For a' That and a' That

Robert Burns 1759 (Alloway) – 1796 (Dumfries)



1     Is there, for honest poverty,
2         That hings his head, an' a' that?
3     The coward slave, we pass him by,
4         We dare be poor for a' that!
5             For a' that, an' a' that,
6                 Our toils obscure, an' a' that;
7             The rank is but the guinea's stamp;
8                 The man's the gowd for a' that,

9     What tho' on hamely fare we dine,
10       Wear hoddin-gray, an' a' that;
11   Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,
12       A man's a man for a' that.
13           For a' that, an' a' that,
14               Their tinsel show an' a' that;
15           The honest man, tho' e'er sae poor,
16               Is king o' men for a' that.

17   Ye see yon birkie, ca'd a lord
18       Wha struts, an' stares, an' a' that;
19   Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
20       He's but a coof for a' that:
21           For a' that, an' a' that,
22               His riband, star, an' a' that,
23           The man o' independent mind,
24               He looks and laughs at a' that.

25   A prince can mak a belted knight,
26       A marquis, duke, an' a' that;
27   But an honest man's aboon his might,
28       Guid faith he mauna fa' that!
29           For a' that, an' a' that,
30               Their dignities, an' a' that,
31           The pith o' sense, an' pride o' worth,
32               Are higher rank than a' that.

33   Then let us pray that come it may,
34       As come it will for a' that,
35   That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth,
36       May bear the gree, an' a' that.
37           For a' that, an' a' that,
38               It's coming yet, for a' that,
39           That man to man, the warld o'er,
40               Shall brothers be for a' that.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 24, 2023

1:34 min read
253

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXAAAXA BABAAAXA XAXAAAXA CACAAADA XADAAAXA
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,693
Words 304
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Robert Burns

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist. more…

All Robert Burns poems | Robert Burns Books

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