Short StoriesNo. 9657 · The 2026 edition
Halloween (poem)
A hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the eerie magic of Halloween night.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at en.wikipedia.org.
This Halloween poem evokes the spooky atmosphere of the holiday, with imagery of ghostly figures, chilling winds, and the thrill of the unknown, perfect for setting a moody tone.
About this
This Wikipedia article covers 'Halloween', a 1785 poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns. It explains the poem's first publication in 1786 in the Kilmarnock volume and its mixed use of Scots and English. The page also details the background influence of John Mayne's 1780 Halloween poem and provides analysis of Burns' portrayal of Scottish life.
The list
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Halloween 1785
Burns poem, published 1786 in Kilmarnock volume; mixes Scots and English; influenced by John Mayne's 1780 Halloween poem.
Facts from the original
- Halloween is a poem written by Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1785.
- It was first published in 1786 and is included in the Kilmarnock volume.
- The poem is one of Burns' longer poems and employs a mixture of Scots and English.
- John Mayne of Dumfries, South West Scotland, attempted a poem on Halloween in 1780.
- Mayne's poem has twelve stanzas and notes pranks at Halloween, including the line 'What fearfu' pranks ensue!'.
- Mayne's poem references the supernatural associated with the night, 'Bogies' (ghosts).
- Mayne's poem appeared in Ruddimans Weekly Magazine, November 1780, published by Walter Ruddiman in Edinburgh.
- Burns saw and was influenced by Mayne's composition, communicating with it 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.
- A poem recited by Scots at Halloween, Burns' poetry revolves around country and town life, the life he knew.
- By using Scots alongside English, and by the sheer power of his expression in both, Burns gives an account of the charms of the West of Scotland.
