This selection gives equal weight to the two aspects of Robert Burns's reputation, as a lyricist and as a much-loved Scottish poet. Placing works in probable order of composition, it includes lyrics to his most well known songs, such as the nostalgic Auld Lang Syne, the romantic A Red, Red Rose, and the patriotic Scots What Hae. As a poet, Burns wrote with deceptive simplicity and imaginative sympathy, and demonstrated enormous range - from comic dramatic monologues such as Holy Willie's Prayer, which mocks hypocrisy, to narratives including the celebrated Tam O' Shanter, about the ghostly visions of a drunk.

Table of Contents:
Selected PoemsPreface Table of Dates Further Reading and Recordings O Once I Lov'd (Handsome Nell) Behind Yon Hills Where Lugar Flows (My Nanie, O) Mary Morison It Was Upon a Lammas Night (Corn Rigs) Song Composed in August (Now Westlin Winds) John Barleycorn. A Ballad The Death and Dying Words of Poor Mailie Poor Mailie's Elegy My Father Was a Farmer Epitaph on William Muir of Tarbolton Mill Green Grow the Rashes. A Fragment Epistle to Davie, a Brother Poet Holy Willie's Prayer Death and Dr. Hornbook. A True Story When First I Came to Stewart Kyle Epistle to John Lapraik, an Old Scotch Bard. April 1st, 1785 To the Same. April 21st, 1785 To William Simson, Ochiltree. May - 1785 The Vision A Poet's Welcome to His Love-Begotten Daughter The Fornicator. A New Song The Rantin Dog the Daddie O't Address to the Unco Guid, or the Rigidly Righteous Man Was Made to Mourn. A Dirge The Holy Fair To the Rev. John McMath To a Mouse Love and Liberty. A Cantata To a Louse The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer The Twa Dogs. A Tale The Cotter's Saturday Night The Auld Farmer's New-Year-Morning Salutation To James Smith Scotch Drink Address to the Deil Extempore to Gavin Hamilton. Stanzas on Naething To a Mountain Daisy Epistle to a Young Friend. May - 1786 Lines Written on a Bank-Note Address of Beelzebub A Dream Elegy on the Death of Robert Ruisseaux A Bard's Epitaph To a Haggis There Was a Lad Lines Written Under the Portrait of Robert Ferguson My Harry Was a Gallant Gay Here Stewarts Once in Triumph Reigned (Lines on Stirling Window) My Peggy's Face An Extemporaneous Effusion on Being Appointed to the Excise To Daunton Me O'er the Water to Charlie Rattlin, Roarin Willie Epistle to Hugh Parker I Love My Jean (Of a' the Airts) Tam Glen Auld Lang Syne Louise What I Reck by Thee Elegy on the Year 1788 Epistle to William Stewart Afton Water (Flow Gently Sweet Afton) To Alexander Findlater To a Gentleman Who Had Sent Him a Newspaper Tibbie Dunbar The Taylor Fell Thro' the Bed Ay Waukin, O Lassie Lie Near Me My Love She's But a Lassie Yet Jamie Come Try Me Farewell to the Highlands (My Heart's in the Highlands) John Anderson My Jo The Battle of Sherra-moor Sandy and Jockie Tam o'Shanter. A Tale The Banks o' Doon To Robert Graham of Fintry, Esq. Ae Fond Kiss The Bonie Wee Thing I Hae a Wife o' My Ain O for Ane and Twenty Tam! Lady Mary Ann The Gallant Weaver Hey Ca' Thro' When Princes and Prelates (Why Shouldna Poor Folk Mowe) Logan Water O, Whistle an' I'll Come to Yet, My Lad Scots Wha Hae A Red, Red Rose Sae Flaxen Were Her Ringlets (She Says, She Loves Me Best of a') Ode to Spring Is There for Honest Poverty (A Man's a Man for a' That) Lines Written on Windows of the Globe Inn, Dumfries I Murder Hate Kirkcudbright Grace Last May a Braw Wooer Wantonness Charlie He's My Darling It Was a' for Our Rightfu' King Oh Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast Notes Chronological Sketch: Scottish History and Literature Before Burns Glossary, with a Note on Burns and Dialect Index of Titles Index of First Lines