Robert Burns

Is there, for honest poverty, That hangs his head, and a' that? The coward-slave, we pass him by; We dare be poor for a' that! For a' that, and a' that, Our toils obscure, and a' that; The rank is but the guinea stamp, The man's the gowd for a' that.

What though on hamely fare we dine, Wear hodden-gray, an a' that; Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine, A man's a man for a' that! For a' that, and a' that, Their tinsel show, and a' that; The honest man, though e'er sae poor, Is king o' men for a' that.

Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord, Wha struts, and stares, and a' that; Though hundreds worship at his word, He's but a coof for a' that; For a' that, and a' that, His ribband, star, and a' that; The man of independent mind, He looks and laughs at a' that.

A prince can make a belted knight, A marquis, duke, and a' that; But an honest man's aboon his might, Guid faith, he maunna fa' that! For a' that, and a' that; Their dignities, and a' that; The pith o' sense, and pride o' worth, Are higher rank than a' that.

Then let us pray that come it may, As come it will for a' that, That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth, Shall bear the gree, and a' that. For a' that, and a' that, It's comin' yet, for a' that, That man to man, the warld o'er Shall brothers be for a' that.

HELPS TO STUDY.

Biographical: Robert Burns was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1759. His life was short and full of poverty and privation; but he saw poetry in all the commonplace occurrences of every-day life. His sympathy went out to all human kind and, as the above selection shows, he had a high regard for the real worth of man.

Notes and Questions.

Does birth or station in life determine the man?

Lines 7, 8. Explain these lines.

Lines 29-40. What do these lines mean?

In the following what is omitted? Man's (27); It's (38); o'er (39).

Why did Burns use the word "coward-slave"?

Does the poet say a man is "king of men" because he is poor?

What makes a man a king among his fellowmen?

Scotch words and their English equivalents: a'--all; wha--who; gowd--gold; hamely--homely; hodden--gray--coarse gray cloth; gie--give; sae--so; birkie--clever fellow; ca'd--called; coof--dunce; aboon--above; guid--good; maunna fa'--must not try; gree--prize.

Words and Phrases for Discussion.

"toils obscure" "pith o' sense" "guinea stamp" "ribband" "star" "belted knight"

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