Up in the Morning Early by Robert Burns
The speaker describes severe winter weather: cold winds blow, drifting snow is driven hard, and the blasts sound loud and sharp. Snow covers the hills, birds shiver in the thorn and struggle to find enough food, and the nights stretch long from evening until morning. In such conditions, the speaker insists that getting up early is not desirable.
By Robert Burns · First published 1788 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Scottish Poetry, Folk Song · 140 words
First lines
Cauld blaws the wind frae east to west, / The drift is driving sairly; / Sae loud and shill's I hear the blast- / I'm sure it's winter fairly.
Chorus. -Up in the morning's no for me, / Up in the morning early; / When a' the hills are covered wi' snaw, / I'm sure it's winter fairly.
The birds sit chittering in the thorn, / A' day they fare but sparely; / And lang's the night frae e'en to morn- / I'm sure it's winter fairly. / Up in the morning's, &c.
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is a short, song-like poem expressing a speaker's immediate response to harsh winter weather through rhythm, repetition, and vivid sensory imagery.
- Scottish Poetry — It is written in Scots dialect, uses distinctly Scottish vocabulary such as 'cauld,' 'sairly,' and 'snaw,' and belongs to Robert Burns's Scottish vernacular tradition.
- Folk Song — Its recurring chorus, simple stanzaic form, colloquial voice, and memorable refrain give it the character of a traditional popular song.
- Nature Poetry — The poem centers on winter conditions: cold wind, drifting snow, dark nights, and birds struggling in the thorn.
Tags
winter · severe weather · cold wind · drifting snow · snow-covered hills · rural landscape · Scottish countryside · birds in winter · animal hardship · scarcity of food · long winter nights · reluctance to rise early
What this Textopian page supports
Up in the Morning Early 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 Poetry, Folk Song, Nature Poetry, Seasonal Poetry
- Length: 140 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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