The Day Returns by Robert Burns
The speaker joyfully recalls the day when he and his beloved first met, declaring that even a stormy winter day seemed sweeter than summer because it brought them together. He values her love above wealth, royal splendour, crowns, and globes, believing Heav'n gave him a greater gift by making her his. As long as day, night, Nature, and joys above can bring delight, he will live for her alone. He foresees that the grim foe of life below will separate them, and says that the iron hand which breaks their bond will also break his bliss and his heart.
By Robert Burns · First published 1790 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Romantic Poetry · 179 words
First lines
Tune-"Seventh of November."
The day returns, my bosom burns, / The blissful day we twa did meet: / Tho' winter wild in tempest toil'd, / Ne'er summer-sun was half sae sweet. / Than a' the pride that loads the tide, / And crosses o'er the sultry line; / Than kingly robes, than crowns and globes, / Heav'n gave me more-it made thee mine!
While day and night can bring delight, / Or Nature aught of pleasure give; / While joys above my mind can move, / For thee, and thee alone, I live. / When that grim foe of life below / Comes in between to make us part, / The iron hand that breaks our band, / It breaks my bliss-it breaks my heart!
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — A short, song-like first-person poem expressing intense personal feeling, with regular rhyme, rhythmic stanzas, and a specified tune.
- Love Poetry — The speaker celebrates the anniversary of meeting a beloved, declares total devotion, and presents their union as more valuable than wealth or royal power.
- Romantic Poetry — The poem idealizes love through heightened emotion, natural imagery, seasonal contrast, and the belief that love gives life its deepest meaning.
- Scottish Vernacular Poetry — Burns uses Scots diction and idiom, including words such as 'twa,' 'tho',' 'sae,' and 'a',' placing the poem within the Scottish poetic tradition.
Tags
Scottish lyric poetry · love song · romantic devotion · first meeting · anniversary remembrance · beloved · winter storm · summer sweetness · nature imagery · weather contrast · joyful recollection · exclusive love
What this Textopian page supports
The Day Returns is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1790 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: 1790 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Scottish Vernacular Poetry, Song
- Length: 179 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Day Returns by Robert Burns
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