Ae Fond Kiss
Robert Burns · 1791 · 24 lines · Tune: Rory Dall’s Port.
“Had we never lov’d sae kindly”
This is a song, not a poem. Burns wrote it to an existing air and meant it sung, which is why the lines are the length they are.
Printed in older editions as Ae Fond Kiss, And Then We Sever.
Written for Agnes "Nancy" McLehose — the Clarinda of Burns's letters — before she sailed for Jamaica to attempt a reconciliation with her husband. They never met again. Sir Walter Scott said the four lines beginning "Had we never lov'd sae kindly" contained the essence of a thousand love tales, and for once the standard critical compliment is simply true.
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever;
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me.
I’ll ne’er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy:
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never lov’d sae kindly,
Had we never lov’d sae blindly,
Never met—or never parted,
We had ne’er been broken-hearted.
Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweeli alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I’ll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I’ll wage thee.
The Scots in this one
3 words, from the glossary Burns's own editions carried. On a wide screen these also sit in the margin beside the line they belong to; on a small one, tap any dotted word.
- ae
- one
- naething
- naithing, nothing
- sae
- so