Naebody.

Tune - "Naebody."


I.

    I hae a wife o' my ain,
        I'll partake wi' naebody;
    I'll tak cuckold frae nane,
        I'll gie cuckold to naebody.
    I hae a penny to spend,
        There, thanks to naebody;
    I hae naething to lend,
        I'll borrow frae naebody.

II.

    I am naebody's lord,
        I'll be slave to naebody;
    I hae a guid braid sword,
        I'll tak dunts frae naebody.
    I'll be merry and free,
        I'll be sad for naebody;
    Naebody cares for me,
        I'll care for naebody.

Robert Burns

Robert Burns, also known as Rabbie Burns, the Bard of Ayrshire, and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. Born on January 25, 1759, in Alloway, he is best known for works such as 'Auld Lang Syne,' 'Scots Wha Hae,' and 'A Red, Red Rose.' He passed away on July 21, 1796, in Dumfries.

Robert Burns

Bess And Her Spinning-Wheel.

Robert Burns, Simple Poetry

Address To The Toothache.

Robert Burns, Simple Poetry

Stanzas - On The Same Occasion.

Robert Burns, Simple Poetry

The Day Returns.

Robert Burns, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

Nannie.

Tune - "My Nannie, O."


I.

    Behind yon hills, where Lugar flows,
        'Mang moors an' mosses many, O,
    The wintry sun the day has closed,
        And I'll awa to Nannie, O.

II.

    The westlin wind blaws loud an' shrill;
        The night's baith mirk and rainy, O;
    But I'll get my plaid, an' out I'll steal,
        An' owre the hills to Nannie, O.

III.

    My Nannie's charming, sweet, an' young;
        Nae artfu' wiles to win ye, O:
    May ill befa' the flattering tongue
        That wad beguile my Nannie, O.

IV.

    Her face is fair, her heart is true,
        As spotless as she's bonnie, O:
    The op'ning gowan, wat wi' dew,
        Nae purer is than Nannie, O.

Robert Burns

The Inventory; - In Answer To A Mandate By The Surveyor Of The Taxes.

    Sir, as your mandate did request,
    I send you here a faithfu' list,
    O' gudes, an' gear, an' a' my graith,
    To which I'm clear to gi'e my aith.

        Imprimis, then, for carriage cattle,
    I have four brutes o' gallant mettle,
    As ever drew afore a pettle.
    My lan' afore's^[1] a gude auld has been,
    An' wight, an' wilfu' a' his days been.
    My lan ahin's^[2] a weel gaun fillie,
    That aft has borne me hame frae Killie,^[3]
    An' your auld burro' mony a time,
    In days when riding was nae crime,
    But ance, whan in my wooing pride,
    I like a blockhead boost to ride,
    The wilfu' creature sae I pat to,
    (L--d pardon a' my sins an' that too!)
    I play'd my fillie sic a s...

Robert Burns

Country Lassie.

Tune - "The Country Lass."


I.

    In simmer, when the hay was mawn,
        And corn wav'd green in ilka field,
    While claver blooms white o'er the lea,
        And roses blaw in ilka bield;
    Blithe Bessie in the milking shiel,
        Says, I'll be wed, come o't what will;
    Out spak a dame in wrinkled eild
        O' guid advisement comes nae ill.

II.

    It's ye hae wooers mony ane,
        And, lassie, ye're but young ye ken;
    Then wait a wee, and cannie wale,
        A routhie butt, a routhie ben:
    There's Johnie o' the Buskie-glen,
        Fu' is his burn, fu' is his byre;
    Tak this frae me, my bonnie hen,
        It's plenty beets the luver's fire.

III.

    For Johnie ...

Robert Burns

Second Epistle To Davie, - A Brother Poet.

    AULD NIBOR,
    I'm three times doubly o'er your debtor,
    For your auld-farrent, frien'ly letter;
    Tho' I maun say't, I doubt ye flatter,
        Ye speak sae fair.
    For my puir, silly, rhymin clatter
        Some less maun sair.

    Hale be your heart, hale be your fiddle;
    Lang may your elbuck jink and diddle,
    To cheer you thro' the weary widdle
        O' war'ly cares,
    Till bairn's bairns kindly cuddle
        Your auld, gray hairs.

    But Davie, lad, I'm red ye're glaikit;
    I'm tauld the Muse ye hae negleckit;
    An' gif it's sae, ye sud be licket
        Until yo fyke;
    Sic hauns as you sud ne'er be faiket,
        Be hain't who like.

    For me, I'm on Parnassus' brink,
    Rivin' the ...

Robert Burns

The Bairns Gat Out.

Tune - "The deuks dang o'er my daddie."


I.

    The bairns gat out wi' an unco shout,
        The deuks dang o'er my daddie, O!
    The fien'-ma-care, quo' the feirrie auld wife,
        He was but a paidlin body, O!
    He paidles out, an' he paidles in,
        An' he paidles late an' early, O!
    This seven lang years I hae lien by his side,
        An' he is but a fusionless carlie, O!

II.

    O, hand your tongue, my feirrie auld wife,
        O, haud your tongue, now Nansie, O!
    I've seen the day, and sae hae ye,
        Ye wadna been sae donsie, O!
    I've seen the day ye butter'd my brose,
        And cuddled me late and early, O!
    But downa do's come o'er me now,
        And, oh! I feel it sairly, O...

Robert Burns

To Mrs. Scott, Of Wauchope.

    I mind it weel in early date,
    When I was beardless, young and blate,
        An' first could thresh the barn;
    Or hand a yokin at the pleugh;
    An' tho' forfoughten sair enough,
        Yet unco proud to learn:
    When first amang the yellow corn
        A man I reckon'd was,
    An' wi' the lave ilk merry morn
        Could rank my rig and lass,
            Still shearing, and clearing,
                The tither stooked raw,
            Wi' claivers, an' haivers,
                Wearing the day awa.

    E'en then, a wish, I mind its pow'r,
    A wish that to my latest hour
        Shall strongly heave my breast,
    That I for poor auld Scotland's sake
    Some usefu' plan or beuk could make,
        Or sing a sang at least...

Robert Burns