Aye Fond Kiss
Aye fond kiss and then we sever
Aye farewell and then forever
Deep in heart–rung tears I’ll pledge thee
Warning sighs and groans I’ll wage thee
Who shall say that fortune grieves him
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me nae cheerfu’ twinkle lights me,
Dark despair around benights me.
I’ll ne’re blame my partial fancy:
Nothing could resist my Nancy
But to see her was to love her
Love but her, and love forever
Had we never lov’d so kindly
Had we never lov’d so blindly
Never met or never parted
We had ne’re been broken hearted.
Far-thee-weel, thou first and fairest
Far-thee-weel, thou best and dearest
Thine be ilka joy and treasure
Peace , Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
“Aye Fond Kiss” was written in 1791 by the Scottish writer Robert Burns (1759-96). During his stay in Edinburgh, Burns met Mrs. Agnes Craig M'Lehose in December 1787. It was love at first sight for both of them. In addition to numerous visits, the couple kept in touch by correspondence where they used the names “Clarinda” and “Sylvander”. Marriage was of course impossible, and they parted in December 1791 never to meet again. Burns so eloquently captures the heartache of that parting in Ae fond kiss. Some forty years later, at the age of seventy-two, “Clarinda” wrote
“This day I never can forget. Parted with Burns, in the year 1791, never more to meet in this world, Oh may we meet in Heaven.”
