Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Out over the Forth

Robert Burns

“Out over the Forth” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 296 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

Out over the Forth I look to the north,

But what is the north and its Highlands to me?

The south nor the east gie ease to my breast,

The far foreign land, or the wild rolling sea.

Verse 2

But I look to the west, when I gae to rest,

That happy my dreams and my slumbers may be;

For far in the west lives he I lo'e best,

The lad that is dear to my babie and me.

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), “Out over the Forth”

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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