RPO -- Robert Burns : Ye Flowery Banks (Bonie Doon)

Robert Burns (1759-1796)

Ye Flowery Banks (Bonie Doon)

1Ye flowery banks o' bonie Doon,

2 How can ye blume sae fair?

3How can ye chant, ye little birds,

4 And I sae fu' o' care?

5Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird,

6 That sings upon the bough;

7Thou minds me o' the happy days,

8 When my fause love was true.

9Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird,

10 That sings beside thy mate;

11For sae I sat, and sae I sang,

12 And wist na o' my fate.

13Aft hae I rov'd by bonie Doon

14 To see the wood-bine twine,

15And ilka bird sang o' its luve,

16 And sae did I o' mine.

17Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose

18 Frae aff its thorny tree;

19And my fause luver staw my rose

20 But left the thorn wi' me.

Notes

1] Of the three versions of this song, that here printed is the second and best. The first or trial sketch, beginning: "Sweet are the banks--the banks o, Doon," was sent by Burns to Allan Cunningham, March 11, 1791; the second version, made shortly afterwards, was not published until 1808, the third "Ye banks and braes o' bonie Doon,/How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair!") was published in Johnson, The Scots Musical Museum, III. It is, on account of the air, better known than the others.
Doon: the river in Ayrshire near which Burns was born.

15] ilka: every.

19] staw: stole.

Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.

Original text: Reliques of Robert Burns; consisting chiefly of original letters, poems, and critical observations on Scottish songs. Ed. R. H. Cromek. London: J. M'Creery, 1808. PR 4300 1808 L6 ROBA
First publication date: 1808
RPO poem editor: G. G. Falle
RP edition: 3RP 2.318.
Recent editing: 4:2002/3/19

Composition date: 1791
Form: Common Measure (ballad stanza)
Rhyme: abcb

Other poems by Robert Burns