Short StoriesNo. 8126 · The 2026 edition
Halloween (poem)
A spooky poem that captures the eerie essence of Halloween night.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
This poem explores the dark and mysterious atmosphere of Halloween, with imagery of ghosts, goblins, and the chill of autumn air.
About this
A Wikipedia article on "Halloween", a poem written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785 and first published in 1786 in the Kilmarnock volume. It covers the work's background and the earlier 1780 Halloween poem by John Mayne that appears to have influenced Burns, along with an analysis of Burns' style and a note on the poem's characteristics. The page records that the poem mixes Scots and English and runs to 28 stanzas.
Facts from the original
- "Halloween" is a poem written by the Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785.
- It was first published in 1786 and is included in the Kilmarnock volume.
- It is one of Burns' longer poems and employs a mixture of Scots and English.
- John Mayne of Dumfries in South West Scotland, described as a comparatively obscure follower of the Scottish Muses, had attempted a poem on Halloween in 1780.
- Mayne's poem had twelve stanzas and made note of Halloween pranks ("What fearfu' pranks ensue!") as well as the supernatural associated with the night, "Bogies" (ghosts).
- Mayne's poem appeared in Ruddimans Weekly Magazine in November 1780, published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh.
- Burns appears to have seen and been influenced by Mayne's composition, communicating with Mayne's work and echoing some of his imagery.
- According to Burns, Halloween is "thought to be a night when witches, devils, and other mischief-making beings are all abroad on their baneful midnight errands".
- The poem is recited by Scots at Halloween.
- Burns' poetry revolves around country and town life, the life he knew.
- By using Scots alongside English, and through the power of his expression in both, Burns gives an account of the charms of the West of Scotland.
- The poem has 28 stanzas.
- The article is categorized under 1785 poems, Poetry by Robert Burns, Narrative poems, Halloween, and Halloween fiction.
