Robert Burns: Your favourite lines of his poetry

Published on Tuesday 25 January 2011 17:57

Earlier today we asked our followers on Twitter and Facebook to let us know their favourite lines from the work of Robert Burns on the 252nd anniversary of his birth.

While there were famous excerpts in the mix, there was also an appreciation for some of the Bard's more obscure lyrics too. Here is a selection of the favourites...

Wee sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie!

To a Mouse, chosen by Nan Johnston

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!

Address to the Haggis, chosen by Marcia Milne and Bill McClung

Critics - appall'd, I venture on the name; Those cut-throat bandits in the paths of fame"

To Robert Graham Of Fintry, Esq - chosen by Lulu Mahon

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry

My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose - chosen by Louise Jamieson

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here

My Heart's In The Highlands - chosen by Lesley Purper

O wad some Power the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us,

An' foolish notion:

What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,

......An' ev'n devotion!

To A Louse - chosen by Isobel Dolak

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.

A Man's A Man For A' That - chosen by Carmin Marcella Gagliano

For more on Burns, including news, poems and haggis recipes, visit our Robert Burns topic page.