Poem Analysis of A Red, Red Rose By Robert Burns

A Red, Red Rose

By Robert Burns

O, my Luve's like a red, red rose,       A

That's newly sprung in June.               B

O, my Luve's like a melodie               C

That's sweetly play'd in tune.              B

As fair as thou, my bonnie lass,          D

So deep in luve am I;                          E

And I will love thee still, my dear,     F

Till a' the seas gang dry.                      E

Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear,       E

And the rocks melt wi' the sun:          G

I will love thee till, my dear,               E

While the sands o' life shall run:         G

And fare thee weel, my only luve!     H

And fare thee weel, a while!               I

And I will come again, my luve,         H

Tho' it ware ten thousand mile!          I

Analysis

This poem tells about the writer that expresses his love to a woman and he says that he will continue to love ("or luve" as he says) until all the seas have gone dry. He says that he will miss his love and come back for her, even though he'll be ten thousand miles away. This poem was published in 1794

·         Form: Quatrain form

·         Line: Sixteen lines

·         Stanza: Four stanzas

·         Rhyme:

First rhyme is ABCB

Second rhyme is DEFE

Third rhyme is EGEG

Fourth rhyme is HIHI

·         Simile:

O, my Luve's like a red, red rose, (Line 1)

O, my Luve's like a melodie (Line 3)

·         Hyperbole:

Till a' the seas gang dry. (Line 8)

And the rocks melt wi' the sun: (Line 10)

Tho' it ware ten thousand mile! (Line 16)

·         Alliteration:

 O, my Luve's like a red, red rose (Line 1)

·         Personification:

While the sands o' life shall run (Line 12)

·         Refrain

I will love thee still, my dear, (Line 7 and Line 11)

·         Mood: Romantic