Afton Water
Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes!
Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise!
My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.
Thou stock-dove, whose echo resounds thro' the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you disturb not my slumbering fair.
How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighbouring hills,
Far mark'd with the courses of clear winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary's sweet cot in my eye.
How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
There oft, as mild Ev'ning sweeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.
Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides,
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
As gathering sweet flowrets she stems thy clear wave.
Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.
Commentary
(1759-1796)
Here is a poem for The Wondering Minstrels. It’s in the “summer” theme. Afton Water is one of my favorite poems, mostly because of the sense of deep peace and tranquillity that comes over me when I read it. There is something about the pace and rhythm of this poem… I think it is the combination of alliteration (“Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow”) and the gentleness of the nature imagery that works. And it is also purely, unabashedly romantic. The facts about Robert Burns are chronicled elsewhere. Another great aspect of this poem is that it has lent itself to song, having been set to music by several diverse singers and groups, all of which preserve the spirit of the work… it is one of those poems that really deserves to be read aloud.
— Matt
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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
Paul Stewart · 29 June 2004
An interesting fact about this poem is that it provided (and still provides) the name of a well known brand of cigarettes in Ireland. Lines from the poem were quoted on the packets of “Sweet Afton”. Maybe it provided the inspiration for the advertising doggerel for Consulate, a menthol cigarette which in the UK was claimed to be “Cool as a mountain stream”. Does anyone else know of poetry subverted for such unhealthy purposes?
Paul Stewart
Adrian Laird-Craig · 3 April 2006
ref sweet afton
no, but I hope tobe introducing lines from another romantic poet/dramaturge to the label of a whisky. let’s hope you find it in the next ten years or so.
Adrian