The Captive Ribband by Robert Burns
In “The Captive Ribband,” the speaker tells Myra that he possesses a ribband given or associated with her, the only reward his faithful love has won. He refuses to surrender it, comparing such a demand to asking a hero to renounce the laurels and praise earned through danger and death. Instead, he declares that the ribband will become his captive: deprived of its former happiness with Myra, it will remain against his breast or encircle him in a close embrace. If Myra mourns the ribband’s fate, she may free it only by taking its place as his captive.
By Robert Burns · First published 1793 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Romantic Poetry · 173 words
First lines
Tune-"Robaidh dona gorach."
Dear Myra, the captive ribband's mine, / 'Twas all my faithful love could gain; / And would you ask me to resign / The sole reward that crowns my pain?
Go, bid the hero who has run / Thro' fields of death to gather fame, / Go, bid him lay his laurels down, / And all his well-earn'd praise disclaim.
The ribband shall its freedom lose- / Lose all the bliss it had with you, / And share the fate I would impose / On thee, wert thou my captive too.
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — A short, song-like first-person poem focused on the speaker's immediate romantic feeling and emotional attachment to a beloved's ribbon.
- Love Poetry — The poem centers on faithful love, desire, longing, and the speaker's wish to possess a tangible token associated with Myra.
- Romantic Poetry — Its intense personal sentiment, idealized beloved, symbolic object, and imaginative language of devotion align with romantic verse.
- Scottish Song — Burns supplies a tune title, indicating that the poem was conceived as lyrics for performance in the Scottish song tradition.
Tags
love poetry · unrequited love · courtship · romantic longing · devotion · jealous possessiveness · captivity · symbolic ribbon · love token · beloved's keepsake · Myra · speaker and beloved
What this Textopian page supports
The Captive Ribband is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1793 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: 1793 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Scottish Song, Pastoral Poetry
- Length: 173 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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