To Alex. Cunningham, Esq., Writer
Burns addresses Alex. Cunningham as a “godlike” friend because, if God is love, Cunningham’s passionate devotion makes him godlike. He asks whether Cunningham’s ardour for Anna remains as intense as ever, contrasting ordinary, limited affection with Cunningham’s volcanic passion. Whereas even marriage expects love to last only until death, Cunningham seems capable of promising immortal love. The speaker jokingly treats his friend’s lovesickness as a grave wound beyond ordinary remedies, suggesting that marriage may be the final cure. Anna is praised for her divine, magnetic grace: she speaks and charms, though the source of her bewitching power cannot be explained.
By Robert Burns · First published 1789 · Genre: Epistolary Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry · 183 words
First lines
Ellisland, Nithsdale, July 27th, 1788.
My godlike friend-nay, do not stare, / You think the phrase is odd-like; / But God is love, the saints declare, / Then surely thou art god-like.
And is thy ardour still the same? / And kindled still at Anna? / Others may boast a partial flame, / But thou art a volcano!
Ev'n Wedlock asks not love beyond / Death's tie-dissolving portal; / But thou, omnipotently fond, / May'st promise love immortal!
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Genres
- Epistolary Poetry — The work is a verse letter addressed directly to Alex Cunningham, dated and framed as personal correspondence.
- Lyric Poetry — Its short, stanzaic form emphasizes personal feeling, affectionate praise, wit, and musical verbal expression rather than narrative plot.
- Love Poetry — The poem centers on Cunningham's intense devotion to Anna, describing her beauty, charm, and his supposedly immortal passion.
- Satirical Poetry — Burns humorously exaggerates Cunningham's romantic ardour, calling him godlike, a volcano, and afflicted with wounds that marriage might cure.
Tags
Scottish poetry · eighteenth-century poetry · 1788 · Ellisland · Nithsdale · epistolary poem · verse letter · friendship · romantic love · unrequited longing · passionate devotion · lovesickness
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To Alex. Cunningham, Esq., Writer is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1789 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: 1789 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Epistolary Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Satirical Poetry, Comic Poetry
- Length: 183 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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