My Love is Like a Red Red Rose

by Rabbie Burns

This beautiful song, 'My love is like a red red rose," by Robert Burns is one of my favourite love songs. I find both the words and melody stir my heart.

I've mentioned elsewhere that although Rabbie Burns did not come from Fife, somehow that doesn't matter. He is loved not only in his home town, but throughout Fife, Scotland and the world. One poem he wrote during a visit to Fife was The Carls o Dysart.

He gave us so many poems and songs that have stood the test of time. He was 'quite a man' as far as the ladies were concerned and seemed to have quite a number of 'loves' or maybe I should say 'conquests'. He was a handsome man and seemed to attract the women easily. Many of his poems reflect this and his many 'romantic' relationships. As well as 'My love is like a red red rose' - another of his 'love' poems was Mary Morrison. He also paraphrased some of the Psalms including Psalm 1.

By the way, if YOU know a Scottish Poem that you would like to be included on this site, or indeed if you have written one, why not submit your contribution HERE, so people from around the world can enjoy it.

However, Burns gave us other famous poems such "Address to a Haggis", and one that I had to recite at school, "Address To A Mouse". Another one I recall my Mum reading to me when I had toothache was "Address to The Toothache"

But perhaps the most famous song he gave the world was "Auld Lang Syne". Folk around the world sing it every New Year. If you don't understand the words, see my attempts at a translation.

My Love is like a red red rose.

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!
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,
Tho' it were ten thousand mile!


If you love roses or reading other poems about roses, have a look at 'Poetry about Roses. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

If you enjoyed this poem/song, "My Love is like a Red Red Rose," - see also the following:-


The Collier Laddie - Believed to be one of the oldest of Fife's songs.
Address to a Haggis - Rabbie Burn's famous poem, recited at Burn's Suppers throughout the world.
Auld Lang Syne - Rabbie Burns' famous song, traditionally sung to bring in the New Year.
Poem Mary Morrison - Another love poem by Rabbie Burns. I've dedicated this page to my Aunt, also called Mary Morrison who passed away in 2007.
The Boy in The Train - This delightful poem describes one young lads arrival by train to Kirkcaldy with smell of the linoleum factories.
Titanic Poem - Answers this question followed by a poem about that tragedy written by my Grandmother (from Scotland, of course!)
Translation Auld Lang Syne - Find out what the words of Auld Lang Syne mean?
Address To A Mouse - This Poem was written when Burns disturbed a mouse’s nest when ploughing a field.
Address To The Toothache - This descriptive Poem says it all!
The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens - This ballad mentions Dunfermline, the ancient capital of Scotland.
Psalm 1 - A paraphrase of this Psalm by Rabbie Burns,
The Carls o Dysart - This Poem/song was written by Rabbie Burns on a journey through Fife.
Burns Supper - Learn a bit more about a Burns Supper and get the Menu and recipe for Haggis, chappit potatoes and bashed neeps.
Hogmanay - See how we bring in the New Year in Scotland.
Scottish Custom and Traditions - Learn a bit more about some of our customs and traditions.
Language, Customs and Culture Bookstore - Browse through our Bookstore for Scots-English Dictionaries, and plenty books on the works of Rabbie Burns.

See also Share Scottish Poetry - Poems contributed by visitors to this site. Do contribute YOUR poems and have them published on this site!

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