A Red, Red Rose

Robert Burns · 1794 (published 1796)

Catalog grade guidance: 6–12 — Short love song; clean.

17 content lines · 115 words · Est. recitation about 1 min 7 sec (approx.)

Public-domain text for reading and recitation practice. Source: Project Gutenberg #1279: Poems and Songs of Robert Burns (chronological arrangement).Estimated time uses ~120 words/minute plus short pauses—not a contest rule.

A Red, Red Rose



     O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
     That’s newly sprung in June:
     O my Luve’s like the melodie,
     That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

     As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
     So deep in luve am I;
     And I will luve thee still, my dear,
     Till a’ the seas gang dry.

     Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
     And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
     And I will luve thee still, my dear,
     While the sands o’ life shall run.

     And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
     And fare-thee-weel, a while!
     And I will come again, my Luve,
     Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!