The Auld Farmer's New-Year-Morning Salutation to
The auld farmer gives his old mare Maggie her customary New-Year gift of corn and warmly wishes her a good year. Though she is now hollow-backed, stiff, worn, and white-haired, he remembers her as a sleek, beautiful, powerful gray mare who could outrun others, leap ditches, and stand among the finest horses. Maggie had belonged to his guid-father, who gave her to him along with fifty mark. When the farmer first courted Jenny, Maggie was still young, lively, clever, gentle, and handsome. She proudly carried his bonie bride home, and the farmer believed no better pair could be found in Kyle-Stewart. In their youth, farmer and mare travelled swiftly to fairs and races; when he was merry and she was well fed, Maggie surpassed every rival in strength and speed. She was also an exceptional working horse. In long days of ploughing, she steadily turned the soil without fuss, showing strength and endurance. During hard winters, when frost and snow threatened the farm’s work, the farmer gave her extra feed because he knew she would not rest easily while labour remained. Whether pulling cart or car, she faced even the steepest hill without stopping to struggle for breath, merely quickening her pace and moving on. Maggie has raised many valuable horses: four now make up the farmer’s plough team, while six more have been sold for good sums. The farmer reflects that he and Maggie have done much hard work together and have faced anxious times in which they feared defeat, yet both have reached old age with some means still left to them. He assures Maggie that her age will not make him neglect her or let her starve. He will save a generous portion of fodder for her and carefully move her tether to a sheltered field, where she can stretch herself and graze with little effort.
By Robert Burns · First published 1787 · Genre: Pastoral Poetry, Scottish Dialect Poetry, Lyric Poetry · 1,147 words
First lines
On giving her the accustomed ripp of corn to hansel in the New Year.
A Guid New-year I wish thee, Maggie! / Hae, there's a ripp to thy auld baggie: / Tho' thou's howe-backit now, an' knaggie, / I've seen the day / Thou could hae gaen like ony staggie, / Out-owre the lay.
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Genres
- Pastoral Poetry — The poem idealizes rural life, agricultural labor, livestock, fields, fairs, and the enduring bond between a farmer and his mare.
- Scottish Dialect Poetry — It is written prominently in Scots vernacular, using regional vocabulary, syntax, and rural speech patterns associated with Robert Burns's poetry.
- Lyric Poetry — The work is a personal, emotionally expressive address in verse, centered on the speaker's memories, affection, gratitude, and promise of care.
- Animal Poetry — Maggie the mare is the direct addressee and central subject; her life, character, labor, age, and welfare shape the poem.
Tags
Scottish pastoral poetry · 18th-century Scotland · New Year tradition · farmer and horse · old age · animal companionship · loyalty · gratitude · rural labor · ploughing · farm life · working horses
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The Auld Farmer's New-Year-Morning Salutation to his Auld Mare, Maggie is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1787 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1787 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Pastoral Poetry, Scottish Dialect Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Animal Poetry, Ode
- Length: 1,147 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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