Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

A Rose-bud

Robert Burns

“A Rose-bud” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

A rose-bud by my early walk,

Adown a corn-enclosed hawk,

Sae gently bent its thorny stalk,

All on a dewy morning.

Ere twice the shades o' dawn are fled,

In a' its crimson glory spread

And drooping rich the dewy head,

It scents the early morning.

Within the bush, her covert nest

A little linnet fondly prest,

The dew sat chilly on her breast

Sae early in the morning.

She soon shall see her tender brood,

The pride, the pleasure o' the wood,

Amang the fresh green leaves bedew'd,

Awake the early morning.

So thou, dear bird, young Jeanny fair!

On trembling string, or vocal air,

Shall sweetly pay the tender care

That tends thy early morning.

So thou, sweet rose-bud, young and gay,

Shalt beauteous blaze upon the day,

And bless the parent's evening ray

That watch'd thy early morning.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “A Rose-bud”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-12. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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