Rantin’, Rovin’ Robin
There was a lad was born in Kyle,But whatna day o’ whatna style,I doubt it’s hardly worth the whileTo be sae nice wi’ Robin.
Chor.—Robin was a rovin’ boy,Rantin’, rovin’, rantin’, rovin’,Robin was a rovin’ boy,Rantin’, rovin’, Robin!
Our monarch’s hindmost year but aneWas five-and-twenty days begun,’Twas then a blast o’ Janwar’ win’Blew hansel in on Robin.Robin was, &c.
The gossip keekit in his loof,Quo’ scho, “Wha lives will see the proof,This waly boy will be nae coof:I think we’ll ca’ him Robin.”Robin was, &c.
“He’ll hae misfortunes great an’ sma’,But aye a heart aboon them a’,He’ll be a credit till us a’—We’ll a’ be proud o’ Robin.”Robin was, &c.
“But sure as three times three mak nine,I see by ilka score and line,This chap will dearly like our kin’,So leeze me on thee! Robin.”Robin was, &c.
“Guid faith,” quo’, scho, “I doubt you garThe bonie lasses lie aspar;But twenty fauts ye may hae waurSo blessins on thee! Robin.”Robin was, &c.
Words in this poem
- loof n.
- The spongelike fibers of the fruit of a cucurbitaceous plant (Luffa Ægyptiaca); called also vegetable sponge.
- waly interj.
- An exclamation of grief. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] [Cf. Welaway.]
- aboon prep.
- and adv. Above.
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Rantin’, Rovin’ Robin is in the public domain. This text is taken from Poems and Songs of Robert Burns, Project Gutenberg ebook #1279; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Robert Burns, Rantin’, Rovin’ Robin, in Poems and Songs (1786–1796), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #1279, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/burns-poems/rantin-rovin-robin.html, id L02980.
Form and metre
Rantin’, Rovin’ Robin is 33 lines in 7 stanzas. The metre is iambic tetrameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 92%). 98% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 7.1 syllables. 7 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 12% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in iambic tetrameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AAA- kyleA · styleA · whileA · robin
- 2 A-A- boyA · rovin · boyA · robin
- 3 AAAA- aneA · begunA · winA · robinA · —
- 4 AAA-- loofA · proofA · coofA · robin · —
- 5 -AA-- sma · aA · aA · robin · —
- 6 AA-A- nineA · lineA · kin · robinA · —
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| There was a lad was born in Kyle, | 8 | ········ |
| But whatna day o’ whatna style, | 8 | ········ |
| I doubt it’s hardly worth the while | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| To be sae nice wi’ Robin. | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Chor.—Robin was a rovin’ boy, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Rantin’, rovin’, rantin’, rovin’, | 8 | ········ |
| Robin was a rovin’ boy, | 7 | /˘····· |
| Rantin’, rovin’, Robin! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Our monarch’s hindmost year but ane | 8 | //······ |
| Was five-and-twenty days begun, | 8 | ···/˘·˘/ |
| ’Twas then a blast o’ Janwar’ win’ | 8 | ········ |
| Blew hansel in on Robin. | 7 | ·/˘··/˘ |
| Robin was, &c. | 4 | /˘·· |
| The gossip keekit in his loof, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Quo’ scho, “Wha lives will see the proof, | 8 | ········ |
| This waly boy will be nae coof: | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| I think we’ll ca’ him Robin.” | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Robin was, &c. | 4 | /˘·· |
| “He’ll hae misfortunes great an’ sma’, | 8 | ··˘/˘··· |
| But aye a heart aboon them a’, | 8 | ····˘/·· |
| He’ll be a credit till us a’— | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| We’ll a’ be proud o’ Robin.” | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Robin was, &c. | 4 | /˘·· |
| “But sure as three times three mak nine, | 8 | ········ |
| I see by ilka score and line, | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| This chap will dearly like our kin’, | 8 | ···/˘·/· |
| So leeze me on thee! Robin.” | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Robin was, &c. | 4 | /˘·· |
| “Guid faith,” quo’, scho, “I doubt you gar | 8 | ········ |
| The bonie lasses lie aspar; | 8 | ···/˘··· |
| But twenty fauts ye may hae waur | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| So blessins on thee! Robin.” | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Robin was, &c. | 4 | /˘·· |
Notes from the edition 1
Notes from The Complete Works of Robert Burns (Project Gutenberg #1279).
- Stanza 3, line 2 January 25, 1759, the date of my bardship’s vital existence.—R.B.
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