Living

Thou Gloomy December

by Robert Burns 1759–1796

From Poems and Songs, 1791

Living

Ance mair I hail thee, thou gloomy December!
Ance mair I hail thee wi’ sorrow and care;
Sad was the parting thou makes me remember—
Parting wi’ Nancy, oh, ne’er to meet mair!

Fond lovers’ parting is sweet, painful pleasure,
Hope beaming mild on the soft parting hour;
But the dire feeling, O farewell for ever!
Is anguish unmingled, and agony pure!

Wild as the winter now tearing the forest,
Till the last leaf o’ the summer is flown;
Such is the tempest has shaken my bosom,
Till my last hope and last comfort is gone.

Still as I hail thee, thou gloomy December,
Still shall I hail thee wi’ sorrow and care;
For sad was the parting thou makes me remember,
Parting wi’ Nancy, oh, ne’er to meet mair.

MLA

Burns, Robert. “Thou Gloomy December.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/burns/357/.

Chicago

Burns, Robert. “Thou Gloomy December.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/burns/357/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Robert Burns