O my Love is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Love is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I;
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only love!
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my love,
Though it were ten thousand mile.
Love Poem by Robert Burns
Meaning of the Poem ‘A Red, Red Rose’ by Robert Burns
This classic Scottish love poem expresses a deep, unwavering devotion through powerful natural imagery. The speaker compares his love to a fresh red rose and a perfectly tuned melody: symbols of beauty, harmony, and newness. His affection is not only intense but eternal, vowing to love his beloved until the seas dry up, the rocks melt, and life itself runs out.
Even as the poem ends on a note of parting, it affirms an enduring connection. The promise to return “though it were ten thousand mile” speaks to love’s ability to transcend distance and time. Burns encapsulates the essence of romantic passion in its most lyrical and timeless form.
