By Robert Burns
O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
So fair art thou, my bonnie 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;
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,
Though it were ten thousand mile.
Originally published in “Scots Musical Museum” (1794) by Robert Burns. Public domain.
Analysis
Robert Burns’s A Red, Red Rose captures the essence of romantic devotion in a voice that is both tender and resolute. Written in Scots dialect, the poem bridges folk simplicity with universal emotion, presenting love as something both natural and eternal.
Enduring Imagery and Tone
The opening simile—“My Luve is like a red, red rose / That’s newly sprung in June”—sets the tone of freshness and vitality. The repetition of “red” underscores passion, while “newly sprung” evokes innocence and renewal. Burns’s choice of everyday imagery, rooted in nature, grounds the emotion in something tangible and accessible. The melody of the lines mirrors the songlike rhythm of traditional Scottish ballads, making the poem feel both heartfelt and musical.
Love Beyond Time and Distance
The second and third stanzas shift from description to devotion, expanding love’s endurance through grand hyperboles: seas drying, rocks melting, and the sands of life running out. These impossible images elevate the poem’s sentiment without losing sincerity, a hallmark of Burns’s lyric style. The final stanza, with its promise of return “though it were ten thousand mile,” closes on a note of faithful parting — love enduring absence, time, and separation.
Folk Influence and Universality
Burns often adapted and refined Scottish folk songs, and A Red, Red Rose stands as one of his finest examples of transforming vernacular tradition into lasting art. Its rhythm and simplicity invite singing and memorization, ensuring its survival across generations. Though steeped in local dialect (“luve,” “gang dry,” “fare thee weel”), its emotion transcends language, making it one of the most beloved love poems in English literature.