To Miss Cruickshank by Robert Burns
The poem addresses a very young lady as a beautiful rosebud and wishes that she may remain untouched by cold storms, destructive winds, harmful influences, pests, or excessive sunlight. It hopes she will flourish for a long time upon her native stem, richly preserving her sweetness and beauty, before gently fading in a peaceful evening surrounded by birdsong and returning her loveliness to the earth.
By Robert Burns · First published 1808 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Occasional Poetry, Dedication Poem · 222 words
First lines
A very Young Lady
Written on the Blank Leaf of a Book, presented to her by the Author.
Beauteous Rosebud, young and gay, / Blooming in thy early May, / Never may'st thou, lovely flower, / Chilly shrink in sleety shower! / Never Boreas' hoary path, / Never Eurus' pois'nous breath, / Never baleful stellar lights, / Taint thee with untimely blights! / Never, never reptile thief / Riot on thy virgin leaf! / Nor even Sol too fiercely view / Thy bosom blushing still with dew!
Similar titles
- A Summer Idyl by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- To An Almond Tree by Ruth Collie
- A November Daisy by Henry Van Dyke
- The Gardener by Francis Neilson
- To A Mountain Daisy by Robert Burns
- The Wild Blue Bells by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Genres
- Lyric Poetry — A short, musical and emotionally expressive verse poem centered on the speaker's affectionate wish for a young girl's wellbeing.
- Occasional Poetry — The poem was specifically written on the blank leaf of a book presented by Burns to Miss Cruickshank, making it a verse composition for a personal occasion.
- Dedication Poem — Its inscription-like framing and direct address to the recipient make it function as a literary dedication accompanying a gift.
- Pastoral Poetry — It uses idealized natural imagery, including a rosebud, woodland birds, dew, flowers, and seasonal weather, to frame human innocence and mortality.
Tags
Scottish poetry · eighteenth-century poetry · occasional verse · book inscription · address to a young lady · female youth · rosebud metaphor · flower imagery · innocence · beauty · protection · blessing
What this Textopian page supports
To Miss Cruickshank is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1808 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: 1808 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Occasional Poetry, Dedication Poem, Pastoral Poetry, Romantic Poetry
- Length: 222 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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