O my luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
My love is like the melodie
That’s sweetly played in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonny lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve 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 luve 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.
– Robert Burns

“A Red Red Rose” by Robert Burns is a classic song, considered one of the greatest love songs ever written.

Theme:

The strength and endurance of true love is everlasting.

Techniques:

Rhyme, rhythm, assonance, parallel structure, hyperbole, alliteration, simile, symbolism, apostrophe.

Issues:

Will the speaker return to his love?

What difficulty do you encounter while reading this poem? How did you deal with the problem?

The poem contains a number of examples of hyperbole. Can you identify them? Which do you think is the greatest exaggeration?