Analysis of It was a' for our Rightful King

Robert Burns 1759 (Alloway) – 1796 (Dumfries)



1     It was a' for our rightful king
2         That we left fair Scotland's strand;
3     It was a' for our rightful king
4         We e'er saw Irish land,
5             My dear,
6         We e'er saw Irish land.

7     Now a' is done that men can do,
8         And a' is done in vain!
9     My love, and native land, fareweel!
10       For I maun cross the main,
11           My dear,
12       For I maun cross the main.

13   He turn'd him right and round about,
14       Upon the Irish shore,
15   He gave his bridle-reins a shake,
16       With, Adieu for evermore,
17           My dear!
18       And adieu for evermore!

19   The soldier frae the war returns,
20       And the merchant frae the main.
21   But I hae parted frae my love,
22       Never to meet again,
23           My dear,
24       Never to meet again.

25   When day is gone and night is come,
26       And a' folk bound to sleep,
27   I think on him that's far awa
28       The lee-lang night, and weep,
29           My dear,
30       The lee-lang night, and weep.


Scheme ABABCB XDXDCD XEXECE XDXFCF XGXGCG
Poetic Form Etheree  (37%)
Tetractys  (27%)
Metre 110110101 1111101 110110101 1101101 11 1101101 10111111 001101 1101011 111101 11 111101 11110101 010101 11110101 101110 11 001110 01010101 0010101 11110111 101101 11 101101 11110111 001111 1111111 011101 11 011101
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,014
Words 187
Sentences 10
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 21
Words per line (avg) 12
Letters per stanza (avg) 125
Words per stanza (avg) 73
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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

57 sec read
275

Robert Burns

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. more…

All Robert Burns poems | Robert Burns Books

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