Will Ye Go to the Indies, my Mary?
The speaker asks Mary whether she will go with him to the Indies and leave the shore of auld Scotia, crossing the Atlantic. Though he acknowledges the sweetness and beauty of the Indies, including its lime, orange, and apple trees, he insists that none of its charms can equal Mary. He swears before Heaven to remain true to her and calls upon Heaven to forget him if he breaks his vow. Before leaving Scotia, he asks Mary to pledge her faith and give him her lily-white hand. They then plight their troth in mutual affection, condemning any cause that might separate them.
By Robert Burns · First published 1792 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Scottish Vernacular Poetry · 220 words
First lines
Tune-"Will ye go to the Ewe-Bughts, Marion."
Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary, / And leave auld Scotia's shore? / Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary, / Across th' Atlantic roar?
O sweet grows the lime and the orange, / And the apple on the pine; / But a' the charms o' the Indies / Can never equal thine.
I hae sworn by the Heavens to my Mary, / I hae sworn by the Heavens to be true; / And sae may the Heavens forget me, / When I forget my vow!
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — A short, songlike first-person poem centered on direct emotional expression, repetition, rhyme, and musical phrasing.
- Love Poetry — Its central subject is the speaker's devotion to Mary, expressed through vows of fidelity, mutual affection, and a desire to remain united.
- Scottish Vernacular Poetry — The poem employs Scots diction and idiom, including terms such as 'auld,' 'sae,' 'hae,' 'troth,' and 'Scotia.'
- Song — It is explicitly written to a named tune and uses recurring lines, regular stanzas, and a melodic structure suited to performance.
Tags
Scottish love song · courtship · romantic devotion · pledged fidelity · marriage vow · lovers' separation · emigration · departure from Scotland · the Indies · Atlantic crossing · Scotia · Scottish vernacular
What this Textopian page supports
Will Ye Go to the Indies, my Mary? is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated 1792 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: 1792 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Scottish Vernacular Poetry, Song, Folk Song
- Length: 220 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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