Canst Thou Leave me Thus, my Katie
The speaker pleads with Katie not to leave him, questioning her pledged affection and lamenting his broken heart. He bids her farewell, wishes her freedom from such sorrow, and insists that no other love will equal his.
By Robert Burns · Genre: Love Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 158 words
First lines
Tune-"Roy's Wife."
Chorus-Canst thou leave me thus, my Katie? / Canst thou leave me thus, my Katie? / Well thou know'st my aching heart, / And canst thou leave me thus, for pity?
Is this thy plighted, fond regard, / Thus cruelly to part, my Katie? / Is this thy faithful swain's reward- / An aching, broken heart, my Katie! / Canst thou leave me, &c.
Farewell! and ne'er such sorrows tear / That finkle heart of thine, my Katie! / Thou maysn find those will love thee dear, / But not a love like mine, my Katie, / Canst thou leave me, &c.
Genres
- Love Poetry — The speaker addresses Katie as her faithful lover, protesting their separation and asserting the strength of his love.
- Lyric Poetry — Rhymed stanzas and a repeated chorus express the speaker's personal anguish, with a named tune supplied for singing.
Tags
heartbreak · parting · fidelity · farewell
What this Textopian page supports
Canst Thou Leave me Thus, my Katie is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated Date unknown.
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: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Love Poetry, Lyric Poetry
- Length: 158 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
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