, my bonie 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;
And 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,
Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!
A Man’s a Man For A’ That (1795)
Is there for honest Poverty
That hings his head, an’ a’ that;
The coward slave – we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that.
Our toils obscure an’ a’ that,
The rank is but the guinea’s stamp,
The Man’s the gowd for a’ that.
What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, an’ a that;
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man’s a Man for a’ that:
For a’ that, and a’ that,
Their tinsel show, an’ a’ that;
The honest man, tho’ e’er sae poor,
Is king o’ men for a’ that.
Ye see yon birkie, ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that:
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
The man o’ independent mind
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that;
But an honest man’s abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities an’ a’ that;
The pith o’ sense, an’ pride o’ worth,
Are higher rank than a’ that.
Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a’ that,)
That Sense and Worth, o’er a’ the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an’ a’ that.
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
It’s coming yet for a’ that,
That Man to Man, the world o’er,
Shall brothers be for a’ that.
Rabbie Burns (1759-1796)
Song Of The Day – The Men They Couldn’t Hang – Hell Or England
Original Comments:
A visitor made this comment,
I enjoy reading “My Luve Is Like A Red Red Rose”… thanks for reminding me about it 🙂
FallenAngel [fallenangelsj@hotmail.com][Redbaron responds – It is something of a classic, so emotive a verse really is the true mark of romance.]
comment added :: 25th January 2005, 15:50 GMT+01
moog made this comment,
aw, i remember ‘A Man’s a Man For A’ That’, wow, its been a long time since i read that!! 🙂
comment added :: 25th January 2005, 22:20 GMT+01
Pimme made this comment,
In a poetry mood, are we? ;^)
Visit me @ http://pimme.blog-city.comcomment added :: 25th January 2005, 22:32 GMT+01
Mark Ellott made this comment,
And what about that oft misquoted gem:
The best laid scemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft a-gley?
Visit me @ http://longrider.blog-city.comcomment added :: 26th January 2005, 09:29 GMT+01
Rina made this comment,
I’m left breathless by “My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose” and whoever you were thinking about as you chose that is a lucky lass.
Visit me @ http://sugarbowl.blog-city.com[Redbaron responds – No-one implicitely in mind for this one but it is a breathtaking song and reminds one what it was like to be really in love.]
comment added :: 26th January 2005, 09:36 GMT+01
A visitor made this comment,
love both the poems, especially the first one.
sarahcomment added :: 26th January 2005, 13:49 GMT+01
RED BARON'S WORDS 