---
title: "Epitaph on John Dove, Innkeeper"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Poem"
year: "1785"
location: "Mossgiel"
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/epitaph-on-john-dove-innkeeper/"
---

# Epitaph on John Dove, Innkeeper

## Poem
Here lies Johnie Pigeon;  
What was his religion?  
Whae’er desires to ken,  
To some other warl’  
Maun follow the carl,  
For here Johnie Pigeon had nane!

Strong ale was ablution,  
Small beer persecution,  
A dram was memento mori;  
But a full-flowing bowl  
Was the saving his soul,  
And port was celestial glory.

---

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/epitaph-on-john-dove-innkeeper/