---
title: "Ca’ the Yowes to the Knowes"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Song"
year: "1789"
location: "Ellisland"
source: "Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns"
source_url: "https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt"
canonical_url: "https://robert-burns.com/poems/ca-the-yowes-to-the-knowes/"
---

# Ca’ the Yowes to the Knowes

## Song
*Chorus*  
Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,  
Ca’ them where the heather grows,  
Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,  
My bonie dearie

As I gaed down the water-side,  
There I met my shepherd lad:  
He row’d me sweetly in his plaid,  
And he ca’d me his dearie.

*Chorus*  
Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,  
Ca’ them where the heather grows,  
Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,  
My bonie dearie

Will ye gang down the water-side,  
And see the waves sae sweetly glide  
Beneath the hazels spreading wide,  
The moon it shines fu’ clearly.

*Chorus*  
Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,  
Ca’ them where the heather grows,  
Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,  
My bonie dearie

Ye sall get gowns and ribbons meet,  
Cauf-leather shoon upon your feet,  
And in my arms ye’se lie and sleep,  
An’ ye sall be my dearie.

*Chorus*  
Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,  
Ca’ them where the heather grows,  
Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,  
My bonie dearie

If ye’ll but stand to what ye’ve said,  
I’se gang wi’ thee, my shepherd lad,  
And ye may row me in your plaid,  
And I sall be your dearie.

*Chorus*  
Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,  
Ca’ them where the heather grows,  
Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,  
My bonie dearie

While waters wimple to the sea,  
While day blinks in the lift sae hie,  
Till clay-cauld death sall blin’ my e’e,  
Ye sall be my dearie.

*Chorus*  
Ca’ the yowes to the knowes,  
Ca’ them where the heather grows,  
Ca’ them where the burnie rowes,  
My bonie dearie

---

Source: [Project Gutenberg #1279 — Poems and Songs of Robert Burns](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1279/pg1279.txt)  
Canonical HTML: https://robert-burns.com/poems/ca-the-yowes-to-the-knowes/