The Highland Widow's Lament by Robert Burns
A Highland widow has come tae the low Countrie wi nae penny tae buy a meal. She minds the kye an yowes she had, an her happiness wi Donald afore his arm was wanted for Scotland an he fell at Culloden.
By Robert Burns · Genre: Elegiac Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, War Poetry · 297 words
First lines
Oh I am come to the low Countrie, / Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie! / Without a penny in my purse, / To buy a meal to me.
It was na sae in the Highland hills, / Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie! / Nae woman in the Country wide, / Sae happy was as me.
For then I had a score o'kye, / Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie! / Feeding on you hill sae high, / And giving milk to me.
And there I had three score o'yowes, / Ochon, Ochon, Ochrie! / Skipping on yon bonie knowes, / And casting woo' to me.
Genres
- Elegiac Poetry — The widow laments Donald's deith at Culloden an sets her former happiness against her present misery.
- Dramatic Monologue — The widow speaks throughout in her ain voice, telling o her flocks, Donald an her puirtith.
- War Poetry — Donald's arm is wanted for Scotland, an his fa at Culloden brings the widow's happiness tae an end.
Tags
widowheid · dule · puirtith · war
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The Highland Widow's Lament is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated Date unknown.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: Date unknown
- Genres: Elegiac Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, War Poetry
- Length: 297 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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