There'll Never be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame
An aged man sings sorrowfully by a castle wall at day’s end, insisting that peace cannot return until Jamie comes hame. He sees the Church ruined and the State divided by delusions, oppression, and murderous wars, while people privately know who is responsible. He mourns his seven brave sons, who drew their swords for Jamie and now lie in green graves, a loss that broke the heart of his faithful wife. Bereaved of his children and grieving that Jamie has lost his crown, he finds life a crushing burden, yet maintains until death that there will never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
By Robert Burns · First published 1792 · Genre: Jacobite song, Political poetry, Scottish lyric poetry · 219 words
First lines
By yon Castle wa', at the close of the day, / I heard a man sing, tho' his head it was grey: / And as he was singing, the tears doon came,- / There'll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
The Church is in ruins, the State is in jars, / Delusions, oppressions, and murderous wars, / We dare na weel say't, but we ken wha's to blame,- / There'll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
My seven braw sons for Jamie drew sword, / But now I greet round their green beds in the yerd; / It brak the sweet heart o' my faithful and dame,- / There'll never be peace till Jamie comes hame.
Similar titles
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- The Chevaliers Lament by Robert Burns
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- My Bonie Mary by Robert Burns
- Now Listen To Me And Ill Tell You My Views by Andrew Barton Paterson
- A Death Song by William Morris
Genres
- Jacobite song — The poem voices Jacobite longing for the restoration of 'Jamie,' the exiled Stuart king, presenting his return as necessary for national peace.
- Political poetry — Its central subject is political and dynastic conflict, condemning social disorder, oppression, war, and the loss of the crown.
- Scottish lyric poetry — Written in Scots-inflected language and structured as a compact, musical lyric with a recurring refrain, it belongs to the Scottish song tradition.
- Lament — The speaker mourns seven sons killed fighting for Jamie, a dead spouse, personal grief, and the nation's ruined condition.
Tags
Scottish vernacular poetry · Jacobite lament · political exile · restoration of the crown · civil unrest · war and oppression · ruined Church · divided State · grief and mourning · bereaved father · loss of sons · fallen soldiers
What this Textopian page supports
There'll Never be Peace Till Jamie Comes Hame is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1792 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: 1792 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Jacobite song, Political poetry, Scottish lyric poetry, Lament, Elegiac poetry
- Length: 219 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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