A Poet's Welcome to his Love-Begotten Daughter
The speaker warmly welcomes his newborn daughter and vows that neither public gossip nor the accusations made against him will make him ashamed to be her father. Though she was not expected and her birth has brought conflict with religious and social judgment, he insists that she is wanted and dearly loved. Seeing her as the image of her mother, Betty, he kisses and cherishes her, declaring that he will devote even his last resources to her welfare. He promises that she will be well clothed, raised with care, and given an education equal to that of any child born within marriage. He hopes she will inherit her mother’s beauty, grace, and merit, along with her father’s spirit but none of his faults. If she follows the counsel he intends to give her, he says he will never regret the expense, trouble, or disgrace associated with her birth, but will proudly be a loving father to her.
By Robert Burns · First published 1786 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Scottish Poetry, Confessional Poetry · 527 words
First lines
Burns never published this poem.
The First Instance That Entitled Him To / The Venerable Appellation Of Father
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is a personal, emotionally direct poem voiced by a father welcoming and pledging devotion to his newborn daughter.
- Scottish Poetry — It is written predominantly in Scots dialect and reflects Robert Burns's characteristic Scottish vernacular, social setting, and poetic tradition.
- Confessional Poetry — The speaker openly addresses his unmarried fatherhood, public accusations of fornication, shame, financial concerns, and personal responsibility.
- Family Poetry — Its central subject is the paternal bond: the father welcomes his daughter, promises care and education, and imagines her future character.
Tags
Scottish poetry · Scots language · 18th-century Scotland · lyric poem · paternal love · fatherhood · newborn daughter · illegitimacy · unmarried parenthood · social stigma · religious judgment · gossip
What this Textopian page supports
A Poet's Welcome to his Love-Begotten Daughter is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1786 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1786 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Scottish Poetry, Confessional Poetry, Family Poetry, Occasional Poetry
- Length: 527 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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