Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Lovely Lass of Inverness

Robert Burns

“The Lovely Lass of Inverness” as printed in The Poetical Works of Robert Burns (1887).

Robert Burns: Collected Lyrics Text 400 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

The lovely lass o' Inverness,

Nae joy nor pleasure can she see;

For e'en and morn she cries, alas!

And aye the saut tear blins her ee:

Drumossie moor, Drumossie day,

A waefu' day it was to me;

For there I lost my father dear,

My father dear, and brethren three.

Verse 2

Their winding-sheet the bluidy clay,

Their graves are growing green to see;

And by them lies the dearest lad

That ever blest a woman's ee!

Now wae to thee, thou cruel lord,

A bluidy man I trow thou be;

For monie a heart thou hast made sair,

That ne'er did wrang to thine or thee.

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), “The Lovely Lass of Inverness”

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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