Today is not only the birthday of the Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns, but also Burns Day—a day when fans across North America pause to honor the life, wit, and enduring voice of Scotland’s Favourite Son. In Canada and the United States, celebrations blend storytelling, hospitality, and a shared sense of cultural pride. Communities gather for Burns suppers where friends swap stories, recite verses, and lift a glass in tribute to Burns’s memory and the lasting connections his work inspires.
Burns is probably most famous for his poem (and song) “Auld Lang Syne,” which is traditionally sung to ring in the New Year. The piece evokes shared memories and friendships as the calendar turns. He wrote many poems and songs and also revised traditional Scottish folk tunes, imbuing them with a distinctive rhythm and humor that resonates with audiences today. Burns’s prolific output helped shape a broad catalog of verse and music that continues to travel across oceans and generations.
Most of Burns’s work was written in the Scots language, a rich dialect spoken throughout central Scotland, though he also produced pieces in English. The Scots he used gives his lines a musical cadence that still sounds intimate to readers in Canada, the United States, and around the world. His language choices reflect a blend of poetic invention and cultural voice that continues to be studied, performed, and appreciated in classrooms, libraries, theaters, and concert halls.
Some of Burns’s works remain incredibly popular today such as “The Louse,” “Red, Red Rose,” “The Mouse,” “Ae Fond Kiss” and “Tam o’Shanter.” Each selection showcases Burns’s gift for vivid imagery, social observation, and heartfelt feeling. Across North America and beyond, readers and performers continue to revive these poems and ballads, often finding new resonance through contemporary readings, modern adaptations, and inclusive performances.
DID YOU KNOW?
- He is regarded as the national poet of Scotland and his song “Scots Wha Hae” is widely considered the country‘s unofficial national anthem, frequently sung at cultural events, school assemblies, and commemorations.
- He produced more than 550 poems and songs within the 37 years he lived, a prolific body of work that spans satire, romance, social commentary, and vivid depictions of everyday life.
- His well known poem “Address to Haggis” is often cited as a playful moment in which Burns personifies the dish, contributing to haggis’s enduring place in Scottish cuisine and identity.
- Historical records indicate that Burns fathered a number of children with several partners, with estimates commonly cited as at least 14, and his extended family continued his legacy long after his death.
- There are numerous statues honoring Burns around the world, reflecting the international reach of his work and his enduring cultural impact.