By Robert Burns (1759-1796)
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou’d the gowans fine
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit,
sin’ auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
sin’ auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Scotland, on January 25, 1759. He was the author of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect (1786) and Tam O’ Shanter (1795). In addition to Auld Lang Syne, his best known poems include Scots Wha Hae which has long been the unofficial national anthem of Scotland, A Man’s a Man for A’ That, and Ae Fond Kiss.
I’m looking forward to a pint or two of kindness in 2021 with you, dear friend. And fried pickles at Wildwood.
Might be June before that happens, but when it does I’m going to eat fried pickles until I barf. Happy New Year!