[O were my love yon Lilac fair]
By Robert Burns
O were my love yon Lilac fair,
Wi’ purple blossoms to the Spring,
And I, a bird to shelter there,
When wearied on my little wing!
How I wad mourn when it was torn
By Autumn wild, and Winter rude!
But I wad sing on wanton wing,
When youthfu’ May its bloom renew’d.O gin my love were yon red rose,
That grows upon the castle wa’;
And I myself a drap o’ dew,
Into her bonie breast to fa’!
O there, beyond expression blest,
I’d feast on beauty a’ the night;
Seal’d on her silk-saft faulds to rest,
Till fley’d awa by Phoebus’ light!
Summary of [O were my love yon Lilac fair]
- Popularity of “[O were my love yon Lilac fair]”: Written by Robert Burns, a great lyricist, and Scottish national poet, this beautiful lyric appeared around 1793. The timing of the poem is of critical importance because it appeared shortly before the French Revolution took place. At that time, the Romantic Movement in English was going on in full swing. Hence, this lyric reflects those romantic tendencies as it demonstrates features of both the Scottish and English languages used in lyrics of those times. The beauty and popularity of the lyric lie in its metaphorical presentation of love.
- “[O were my love yon Lilac fair]” As a Representative of Metaphorical Presentation of Love: The poet presents a first-person speaker who compares his love to Lilac and then a rose and states that he desires that he has been a little bird and sing “wanton song” in praise of the flower after he becomes tired of flying here and there when autumn and winter plays havoc with the flower. The second stanza presents the speaker showing his love like a red rose growing on the wall of some castle and he becoming a dew drop to feast on its breast. This metaphorical presentation demonstrates his sensual desire to sleep on the breast of his beloved, showing that he wants to do it in the moonlight of the moon.
- Major Themes in “[O were my love yon Lilac fair]”: Desire for love, sensual pleasure, and blessings of love are major themes of this lyric. The poet wants to win the love of his beloved at every cost, even if he needs to become a little bird in case she is a Lilac or a dew drop in case she is a rose flower. This desire for love turns into a desire for sensual pleasure when he wants to lie down on the breast of his beloved to enjoy the blessings of his love. The desire to hug and the desire to take rest; all these desires show his wish to enjoy the sensual pleasures of his love. However, he wants to enjoy it in the moonlight nights. This shows that the poet is full of love for his beloved and wants her to be with him at every cost.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in [O were my love yon Lilac fair]
Robert Burns has used various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem. Some of the major literary devices are analyzed below.
- Allusions: This is a literary device in which a reference of historical, cultural, or literary significance is made in the text for impact. This poem shows allusions, such as Lilac, Phoebus, and castle.
- Alliteration: This sound device shows the use of initial consonant sounds, such as the sound of /b/ in “bonie breast” or /w/ in “wanton wing.”
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /i/ in “When wearied on my little wing” and the sound of /a/ and /o/ in “But I wad sing on wanton wing.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /r / in “And I, a bird to shelter there” and the sound of /t/ and /s/ in “Seal’d on her silk-saft faulds to rest.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Robert Burns used imagery in this poem, such as “And I, a bird to shelter there”, “By Autumn wild, and Winter rude” and “O gin my love were yon red rose.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature. The poet used the metaphor of a little bird or a dew drop for himself to achieve his desire of sleeping on the breast of his beloved.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols, such as love, Lilac, Spring, wing, bird, and winter to show the intensity of his love.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “[O were my love yon Lilac fair]”
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows good use of formal, poetic, and loving diction.
- End Rhyme: It means to use verses having matching end words. Robert Burns shows the use of end rhymes, such as fair/there and Spring/wing.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem shows the ABABCDCD rhyme scheme in both stanzas.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are two stanzas, each comprising eight verses.
- Tone: It means the voice of the text. The poem shows an intensely loving and sensual tone in both stanzas.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful to quote when talking about the intensity of love.
O gin my love were yon red rose,
That grows upon the castle wa’;
And I myself a drap o’ dew,
Into her bonie breast to fa’!
