Sylvander to Clarinda by Robert Burns
Sylvander tells Clarinda that when he first saw and heard her, her beauty and presence filled him with despairing admiration, though he dared do nothing beyond gaze and listen. Love, awakened by her eyes, pierced him deeply, but fear and honour forced him to conceal his feelings beneath the appearance of friendship. Though anguished and tempted, he remains resolved to be true to honour and to show himself Clarinda’s devoted friend. Unable to seek greater happiness, he turns to writing, but Clarinda coldly directs him merely to send news through Charles. Her command unsettles him, and his frustrated passion leads him to write with the excuse that he had “nothing else to do.” He insists, however, that composing such verses is itself a bold declaration of love, one thing he dares do for her. He declares that he would pay any price to possess Clarinda and her charms if human effort could achieve it. Finally, he offers her the hand of friendship, the feeling he may openly acknowledge, and asks her not to impose such cold commands again, promising instead to write whatever he has to do.
By Robert Burns · First published 1808 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Epistolary Poetry · 462 words
First lines
A grass-widow, Mrs. M'Lehose.
Extempore Reply to Verses addressed to the Author by a Lady, under the signature of "Clarinda" and entitled, On Burns saying he 'had nothing else to do.'
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — A short, highly personal verse poem focused on the speaker's emotional response to Clarinda, using regular rhyme, meter, and direct address.
- Love Poetry — The poem centers on Sylvander's ardent but constrained love for Clarinda, expressing attraction, longing, devotion, and romantic frustration.
- Epistolary Poetry — Written as a direct poetic reply to verses sent by Clarinda, it adopts the intimate, conversational character of correspondence between named personae.
- Occasional Poetry — It was composed in response to a specific social and literary occasion: Clarinda's poem concerning Burns's claim that he had nothing else to do.
Tags
unrequited love · concealed desire · friendship and love · romantic longing · honour and restraint · fear of rejection · admiration of female beauty · love letter · epistolary poem · reply poem · courtly address · Sylvander and Clarinda
What this Textopian page supports
Sylvander to Clarinda is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1808 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: 1808 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Epistolary Poetry, Occasional Poetry, Romantic Poetry
- Length: 462 words
- Structure: 1 section, 13 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Sylvander to Clarinda by Robert Burns
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