---
title: "The Bonie Lad That’s Far Awa"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Poem"
year: "1788"
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/the-bonie-lad-thats-far-awa/"
---

# The Bonie Lad That’s Far Awa

## Poem
O how can I be blythe and glad,  
Or how can I gang brisk and braw,  
When the bonie lad that I lo’e best  
Is o’er the hills and far awa!

It’s no the frosty winter wind,  
It’s no the driving drift and snaw;  
But aye the tear comes in my e’e,  
To think on him that’s far awa.

My father pat me frae his door,  
My friends they hae disown’d me a’;  
But I hae ane will tak my part,  
The bonie lad that’s far awa.

A pair o’ glooves he bought to me,  
And silken snoods he gae me twa;  
And I will wear them for his sake,  
The bonie lad that’s far awa.

O weary Winter soon will pass,  
And Spring will cleed the birken shaw;  
And my young babie will be born,  
And he’ll be hame that’s far awa.

---

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/the-bonie-lad-thats-far-awa/