52lyrics
Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
266 / 519
Public-domain lyrics

O raging Fortune's Withering Blast

Robert Burns

“O raging Fortune's Withering Blast” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 266 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

O raging fortune's withering blast

Has laid my leaf full low! O

O raging fortune's withering blast

Has laid my leaf full low! O.

Verse 2

My stem was fair, my bud was green,

My blossom sweet did blow; O

The dew fell fresh, the sun rose mild,

And made my branches grow; O.

Verse 3

But luckless fortune's northern storms

Laid a' my blossoms low, O

But luckless fortune's northern storms

Laid a' my blossoms low, 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), “O raging Fortune's Withering Blast”

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.
Keep tracing

More from Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics.

01A Rose-budPublic-domain lyrics02A red, red RosePublic-domain lyrics03Address to a LadyPublic-domain lyrics04AdieuPublic-domain lyrics