Auld Lang Syne (1788)
by: Robert Burns
Type: Poem
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne!
Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pu’d the gowans fine,
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot
Sin’ auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’t in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere,
And gie’s a hand o’ thine,
And we’ll tak a right guid willie-waught
For auld lang syne!
And surely ye’ll be your pint’ stoup,
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!
Robert Burns
(born January 25, 1759, Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland—died July
21, 1796, Dumfries, Dumfriesshire)
- One of the greatest English Poets
- Burns is now regarded as one of the finest poets in the
country, and he hasn’t even turned 30 yet.
- Also known as Rabbie Burns, the Bard of Ayrshire, and
Ploughman Poet.
- His birthday is celebrated throughout the world as
Burns Night.
- Scottish poet and lyricist.
- His writing has inspired artists, writers, filmmakers and
musicians around the world and he even has an evening
dedicated to his poetry and wisdom.
- He is the best known of the poets who have written in
the Scots language.
- He also wrote in standard English
- Robert Burns' writing has now been described as
"Weinsteinian"
- Robert’s love for poetry came from his mother.
- He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement,
and after his death he became a great source of
inspiration to the founders of
both liberalism and socialism
- As well as making original compositions, Burns also
collected folk songs from across Scotland often revising
or adapting them.
- His poem (and song) "Auld Lang Syne" is often sung
at Hogmanay (the last day of the year), and "Scots Wha
Hae" served for a long time as an unofficial national
anthem of the country.
- A 'sex pest' says former national poet
- Was a father to 13 children.
- By the end of his life he will have authored close to 350
songs – most of which will be published without fee.
Early life
 Born on 25 January 1759 in the “auld cley biggin”
that is known as Burns Cottage (in the village of
Alloway). Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland.
 His parents are Willian Burnes and Agnes Broun
were tenant farmers . They ensured their son
received a relatively good education.
 The works of Alexander Pope, Henry Mackenzie
and Laurence Sterne fired Burns's poetic impulse
and relationships with the opposite sex provided his
inspiration.
 He turned his attentions towards poetry, nature
drink and women because of Hard physical labour,
later had a crippling effect on his health
At the age of 12, he helped his father.
 He fathered twins with his eventual wife Jean
Armour (was the daughter of a stonemason in
Mauchline, Ayrshire), but a rift in their relationship
nearly led to Burns emigrating to the West Indies
with lover Mary Campbell (his Highland Mary).
 His wife Jean Armour gave birth to 9, though only 3
survived beyond infancy He never met his youngest
child - Maxwell Burns was born on the day of his
funeral in 1796.
 They would eventually marry and start a family
together, but not before Robert fathers his first
children with his mother’s servant Elizabeth Paton,
and engages in a string of flings with the likes of
Margaret Campbell, AKA ‘Highland Mary’ and
Agnes McElhose, AKA ‘Clarinda’.
 At just 27, Burns had already become famous
across the country with poems.

Late Twenties
 Newly hailed as the Ploughman Poet because his
poems complemented the growing literary taste for
romanticism and pastoral pleasures, Burns arrived
in Edinburgh, where he was welcomed by a circle
of wealthy and important friends.
 Illicit relationships and fathering illegitimate
children ran parallel to a productive period in his
working life. His correspondence with Agnes
'Nancy' McLehose resulted in the classic Ae Fond
Kiss.
 A collaboration with James Johnson led to a long-
term involvement in The Scots Musical Museum,
which included the likes of Auld Lang Syne.
Later Life
 In just 18 short months, Burns had spent most of the
wealth from his published poetry, so in 1789 he
began work as an Excise Officer in Dumfries (an
irony not lost on him) and resumed his relationship
with wife Jean.
 The hard work this new job entailed, combined with
the toil of his earlier life and dissolute lifestyle
began to take their toll on Burns's health.
 He died on 21 July 1796 aged just 37 and was
buried with full civil and military honours on the
very day his son Maxwell was born. A memorial
edition of his poems was published to raise money
for his wife and children.
 Burns died penniless and had debts to his first
cousin, Captain Alexander Allan, the Ayrshire-born
sea captain who foudned the Allan Shipping Line -
one of the largest shipping lines of the 19th century.
Auld Lang Syne
 Literally means “Old Long Ago”
 A better translation is perhaps “Time gone by”
 A Scots poem written by Robert Burns (between
1780s) and set to the tune of a traditional folk song.
 Its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the
New year at the stroke of midnight. Is a song which
thrilled the soul of Robert Burns in the 1780s, and
today has become an anthem sung the world over at
New Year.
  The first line of the chorus is loosely translated as
“for (the sake of) old times”.
 hhe song is all about preserving old friendships and
looking back over the events of the year.

Unfamiliar Words
1. Be – pay for it
2. Braes – hills
3. Braid – broad
4. Burn – stream
5. Fiere – friend
6. Fit – foot
7. Gowans – daisies
8. Monie – many
9. Pou’d – pulled
10. Twa - Two