To Daunton Me by Robert Burns (1788)
The speaker fiercely declares that no old man can intimidate or win her over. Neither flattering words nor false affection, nor food, drink, gold, money, livestock, land, or any other wealth can buy or command her. She mocks the old man’s weakness, describing his bent body, toothless mouth, bald head, and bleared eye, while repeatedly asserting her independence and refusal to be daunted.
By Robert Burns · First published 1788 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Scottish Folk Song, Satirical Poetry · 290 words
First lines
The blude-red rose at Yule may blaw, / The simmer lilies bloom in snaw, / The frost may freeze the deepest sea; / But an auld man shall never daunton me. / Refrain. -To daunton me, to daunton me, / And auld man shall never daunton me.
To daunton me, and me sae young, / Wi' his fause heart and flatt'ring tongue, / That is the thing you shall never see, / For an auld man shall never daunton me. / To daunton me, &c.
For a' his meal and a' his maut, / For a' his fresh beef and his saut, / For a' his gold and white monie, / And auld men shall never daunton me. / To daunton me, &c.
Similar titles
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — A short, song-like first-person poem expressing a speaker's defiant feelings through regular stanzas and a recurring refrain.
- Scottish Folk Song — Its refrain, vernacular Scots language, repeated stanzaic structure, and rural imagery align it with traditional Scottish song and folk-ballad performance.
- Satirical Poetry — The poem mocks an older man's attempts to win or intimidate a young woman, emphasizing his frailty, false heart, flattering speech, and physical decline.
- Humorous Poetry — Comic exaggeration and blunt descriptions of the old man's toothless mouth, bald head, limp, and watery eye create a deliberately amusing tone.
Tags
Scottish vernacular poetry · Scots language · lyric poem · song with refrain · female speaker · female independence · resistance to male authority · rejection of an old suitor · courtship and marriage · age disparity · mockery · defiant tone
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To Daunton Me is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1788 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: 1788 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Scottish Folk Song, Satirical Poetry, Humorous Poetry, Love Poetry
- Length: 290 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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