Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

My ain kind Dearie O

Robert Burns

“My ain kind Dearie O” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 242 1887 · historical text
Public domainScottish songSong lyrics
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of Robert Burns, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

When o'er the hill the eastern star

Tells bughtin-time is near, my jo;

And owsen frae the furrow'd field

Return sae dowf and wearie O;

Down by the burn, where scented birks

Wi' dew are hanging clear, my jo,

I'll meet thee on the lea-rig,

My ain kind dearie O.

Verse 2

In mirkest glen, at midnight hour,

I'd rove, and ne'er be eerie O

If thro' that glen I gaed to thee,

My ain kind dearie O.

Altho' the night were ne'er sae wild,

And I were ne'er sae wearie O,

I'd meet thee on the lea-rig,

My ain kind dearie O.

Verse 3

The hunter lo'es the morning sun,

To rouse the mountain deer, my jo;

At noon the fisher seeks the glen,

Along the burn to steer, my jo;

Gie me the hour o' gloamin grey,

It maks my heart sae cheery O,

To meet thee on the lea-rig,

My ain kind dearie O.

Credits

Written by Robert Burns

Words by Robert Burns. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887), “My ain kind Dearie O”

Every text in this 1887 collected edition is by Robert Burns (1759-1796), who died more than 230 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination and a pre-1931 United States publication.

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 2026-10-25. 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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