---
title: "The Epitaph"
author: "Robert Burns"
form: "Poem"
year: "1794"
location: "Dumfries"
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-epitaph-3/"
---

# The Epitaph

## Poem
Here lies, now a prey to insulting neglect,  
What once was a butterfly, gay in life’s beam:  
Want only of wisdom denied her respect,  
Want only of goodness denied her esteem.

---

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-epitaph-3/