Author: Robert Burns

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        We came na here to view your warks
            In hopes to be mair wise,
        But only, lest we gang to hell,
            It may be nae surprise:

        For whan we tirl'd at your door,
            Your porter dought na hear us;
        Sae may, shou'd we to hell's yetts come
            Your billy Satan sair us!

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Type of Poem: Epigram

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem, written in a robust Scottish dialect, explores themes of wisdom, mortality, and the afterlife, with a humorous, somewhat cynical tone. The speaker and their party arrive somewhere, perhaps a place of learning or authority, with the stated goal of gaining wisdom to avoid a surprise trip to hell. However, they're ignored and left unenlightened. As a result, they jest that if they do end up in hell, Satan should be equally unresponsive because of their previous experience.

The structure of the poem is simple and direct, using an ABAB rhyme scheme that lends a sing-song quality to the overall rhythm. This lightness contrasts with the weighty themes, creating an intriguing juxtaposition. The poem employs a few standout literary devices, such as personification (Satan, the 'billy', or brother), and a kind of dark humor that is both disarming and thought-provoking. The use of dialect also adds a layer of authenticity and cultural specificity, while the colloquial language and everyday imagery make the poem’s more profound musings on life and death relatable and accessible to a general audience.